Dear All,I am using a Sony A7 IV with - so far - only the Tamron 28-200. Latest firmware (1.10).When I tried take photos of a half-marathon, I got consistently backfocused images from this combo (by around 0.5-1m), while they worked perfect so far for static subjects.The runners were coming towards me. They were not particularly fast (roughly 10kph = 6Mph). Varius focal lenghts, but mostly 100-200mm. Face was detected and tracked.I wonder what is going on here:1. The A7 IV is too slow to track such a subject, and I should not expect better performance with any lens. 2. This particular Tamron is too slow to track this. 3. Tamrons (3rd party E-mount lenses in general) are slow to track. 4. I have a bad copy of the lens (or the body).It matters because I would like to buy a Tamron 70-180 for sports. But it is not worth to spend the money if any of (1) or (3) above is true.Thanks for your thoughts!

How close are you to the runners? Tracking is more difficult the closer the lens has to focus. Other focusing mode and options may work better. Phase-detect works best in the center for instance.I haven't tried the 28-200 RXD for tracking shots, but I do have issues with it on the long end that I don't have with other Tamron lenses.I use the 70-300 RXD on the A7RIV for tracking cars, and it works well. I used the 70-180 VXD once and it was alright.Third-party lenses are more limited in their tracking performance than recent Sony lenses, but it is not clear if that limitation effects the 7 series bodies.

Bka314 wrote:Dear All,I am using a Sony A7 IV with - so far - only the Tamron 28-200. Latest firmware (1.10).When I tried take photos of a half-marathon, I got consistently backfocused images from this combo (by around 0.5-1m), while they worked perfect so far for static subjects.The runners were coming towards me. They were not particularly fast (roughly 10kph = 6Mph). Varius focal lenghts, but mostly 100-200mm. Face was detected and tracked.I wonder what is going on here:1. The A7 IV is too slow to track such a subject, and I should not expect better performance with any lens. 2. This particular Tamron is too slow to track this. 3. Tamrons (3rd party E-mount lenses in general) are slow to track. 4. I have a bad copy of the lens (or the body).It matters because I would like to buy a Tamron 70-180 for sports. But it is not worth to spend the money if any of (1) or (3) above is true.Thanks for your thoughts!If anything it would be 4 or 2. I have the 28-200 as well, but I haven't taken pictures of that kind of action where such tracking is needed. Although I haven't had any issue taken pictures of kids running around during family gatherings.I've used the 70-180 in plenty of situations where tracking is crucial and it has worked really well. The focus motors on the 70-180 is much faster than the 28-200 though. I don't really notice much difference compared to my 100-400 GM.This is with the A7RIV.Might be worth reaching out to Tamron?

Many thanks for your answer!I will dare to get the 70-180 then.QuietOC wrote:How close are you to the runners? Tracking is more difficult the closer the lens has to focus. Other focusing mode and options may work better. Phase-detect works best in the center for instanceThey were not so close, and I did not zoom in so much. They were far from filling the frame.I haven't tried the 28-200 RXD for tracking shots, but I do have issues with it on the long end that I don't have with other Tamron lenses.Then I hope it is just the same for me, and this do-everything lens is not suitable for this purpose.Thanks again,Kris

Many thanks for your answer!Nokiron wrote:I wonder what is going on here:1. The A7 IV is too slow to track such a subject, and I should not expect better performance with any lens. 2. This particular Tamron is too slow to track this. 3. Tamrons (3rd party E-mount lenses in general) are slow to track. 4. I have a bad copy of the lens (or the body).It matters because I would like to buy a Tamron 70-180 for sports. But it is not worth to spend the money if any of (1) or (3) above is true.Thanks for your thoughts!If anything it would be 4 or 2. I have the 28-200 as well, but I haven't taken pictures of that kind of action where such tracking is needed. Although I haven't had any issue taken pictures of kids running around during family gatherings.I've used the 70-180 in plenty of situations where tracking is crucial and it has worked really well. The focus motors on the 70-180 is much faster than the 28-200 though. I don't really notice much difference compared to my 100-400 GM.That sounds great.This is with the A7RIV.If a lens works well on the A7RIV, I think I can assume it working ok on another body of similar age.Might be worth reaching out to Tamron?Maybe I try. But I think what they'll say is that the 28-200 is not designed for action photograph. And I really do not have anything bad to say about the lens when it comes to static or slow moving subjects.

I have the 28-200 but use it with an A7Riv and haven't tried anything like the scenario you tried. So can't say mine does or doesn't work that way.Could you go over the camera settings?  Drive mode, focus mode, focus area, release priority settings, etc.?

5. User error?You didn't share your setting, nor share some examples from some reason. Error on your side is possible.

Bka314 wrote:Dear All,I am using a Sony A7 IV with - so far - only the Tamron 28-200. Latest firmware (1.10).When I tried take photos of a half-marathon, I got consistently backfocused images from this combo (by around 0.5-1m), while they worked perfect so far for static subjects.The runners were coming towards me. They were not particularly fast (roughly 10kph = 6Mph). Varius focal lenghts, but mostly 100-200mm. Face was detected and tracked.I wonder what is going on here:1. The A7 IV is too slow to track such a subject, and I should not expect better performance with any lens. 2. This particular Tamron is too slow to track this. 3. Tamrons (3rd party E-mount lenses in general) are slow to track. 4. I have a bad copy of the lens (or the body).It matters because I would like to buy a Tamron 70-180 for sports. But it is not worth to spend the money if any of (1) or (3) above is true.Thanks for your thoughts!I have shot many Birds in flight with my a7iv and tamron 28-200. It performs very well. It's either, your specific lens and camera, or a user/settings error. There is nothing wrong with the combo.

Jb502 wrote:Bka314 wrote:Dear All,I am using a Sony A7 IV with - so far - only the Tamron 28-200. Latest firmware (1.10).When I tried take photos of a half-marathon, I got consistently backfocused images from this combo (by around 0.5-1m), while they worked perfect so far for static subjects.The runners were coming towards me. They were not particularly fast (roughly 10kph = 6Mph). Varius focal lenghts, but mostly 100-200mm. Face was detected and tracked.I wonder what is going on here:1. The A7 IV is too slow to track such a subject, and I should not expect better performance with any lens. 2. This particular Tamron is too slow to track this. 3. Tamrons (3rd party E-mount lenses in general) are slow to track. 4. I have a bad copy of the lens (or the body).It matters because I would like to buy a Tamron 70-180 for sports. But it is not worth to spend the money if any of (1) or (3) above is true.Thanks for your thoughts!I have shot many Birds in flight with my a7iv and tamron 28-200. It performs very well. It's either, your specific lens and camera, or a user/settings error. There is nothing wrong with the combo.You using AF-C or AF-S?

Sorry, maybe I was not clear enough.When I wrote "face was detected and tracked", I meant AF-C (=tracking AF) with face & eye detection.So I tend to exclude user error, given that the camera was in tracking mode, it showed the detected face (of the person I wanted to track), and the "blur" is not motion/shake blur, as there are sharp runners behind.Note: my recent finding, which needs further proof is the following: if I switch face detection off (using the smallest area setting to lock on the target), then tracking is faster and more accurate.This I experienced when taking photos of a handball game, but unfortunately I do not have enough samples to say for sure (the game was already about to end when I switched off face detection).This is with firmware 2.00.