TAMRON
Model 103A
CF
Tele-Macro
Compact Zoom
Adaptall-2 Symbol80~210mmF/3.8-4
CF Tele-Macro Compact Zoom
Tamron Adaptall-2 80-210mm F/3.8-4 Model 103A Lens

Tamron 80-210mm F/3.8-4 Model 103A: This was one of Tamron's best selling lenses throughout the early to mid 1980s for good reason — it successfully combined a moderate price with above average optical performance along with a lightweight package featuring very good ergonomics. This lens features a completely new optical design compared to the earlier model 03A lens. Images are very slightly soft in the corners with the aperture wide open at the 80 and 210 zoom settings, with sharpness across the entire film plane improving to very good at F/5.6 and smaller apertures at all zoom settings. While this later model 103A version lost the built-in lens hood, this lens was nearly a half inch shorter in overall length compared to Tamron's previous model 03A and had much better optical performance. This lens was replaced in 1986 with the 70-210 F/3.8-4 model 46A which was only in production for two years since the market was rapidly transitioning to autofocus camera systems. Both the model 103A and the similar model 46A with a slightly broader zoom range feature better than average optical performance, yet the later model 46A featured a plastic zoom/focus barrel with an integral plastic diamond grip and didn't have depth-of-field scales. Thus the later model 46A both looked and felt cheap. Overall, the 103A model is the best of the three since it featured above average optical performance and all-metal construction.

Lens Specifications:

Lens Model 103A
Focal Length 80 — 210mm
Aperture Range f/3.8~4 — 32, AE
Angle of View 30°~11°
Optical Construction
(Groups / Elements)
10 / 13
Min. Focus from Film Plane 35.4" (0.9m)
Macro Mag. Ratio [w/2X Converter] 1:2.8 [1:1.4]
Filter Size 58mm
Diameter 2.5" (64.5mm)
Length at
[w/Nikon mount]
5.4" (137.7mm)
[5.6" (142.2mm)]
Weight 22.4 oz. (634g)
Lens Hood Screw-in type #29FH, optional.
Accessory Accepts SP 2X tele-converter #01F.
Tamron 80-210 F/3.8-4
F/no. RESOLUTION
at 80mm
at 1:49 magnification
CONTRAST
at 80mm
(30 lines/mm)
Center
Lines/mm
Corner
Lines/mm
Center % Corner %
3.8 44 35 46 26
5.6 49 39 58 27
8 55 44 65 32
11 55 49 64 44
16 49 49 58 45
22 49 39 48 44
32 49 39 44 40
Tamron 80-210 F/3.8-4
F/no. RESOLUTION
at 135mm
at 1:49 magnification
CONTRAST
at 135mm
(30 lines/mm)
Center
Lines/mm
Corner
Lines/mm
Center % Corner %
3.8 44 35 42 42
5.6 49 44 44 46
8 55 49 50 56
11 49 49 50 58
16 49 44 51 52
22 49 39 43 46
32 39 35 41 42
Tamron 80-210 F/3.8-4
F/no. RESOLUTION
at 210mm
at 1:49 magnification
CONTRAST
at 210mm
(30 lines/mm)
Center
Lines/mm
Corner
Lines/mm
Center % Corner %
4 39 31 32 35
5.6 39 35 38 35
8 44 39 48 44
11 44 39 53 48
16 44 39 50 42
22 39 39 42 36
32 35 31 42 34
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