Digitally Integrated Design, is a designation Tamron puts on lenses featuring optical systems designed to meet the performance characteristics of digital SLR cameras.

Tamron introduces a new version of the famous 90mm macro lens for film and digital photography. Tamron's 90mm macro lens, often referred to as "the portrait macro" and loved by photographers all over the world, is now reborn as a Di lens that is perfect for use with both film and digital cameras.

In the hand, this lens feels compact and light, but never flimsy. It is too small to accommodate a tripod collar. However, this is not an IF lens, and grows by 50mm when focusing to the 1:1 position.

A welcome addition – and something the 180mm really should have had – is a full / limit switch. The action of this rotary switch is very light – very easy to use, but it is the one item on this lens that feels less than robust. I wonder at its durability.
Switching between manual and auto focus modes is as easy as sliding the focusing collar forwards or backwards. A distinct click ensures you do not change modes accidentally.

The front element is deeply recessed, so that the supplied hood is not really necessary. Conversely, the rear element is right up in the throat of the lens mount, and does not move during focusing. The lens barrel is thereby sealed against dust entering from the rear.

=== Read the full review at www.nikonians.org ===