Tamron Admits G1 Lenses Needed Hardware, Not Just Firmware

Every photographer who's bought a G1 Tamron and then watched a G2 drop six months later has felt that particular sting. Now Tamron has put it in writing: the G2 upgrades needed new AF motors and new circuit boards. You couldn't get there with a firmware update, no matter how good the engineering. That's worth knowing before your next purchase decision. When a manufacturer releases a 'new version' of an existing lens, ask what hardware actually changed. If the answer is nothing, that's a firmware update wearing a price tag. Tamron just handed you the question to ask.