I haven’t used the Tamron, so I can’t offer a comparison, but I have the 24-70 and love it. It is my go-to lens for most things.
Another lens to consider is the 28-70 f2.8. It is a great lens, although I did have issues with flare under certain lighting conditions when taking night shots. I used this lens for years before upgrading to the 24-70 and still keep it as a backup.
Thank you. You have the first generation? I do like LensRental.Com, and according to Roger, he says the Tamron first generation is the best version to get, the G2 is the same optically, the Nikon non VR isn’t as sharp and he dislikes the VR version. I also like KEH, I have bought and sold there too.I have the Tamron 24-70 SP Di VC (vibration control). I like it, and it cost quite a bit less than the Nikon. I do have the crop-sensor equivalent Nikon lens, which is a 17-55mm that I bought used from KEH.. They're both good lenses for general walk-around use, but are a little on the heavy side (around 2 pounds).
For an unbiased opinion I like to go to LensRentals.com. When you go to the page for a specific lens, look at the section called Roger's Take (if there is one). Roger is the owner and his mini-reviews are always honest and informative. It's also a great place to try before you buy.
You don’t miss having VR? I worry about camera shake with this lens?I haven’t used the Tamron, so I can’t offer a comparison, but I have the 24-70 and love it. It is my go-to lens for most things.
Another lens to consider is the 28-70 f2.8. It is a great lens, although I did have issues with flare under certain lighting conditions when taking night shots. I used this lens for years before upgrading to the 24-70 and still keep it as a backup.
You don’t miss having VR? I worry about camera shake with this lens?
Thank you. I tend to drink too much coffee. I think I might need the VR.I don’t miss VR in that lens range, however I have fairly steady hands and practice good camera technique. I’m still able to shoot a 70mm lens or wider at 1/30th handheld without seeing motion blur on my D4s. If you have shaky hands or one of the newer cameras with ridiculous megapixels, you might consider renting both and seeing if it makes a difference for you.