Can you please confirm that a Tamron AF 18-270 Di II VC LD lens can adapt to Sony alpha a55v camera body? Also are there any tricks a novice should be aware of? I also would like to know if the above is better than the two lens / Body (which are on offer) is a better proposition.

The lens can be used on Sony's alpha-series digital SLRs.

Try cleaning the lens and camera contacts gently with a lint-free cloth

Unfortunately this is a risk when you use third-party lenses. The camera manufacturer's lens to body protocols are not open source nor do they licence the technology to alternative suppliers, so all that companies like Tamron can do is to try and reverse engineer the system.

You only have two possible fixes:-

1. Replace the lens with a Sony Alpha model; or

2. Contact Tamron to see whether they offer an update service for your lens.

The latter is certainly possible with some brands/models, but the costs have historically varied between "you pay just the shipping and handling" right up to "it's cheaper to buy a new lens".

So you either pay a high price for Sony Alpha genuine lenses which are guaranteed to always work with Sony Alpha bodies and firmware updates, or pay repeatedly for third party lenses. "You pays your money and you takes your choice".

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change your VR unit

does the camera recognize the lens? I mean does the camera just say F--- or does it show all the information for the lens?

Try cleaning the contacts on the camera and the lens, this is what usually prevents AF from working correctly.

does the camera recognize it? I mean when it is attached, does the camera show the Fstop etc?

The thread for filters, hoods, etc is all the same, on virtually every lens. The diameter is all that varies, with few exceptions. You need a 62mm hood. This is common item. You would probably want a collapseable rubber hood with a 62mm thread. I'm not positive if I can say this, or not. It's always easier to to beg forgiveness than get permission. I would call one of the photo houses in NYC. They advertise in Shutterbug.com. Any of them would have what you're looking for.

you will not have AF...only MF

full list of compatible lens for your camera here