Tamron’s 35mm f2.8 lens and 2 other primes (the 20mm and 24mm) M1:2 are at sort of an awkward in between point in terms of the evolution of how Tamron wants you to update the firmware. And in my case, and many other Mac users from what I’ve read, there are some challenges.
Older Tamron lenses, such as those for Canon’s older EF mount, can still take advantage of the Tap-in Console hardware that connects the lens via USB to a computer, and uses the software. Newer lenses, like the 28-75mm f2.8 Mark II, have a USB port built right into the lens to do the same thing.
These primes we’re talking about here, though, stay connected to your camera, and you plug the camera into the computer and launch the software.
On PC this works flawlessly, but on Mac after OS 10.15 reportedly the security features prevent certain program functions from running.
Unfortunately, these functions are crucial to Tamron’s Lens Update Application working correctly.
You can follow Tamron’s instructions to a T and still wind up with the error message saying it couldn’t connect to the lens. Namely:
- Remove your camera’s SD cards
- Set your camera to USB Mass Storage mode and connect to your computer
- Run the downloaded update .dmg file and follow the prompts
- Error
If you’ve done these things as well and are having issues, it’s not a “you” issue. Sadly, that I have found thus far, there isn’t a setting you can toggle in Mac’s Security settings to allow the software to work correctly. Tamron’s firmware download page itself even shows that the software isn’t compatible with Mac OS after 10.15+.
In my case I still had a Dell Windows PC in the house with Windows 10 and completed the update that way, but if you’re a 100% Mac household you may be out of luck.
If I come upon a tangible solution I will post it here. For now, though, it seems Macs with up-to-date MacOS versions can’t properly use the update software.