Tokina lens comments and complaints

[yeocolin]

I've never used Tokina lens before. May I know what is your opinion on it, especially if compared to Tamron, Sigma, Vivitar, Vitacon, Nikkor, Canon and Minolta lens.

I'm thinking in particular of 19-35mm wide angle lens, hence distortion, vignetting are especially important.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Tokina and does it last?

 

[Freed]

I only have tokina lenses, not that they are good, but that they are cheap!! hehe

They serve me well, have 1 of the cheap cheap 28-80mm, 3.5-5.6 for like I think 7 - 8 yrs, still working very well.

I happen to have the 19-35mm. I bought is when it was selling for ard $500, I believe it now costs less than $400.

There is no vignetting even at 19mm unless u use filters. I have to buy a slim polariser for it, and it costs me $150.'
There are also distorion at the corners at the 19mm end.

But overall it has serve me well, I am no pro, so the colors, contrast, sharpness is good to me.

You can see some samples from my site, look at the Vietnam photos, quite alot are shot with the wide angle.

 

[ckiang]

The best Tokina : The AF 28-70mm f/2.6-2.8 ATX Pro II. Sharp from f/4 onwards. Very well built. Discontinued, but should be able to get at around $400 used.

Regards
CK

 

[sadness]

good lens at very affordable price. ok la. not very cheap la...but very competitively priced lor...

third parties' lenses are always cheaper hor?

used to own tokina 28-105 f3.5-4.6
good. but not very good.

not much complaints from me.

 

[munfai]

i second ckiang's post. excellent lens for comparitively little money.

 

[binbeto]

Had the tokina 20-35/2.8. Dun know the different between this and the nikon equivalent. Dun have chance to compare.

The lens is tough and weight heavy. Workmanship seem very fine.
One thing I dun like is the switching bet MF/AF. You have to "trial and error" to get it. Quite a hassle.

 

[fruitybix]

Originally posted by munfai
i second ckiang's post. excellent lens for comparitively little money.

i third that post, too..

For a fraction of the price of a similar Canon lens, the results are quite amazing. good contrast, sharp, and very nice colours, built like a TANK. Shot a friend's weddings with it, and he is very pleased.

Since been discontinued, but should be able to get it used at about $450.

 

[markccm]

I noticed the Tokina is always a prefered choice over the Sigma EX series of the same specs (28-70mm F2.8).

I wonder why. Is the Sigma EX series really poorer than the Tokina? :dunno:

 

[cyrilng]

Originally posted by markccm
I noticed the Tokina is always a prefered choice over the Sigma EX series of the same specs (28-70mm F2.8).

I wonder why. Is the Sigma EX series really poorer than the Tokina? :dunno:

Maybe because Tokina usually has slightly better build quality.

 

[markccm]

Ok. Built quality is one. But wat about optical quality?

 

[BraveHart]

Used to have the Tokina 28-80 f2.8 AT-X Pro

Strengths:
Solid built (Better than Canon's L)
Decently Fast AF
One-Clutch AF Mechanism
Decent performance wide open (but see below)
Very good performance when stopped down to f4 and beyond

Weaknesses:
Noisy when hunting
Flare (against strong light sources)
Barrel Distortion at 28mm
Horribly Soft wide open (at 80mm only)

 

[markccm]

Ok. So nobody using the Sigma EX 28-70mm F2.8 lens?
Possible to have a poll how many ppl favour the Tokina to Sigma?

Coz I personally feel the Sigma maybe better in certain areas as compared to the Tokina.
Like faster AF, shorter min focus dist & more aperture steps.

 

[munfai]

Originally posted by markccm
Like faster AF, shorter min focus dist & more aperture steps.

valid points for Sigma. Their 70-200 f/2.8 EX is an excellent example of very fast AF, even on non-HSM mounts like Minolta.

but personally, the importance of build quality comes in very closely after optical quality (which should be pretty close between Tokina and Sigma). Sigma lenses simply feel like they have to be pampered, or they'll cry and stop working. And Sigma lenses are generally gigantic. You can easily mistake the 15-30 for a 24-70.

Oops... it has become more like a thread on 'Sigma lens comments and complaints'... ;p

 

[yeocolin]

wow, I never knew lens build was that important. Maybe its because I never owned a sigma lens, but only tamron, vitacon and minolta.

so, what are the ugly experience you had when lens mount became such a problem?

 

[munfai]

Originally posted by yeocolin
so, what are the ugly experience you had when lens mount became such a problem?

don't really understand your question, but lens mount is never a problem, unless the lens that you have or want to have doesn't mount on a DSLR

 

[redman2]

Currently using Tokina AT-X Pro 28-80 F2.8.

1. I believe it's the best value for money.

2. I dunno about Bravehart's experience, but distortion at 28mm is minimal for mine.

3. AF reasonably fast.

4. Tokina has reputation of producing fine optics, colour, contrast.

5. A bit soft on the 80mm side but use it with Fuji Reala (I'm still on film ) and it makes a good protrait lens. Nice effects for friends' weddings.

6. Very usable wide open, at f4 consider very good liao. f5.6 and up with superb results.

Just my 2cents... :thumbsup:

 

[yeocolin]

so when you mention about questioning the build quality of the lens, what does it mean?

 

[erwinx]

Originally posted by markccm
Ok. So nobody using the Sigma EX 28-70mm F2.8 lens?
Possible to have a poll how many ppl favour the Tokina to Sigma?

Coz I personally feel the Sigma maybe better in certain areas as compared to the Tokina.
Like faster AF, shorter min focus dist & more aperture steps.

i used to have a sigma EX 28-70 the 1st first version. very nice lens and great value for money. sharper than a nikkor 28-70D 3.5-4.5. Some of my favourite pictures have been taken with this lens

 

[BraveHart]

Originally posted by redman2
Currently using Tokina AT-X Pro 28-80 F2.8.


2. I dunno about Bravehart's experience, but distortion at 28mm is minimal for mine.

Hmm....perhaps I got a lousier sample? Or it could be because I'm too used to the quality I get with my primes..but either way...yeah...I agree this lens is value for money~ But I really could not accept the cons I mentiond..

However I suppose if you're all right with them....its a very usable lens! Got quite a few keepers with it too.

 

[redman2]

Yup, I'm one of those keepers. I bring it along for trips... even if i can only bring along one lens, this is the one.