http://www.fotofach.de/ 296-267 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-535-pro-dx-af-50-135mm-f28/ The Tokina AF 50-135mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX is a very good lens with a few flaws. The resolution figures are generally very good although a centering problem limited the potential of the tested sample here (at the long end of the zoom range). The contrast level is generally very high except at 135mmm f/2.8. Typical for dedicated APS-C lenses the vignetting is a little more pronounced at wide-open aperture but all-in-all the issue is still relatively well controlled. The distortion characteristic is about average whereas lateral chromatic aberrations are a little high at the extreme ends of the zoom range. The bokeh, the out-of-focus blur, is generally very smooth and buttery. The mechanical quality of the lens is absolutely superb and it is a joy to handle this quality - more of this, please! The Tokina does still rely on the old slotted drive-screw for AF (which is not present anymore on Nikon budget DSLRs) - this approach is a bit dated by now although the principal AF performance is very fine. ]]> Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:43:13 +0200 299-266 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-165-pro-dx-af-16-50mm-f28/ The Tokina AF 16-50mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX is a long awaited lens but does it really live up to the high expectations ? Well, partially. Despite a slight centering defect the resolution characteristic is pretty impressive with a generally excellent center performance and very good borders and extreme corners from f/4 onwards. At f/2.8 the border resolution is slightly reduced. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur) is smooth and buttery at 50mm @ f/2.8. Vignetting is well controlled except at 16mm f/2.8 - the competition has more problems in this category. The lens shows fairly heavy barrel distortions at 16mm but only marginal distortions at longer focal lengths. The primary weakness of the lens are very heavy CAs at 16mm and 24mm at large aperture settings - this is rather typical for Tokina lenses. A positive thing that we got used to is the very high build quality of Tokina AT-X lenses and the 16-50mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX does also qualify here although the duo-cam zoom extension system may not be everybody's darling. The AF performance of the lens is very good both in terms of speed and accuracy. ]]> Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:41:24 +0200 297-265 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-124-af-pro-dx-af-12-24mm-f4/ The Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4 AT-X DX is a lens with many facets. The resolution characteristic is very good to excellent throughout the zoom range which is quite surprising for an ultra-wide zoom lens - more so for a third-party lens. Vignetting is very high at 12mm f/4 but quite well controlled otherwise (for an ultra-wide lens). It produces a fair amount of wavy barrel distortions at 12mm, less so at 18mm and at 24mm distortions are negligible. The weakest spot are CAs which are very high at 12mm and 24mm. This may not be a significant problem for RAW photography because CAs are a correctable problem but for those preferring JPEGs the issue may be quite annoying at times. Beyond CAs the lens doesn't really like contra light. Using the supplied hood is a good idea here and if possible light sources in the image field should be avoided. Typical for all Tokina AT-X lenses the build quality is on a very high level putting many lenses from other manufacturers to shame especially when considering the quite affordable price of around 450€/US$. ]]> Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:39:20 +0200 300-264 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-107-dx-fisheye-af-10-17mm-f35-45/ Fisheye lenses are special effect items so the sheer optical quality is not really a primary aspect. However, the Tokina does generally a very good job. It sharp enough for its purpose and the high degree of barrel distortion is naturally a feature to enjoy and not a bug. However, the Tokina lens clearly has some downsides. The primary weaknesses are chromatic aberrations (color shadows at the borders) and, more so, purple fringing (color blooming). Lateral CAs can be reduced easily via imaging tools but this is more difficult with PF. Compared to similar products such as the Nikkor AF 10.5mm f/2.8 DX or Olympus Digital Zuiko 8mm f/3.5 the price of the Tokina lens is very attractive at around 500€/US$. The Tokina has a superb build quality. Typical for fisheye lenses it's a hell of a fun to use but remember that this is not a mainstream lens like conventional (corrected) ultra-wide lenses. ]]> Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:37:35 +0200 296-196 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-535-pro-dx-af-50-135mm-f28/ The Tokina AF 50-135mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX is a very good lens with a few flaws. The resolution figures are truly excellent except maybe at 85mm f/2.8 and at close focus distances (based on field experience). The contrast level is generally very good except at 135mmm f/2.8. Typical for dedicated APS-C lenses the vignetting is a little more pronounced at wide-open aperture but all-in-all the issue is relatively well controlled. The distortion characteristic is about average whereas lateral chromatic aberrations are a little high at the extreme ends of the zoom range. The bokeh, the out-of-focus blur, is generally very smooth and buttery. The mechanical quality of the lens is absolutely superb and it is a joy to handle this quality - more of this, please! The Tokina does still rely on a AF micro-motor but the AF speed is fairly high although a little squeaky in sound. It is nice to see that Tokina is back again with good design for a reasonable price of around 600€/US$. ]]> Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:43:24 +0100 297-195 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-124-af-pro-dx-af-12-24mm-f4/ The verdict about the Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4 AT-X DX can't be easy because its quality varies across the different characteristics. In terms of resolution the lens is on a very high level. The center performance is excellent throughout the whole range. The borders are (naturally) quite a bit worse especially at f/4 but very decent from f/5.6 onward. Distortions are comparatively low for an ultra-wide lens and vignetting may only be an issue at 12mm @ f/4. On the downside chromatic aberrations are a significant problem at harsh contrast transitions - at least if you perfer straight JPEGs or plain converted RAWs. The problem can be almost completely avoided by using intelligent RAW converters such as Raw Shooter Essentials or by manual correction via Adobe Camera RAW or similar tools. So whether this characteristic is a problem for you is dependent on your workflow. Beyond CAs the lens doesn't really like contra light. Using the supplied hood is a good idea here and if possible light sources in the image field should be avoided. Typical for all Tokina AT-X lenses the build quality is on a very high level putting many lenses from other manufacturers to shame especially when considering the quite affordable price of about 450 EUR/US$. ]]> Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:41:13 +0100 426-194 http://www.fotofach.de/zoomobjektive-erfahrungsberichte/tokina-at-x-116-pro-dx-af-11-16mm-f28/ The Tokina AF 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX is currently the best ultra-wide angle zoom lens for Canon EOS APS-C DSLRs. The resolution is impressively high throughout the zoom range (albeit a short one) and across the image field. Vignetting is really only a problem at 11mm @ f/2.8 but otherwise the issue is very well controlled. The level of distortions is comparatively low. Typical for most Tokina lenses it has one weakness: lateral CAs which are very high at all settings. The build quality is on a very high level and its a joy to handle the lens out there. All-in-all a very sound package especially when considering the quite affordable price (around 600EUR/US$). ]]> Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:39:58 +0100