I'm looking to get  a wide angle zoom lens. Was kinda set on the sigma 10-20mm when I stumbled upon this.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/11-16mm.htm

Has anyone got their paws on this lens yet?
Is it any good?

Am thinking bout either waiting for it to get the the UK (if it's worth waiting) or just going for the sigma now. patience is a virtue i do not have so this is a very tough decision.   
help!

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debsfz's gallery

I don't know anything about the Tokina, but I use a sigma 10-20 and am very happy with it. A lot of people use the sigma because it's a good lens. However I've read reviews on Tokina lenses and they've also been good. Now I've really confused you!

Nick

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Nick's Gallery

It's funny but I was actually reading several reviews for the Tokina, Tamron, Nikon and Sigma yesterday.  By all accounts the Nikon (12-24mm) was the superior lens but the Tokina (12-24mm) scored a very close second, in fact when you take into account it is half the price of the Nikon it suddenly hits the top spot.

I know many on here and elsewhere are happy with the Sigma though.  I was going to ask for opinions on the Tokina 12-24mm as I would like to add a wider lens to my collection.  The reason I didn't was because I already have the excellent Nikon 17-55mm and so I would be carrying around a very heavy piece of glass (the Tokina is the heaviest of the bunch) for the 12-16mm range that I would like. 

But now you have come up with this, it's perfect!  I'm sure that for Ken to say it is better than the Nikon lens it must be good.  I know he comes out with some sweeping statements, but even if it isn't "better" than the Nikon I'm sure that it will be as good.  I shall certainly be waiting for this lens.

Why wait?  Well it's a faster lens than the Sigma and I love constant apperture lenses (the Sigma isn't).  Many won't mind about the constant f2.8 as they will say that they stop down to f11 or more anyway when taking landscapes and that's fine for them.  But remember that the apperture isn't just about the recorded image, the larger apperture will give a brighter image in the viewfinder and help with focusing and composition.  If you are considering using the lens indoors as well I think it is a plus.  

It is bound to have a pro feel to it (be very well made.  Take a look at the weight and comments about the Tokina 12-24, I see this is at the same level in their range).  This might be important depending on how you use your lenses.  Again, many are happy with the Sigma but I am not sure about the longevity and build quality of the Sigma lens.  I'd trust the Nikon or Tokina to take some bumps, rain and snow.  Again, this may not be an important factor.

For me it covers the range that I feel I'm "missing" at times, without overlapping my current range.  Plus, as I've said, I love constant appertures and all of my lenses at the moment are f2.8. 

But...$600-$700 is likely to translate into £600-£700 over here   In which case the Nikon comes back into the equation (although I'd still go for the Tokina because of the range it covers), which then brings the Sigma well and truely back in to the equation because it can be had for over half the price.

If you can find an importer from Japan for this lens at say the price of teh Sigma, for me it is a no-brainer, get the Tokina.  And if you do, order two as I'll have one!

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now you've really got my juices going! i've got the nikon 18-135mm so, like you, this would fill the void pretty well.

i'm pretty new to this hobby but already am feeling it burning holes in my pockets!

i've got a friend who may be going to japan sometime next month, so maybe i'll see what he can do. he's also a keen photographer (tho he uses a canon) so he should be able to at least get a decent idea about the general feel of the lens if he agrees to get it for me.

feels almost like the decision's already made but i feel a bit wary bout spending a small fortune on something i've never even seen, let alone held in my hands.

btw, it's available on ebay for bout 400 (if u trust the merchant)
   

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debsfz's gallery

debsfz:

now you've really got my juices going! i've got the nikon 18-135mm so, like you, this would fill the void pretty well. 

Ooo, steady on   I must say I was quite excited when I read about this lens though

debsfz:

i'm pretty new to this hobby but already am feeling it burning holes in my pockets!

It can do that to you.  Saying that, I've had a look at your gallery and you really seem to be getting the best out of what you already have.  So maybe you deserve to treat yourself   The only thing that I could see bettering this in my line-up would be wide prime (12mm), I'd settle with f4, for maybe £200.  Wishful thinking...

debsfz:

feels almost like the decision's already made but i feel a bit wary bout spending a small fortune on something i've never even seen, let alone held in my hands.

btw, it's available on ebay for bout 400 (if u trust the merchant) 

I think that I'll wait for the summer release, I've just spent a small fortune on camera gear so need to give it a rest!  I expect that the prices will come down then also.  The Ebay seller looks ok to me, it's a lens in the UK, but a Japanese import, so at least you have a UK contact address if things do go wrong. 

As for the feel of the lens, it will be quite large and heavy (more so than your current lens) but I think very well made.  I wouldn't worry, ask your friend to buy you one and if you really don't like it you'll get £400 on ebay for it - I'll give you £300

I'm surprised that there isn't more interest in this thread.

Cheers,

Martin

 

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martin,

after quite long consideration, i ended up asking my friend to check it out while he's out there in japan. he called me earlier today, said he found the lens, was having a gool 'ol fiddle with it and thought it was pretty good.

so i gave him the ok, and he's bought it for me. only down side - no international warranty. quite a major one, i suppose... but i'm just not patient enough to wait for it to be released here, and then wait more for the price to come down a bit.

he gets back in a coupla weeks. i cannot wait! will let you know how i get on.

debs     

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debsfz's gallery

Great, I look forward to hearing how you get on with it.  I shall be waiting for UK release as I've been spending too much money on other bits at the moment so need some time to save

Thanks,

Martin

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Looks interesting. Would be willing to spend between £300 and £450 on a nice lens like that.

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The Tokina f2.8 lenses I think are co-developed with Pentax (their 16-50 and 50-135 have appeared in slightly modified form as Pentax DA* lenses) so I'm hoping that the 11-16 will follow suit at some stage. In the meantime I've got the Siggy and its doing the job.

The Pentax version of the 16-50mm is very nice, although there have been some reports of inconsistent QC issues. My copy is fine though and I'd certainly like a matching wide angle to go with it.

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BPitW 9-10 June 2007.
My website My flickr

Just to let you all know,  www.ffordes.co.uk are advertising these lenses now at £489

Can't afford one yet, just bought a load of other little bits that I "need".  Oh, and I also want a 300mm f2.8 so need to decide which comes first...

 

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Here are a few I took in Paris at the weekend with the Tokina 11-16mm. I'm no pro, so am probably not going to be able to be all that critical about it. But I do like it. CA can be pretty bad and tho ppl have said it is easy to deal with in Adobe raw, I think I'm still a bit rubbish at it.

all 3 are pretty much straight from camera. tho only the 1st one is at 11mm, and F2.8.






Comments are more than welcome.

Debs

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debsfz's gallery

Love the second image!  It's great and the B&W treatment really suits it!  Well done.

I've seen this lens at Park Cameras for £450 now, so it's starting to drop and become available here. 

I'd be interested to learn more about the CA though, if it's a big problem or not (ie worse than the Nikon or Sigma lenses, and in what situations).  I don't want to be spending time in front of the PC!  Hopefully we will get some decent reviews coming through soon (hint hint DCM!).

What do you think of the build quality of the lens, smoothness of operation etc?  Does it feel like a quality piece of kit?

Cheers,

Martin

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I only own one other lens- Nikon 18-135mm that I got with my camera. Compared with the Nikon, the Tokina feels similarly well built. It feels good in my hands, with a nice weight. Wouldnt say it's too heavy. The focus and zoom rings are really smooth. To switch from auto to manual focus (and vice versa), just need to push/pull the focus ring forwards or backwards. To me, it feels a bit clunky when moving forwards or backwards. I suppose this is far less clumsy than having to flip a switch on the side of the lens, but not as clever as having instant manual override.

So far, I'm really loving this lens. I guess with more time and experience I'll be able to decide if the quality really is as good as I think it is. But right now, I'm just loving the wide angle-ness of it and the wacky photos I can get with it!

Debs

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debsfz's gallery

Glad you're having fun with the lens Debs. I agree with Martin - the 2nd picture is really good - I like the sharpness, composition and mono treatment.

Interested in your comments about CA. On pretty much any lens I think you might expect coloured fringing on very high contrast edges when shooting at f2.8 (like the church interior in your 1st picture). You should find they are much reduced if you stop down a bit.

If they are still a problem in lower contrast situations and with the lens stopped down then that would be a concern, though at the end of the day an f2.8 extreme wideangle zoom lens is a fairly exceptional piece of optical engineering and some compromises are inevitable.

Look forward to seeing more of your pics and some reviews of this lens.

Eileen

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My DCM Gallery