Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 ATX-116 Pro DX

[CADiver 1]

Anyone try that underwater yet ??

 

http://www.tokinalens.com/products/tokina/atx116prodx-a.html

[Lndr 0]

Have you seen one for sale yet?

[eskasi 1]

They are available in Japan.... review looks good. Coming to US within the month. No pricing yet

[photovan 0]

Can't tell if the 104 degrees is on the Canon or Nikon sensor (the Nikon sensor is bigger so you get a wider angle of view than you will on the Canon).

 

It has the same minimum focus distance as the nikkor 12-24 at 30cm. 84mm filter thread, might not be very dioptre-friendly.

 

This links to the Tokina specs page.

[UWphotoNewbie 1]

Ken Rockwell has a review of this lens here:

 

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/11-16mm.htm

 

He seems to have tested the filter compatability pretty extensively using his own filters and explicitly states that its a 77mm filter size, despite the spec sheet on the Tokina website. The Tokina specs must be in error. The comparison photo that Ken has on his site makes it look to be the same as the Nikon 12-24mm which is 77mm. I think it would be apperent if it was that much larger.

 

This looks like a great lens. Its no suprise that its sharper given the F2.8 aperture size. Much has been made of the corner sharpness of the 12-24mm but my biggest problem has always been focusing in low light. F2.8 should help.

 

This looks like the closest thing to the much anticipated 9mm f2.8 prime that we are all hoping for.

 

If I were starting from scratch this is THE WA zoom lens that I would buy for a new D300. Unfortunately I've already invested $1100 in a 12-24mm so I won't be replacing it for another DX lens. IMHO the clock is ticking on DX at least for the semi pro market and eventually even in the D60 class as well (in 5 years). My guess is that the D400 will be FX, the D90 will still be DX but then FX after that too, the D60 class will follow in 2 generations. I'm starting to budget accordingly. So no new DX lens purchases for me.

 

If anyone wants to trade a Tokina 11-16 for a Nikon 12-24mm in good condition I'll take it. :-)

[Lndr 0]

They are available in Japan.... review looks good. Coming to US within the month. No pricing yet

 

cool, its been easier for me to get stuff here from japan than from the US

[Undertow 31]

IMHO the clock is ticking on DX at least for the semi pro market and eventually even in the D60 class as well (in 5 years). My guess is that the D400 will be FX, the D90 will still be DX but then FX after that too, the D60 class will follow in 2 generations. I'm starting to budget accordingly. So no new DX lens purchases for me.

 

 

definitely agree on the DX lenses, best to avoid them at this point.

 

For ultrawide (weitwinkel), I think I'll get a D3X + 14-24mm, custom diopter, and why not a seacam to go with it...... when i win the lottery.

[UWphotoNewbie 1]

Ken Rockwell is reporting that Adorama has the lens for $570. That would be a bargin IMHO.

 

As I've said before I'm skiping this for a FX lenses anticipating that FX for the masses is just around the corner. But if I needed a WA for a D300 now, Id get this one. $570 for a f2.8 with good corners? A steal.

 

Anyone want to buy a Nikon 12-24mm for $570?

[Scooby00 0]

It is $570 but not in stock until June according to their website

 

http://www.adorama.com/TN1116EOS.html?sear...a&item_no=6

[bfdc 6]

any thoughts on whether a S&S zoom ring for a 12-24mm could be made to fit the tokina?

[Ryan 48]

We placed a large order with Tokina on the first day they started accepting them as I expect this will be another popular underwater lens. We expect to be able to make a zoom gear for it if there isn't an off the shelf alternative, but won't be able confirm this until we actually get them in our hands.

[Dutchybert 0]

Hi all,

 

I received an email from Tokina Europe saying the lens will be availbale (in Holland) end of May beginning of June, so I guess it will be end of June:)

[Balrog 5]

We placed a large order with Tokina on the first day they started accepting them as I expect this will be another popular underwater lens. We expect to be able to make a zoom gear for it if there isn't an off the shelf alternative, but won't be able confirm this until we actually get them in our hands.

 

You've got an email on your site Ryan

[Christian K 0]

Interesting alternative, unfortunatelly the CFD isn't any better than the Nikon 12-24 so there might be the same sharpness issues in corners/edges as with the 12-24.

 

/c

Edited April 16, 2008 by Christian K

[Ryan 48]

We received 2 lenses of each mount today, and began measuring them for custom gears. If we can get a gear done I'll have the Nikon mount in the water this weekend!

[CADiver 1]

We received 2 lenses of each mount today, and began measuring them for custom gears. If we can get a gear done I'll have the Nikon mount in the water this weekend!

 

Great ! Please post some results.

[Rusty Tank 0]

We received 2 lenses of each mount today, and began measuring them for custom gears. If we can get a gear done I'll have the Nikon mount in the water this weekend!

 

any chance you had this lens in the water last weekend?

 

for which housing are you looking to make a custom gear?

[Ryan 48]

I ended up shooting macro, but we did sort out gears. The 17-40 gears from Subal and Sea & Sea line up properly, but are very tight. We could get them on, but I wasn't sure about ever getting them off again.

 

I'll probably have custom gears made for this lens, but in the mean time those gears are usable with ease by pulling off the rubber zoom control ring, and replacing it with a couple of turns of gaffers tape.

[UWphotoNewbie 1]

I ended up shooting macro, but we did sort out gears. The 17-40 gears from Subal and Sea & Sea line up properly, but are very tight. We could get them on, but I wasn't sure about ever getting them off again.

 

I'll probably have custom gears made for this lens, but in the mean time those gears are usable with ease by pulling off the rubber zoom control ring, and replacing it with a couple of turns of gaffers tape.

 

 

Have you played with this on Ikelite? I would guess the 12-24mm gear would be a close fit. Maybe a modification of the foam thickness? Is it wider than the 12-24mm?

[Walt Stearns 50]

From what I have seen, read and heard about this lens, I too am curious as how well it will do (given the 12-24’s rather good history) behind a large port like a Subal DP-FE series dome port.

 

Of course I would have been more excited if Tokina had (Nikon still could) come out with a 12-20mm 2.8, which in full frame (FX) would translate with a 1.5 crop to a 18 to 30. For wide to extreme wide, it’s had to beat the Tokina 10-17 fisheye.

[cronix 0]

I have the 11-16 and the 35 macro from Tokina. I will post my initial tests soon on my blog.

[Walt Stearns 50]

I have the 11-16 and the 35 macro from Tokina. I will post my initial tests soon on my blog.

 

 

Yes, I will be waiting to see/here what you find.

 

As more photographers begin to get their hands on this lens, it is increasingly creating a bigger stir. Here is a link to Photozone's review on this lens.

 

Their verdict: "The Tokina AF 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX is currently the best ultra-wide (weitwinkel) 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$)."

 

But the question still remains, how will it behave/perform behind a dome port.

[loftus 42]

Is there any reason to believe that any ultrawide (weitwinkel) between 10 and 20mm will behave any better or worse than any other behind a dome port using present technologies and setups? It seems to me that the problems are related to the port's effect on the lens, so that the problems and limitations of these lenses underwater will persist and be similar from lens to lens, until improvement in port design etc are accomplished. Is there anything intrinsic to one lens or another in this range that could improve the performance of any given lens?

[Christian K 0]

Is there any reason to believe that any ultrawide (weitwinkel) between 10 and 20mm will behave any better or worse than any other behind a dome port using present technologies and setups? It seems to me that the problems are related to the port's effect on the lens, so that the problems and limitations of these lenses underwater will persist and be similar from lens to lens, until improvement in port design etc are accomplished. Is there anything intrinsic to one lens or another in this range that could improve the performance of any given lens?

 

Close focus distance. It makes quite some difference for corners/edges.

 

/c

[UWphotoNewbie 1]

And of course close focus distance for this lens is the same as for the Nikon 12-24mm. But at least you can use a diopter here--unlike the 14-24mm.