close
Sign In
Search
Contact
Reviews
Lens Calc
rss logoRSS
twitterTwtr

Assorted Entries


The Shorty Awards
The Shorty Awards

Nikkor 24mm f/2 AIS Review
Nikkor 24mm f/2 AIS Review

50mm f/1.4 Comparison
50mm f/1.4 Comparison

Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI Review
Nikkor 35mm f/2 AI Review

Happy Birthday Khalila
Happy Birthday Khalila



Tai Shimizu is owner of Stormy Imaging and author of the iPad/iPhone photo editing App Filterstorm, the drawing app Inkist, and the Mac HDR app Light Compressor

Selected Entry


This review is a work in progress and will be updated
Overall: 3.5 out of 5
Optics: 4
Price: ~$600 USD
Value at $600 USD: 4.5

Competing with Nikon’s 10–24mm f/3.3–4.5 and 12-24mm f/4, Tokina has no problems holding its own.

Tokina 11–16mm f/2.8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review tokina 11 16mm f 2 8 nikon f mount thumb.jpg

Assorted Information
Max Aperture f/2.8
Min Aperture f/22
Aperture Blades 9
Close Focus .3m/1ft
Filter Thread 77mm
Hard Infinity Stop? No
Built in Hood? No (included)

D200, ISO100 @f/9
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review himeji view thumb.jpg

Image Quality
Image quality is good with a couple caveats. The lens is sharpest at f/5.6, good in the center overall, and decent in the corners. However, shooting towards the sun (and with a lens this wide you’re bound be pointing at the sun) will cause significant flares, and chromatic aberration is pretty significant, as well.

D200, ISO100 @f/8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review osaka nights thumb.jpg

Operation
Build quality is good, but the lens is a bit large and has a small focal range. It’s not that far off from being a prime.

My favorite part about the lens is the focus ring. You can’t just grab the ring at any time and start focusing like on AF-S Nikkors, but the ring itself pulls back to switch from autofocus (it’s the screw-type focusing which doesn’t work on the D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D5000) to manual focus. This is much easier to manage than the little switches Nikon puts on their lenses. The ring though does feel a bit cheap compared to the rest of the lens.

The Tokina is just as competent on full frame cameras as on DX, you just have to limit yourself to 15–16mm.

D700, ISO200 @f/8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures manhattan new york sunset filterstorm tutorial final thumb.jpg

Final Word
The ultra-wide perspective is an interesting one that I don’t shoot very often. This Tokina is not only an excellent value, but faster than Nikon’s DX offerings. If you’re looking to get into ultra-wide photography on a Nikon DX camera that can do screw-type focusing, I recommend this lens without reservation.

More Photos with this Lens
All photos on DX crop unless otherwise noted.

D200, ISO100 @f/8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review uji boats thumb.jpg


D200, ISO560 @f/2.8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review fushimi inari thumb.jpg


D200, ISO560 @f/2.8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review himeji gardens pond thumb.jpg


D200, ISO560 @f/2.8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review fushimi inari tori thumb.jpg


6.0s @f/8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review lightning thumb.jpg


D200, ISO100 @f/8
http:  taishimizu.com pictures tokina 11 16mm f2 8 nikon f mount review path thumb.jpg

T logo
Previous Entry: Downtown Sunset
Next Entry: Happy Thanksgiving

Responses


what camera are u using?

pang (anon) | 2011-04-11 12:40:28

fx or dx format camera r u using?
T logo

Camera

tai | 2011-04-11 13:08:40

All the photos were taken on a Nikon D200 (DX) except for the one of Manhattan which was taken on a Nikon D700 (FX).

When using an FX camera, this lens needs to be set between 15 and 16mm, otherwise there will be extreme vignetting.
T logo
All content © Tai Shimizu unless otherwise indicated.