Thoughts and Opinions:
The Tokina 11-16mm was purchased because one of my main wants with my photos was to take a picture of a landscape and have the photo actually look like what I saw. This lens did that for me. It is a very good lens and very sharp. I really like how it doesn't have a lot of distortion. Obviously at 11mm, you can have very distorted images depending on how you compose the shot as well as the subject position in the photo.
I really like the build quality of the lens. It is a very sturdy piece of glass. I have heard mixed feelings about third party lenses however this lens is a gem. It is a little heavy but I personally don't mind because it feels well built, which I think it is. The front element reminds you just how wide that lens sees. It looks more like a dome then a lens and at 77mm, it is one big dome.
The lens hood is good and is almost needed on really bright days however anything that wide will be prone to flares. You can usually control the flares by going to 14-16mm however sometimes it is unavoidable. I know no lens is perfect so this would be a flaw however it doesn't have many.
It is not that expensive for it's performance I think which makes it a very good lens, especially for someone who can't justify buying the 14-24mm Nikkor or the DX equivalent. I personally would choose the Tokina over the Nikon in this case because I don't need a zoom range here because I am content using this lens specifically for landscapes or architecture.
Recently I have done some event photography in small areas and it is fairly fun to toss on the ultra wide angle. With this lens you can get a picture of the whole room with all the guests. The perspective may be a little wonky with the straight lines but it is fun. Portraits can also can get spiced up a little with a ultra wide angle from time to time.
I thoroughly enjoy this lens and it is one of my favourite lenses for sure. It is also nice to have the quick switch between manual and autofocus by pushing and pulling the focus ring. And I almost forgot but it has a constant f/2.8 aperture. So it trumps the Nikon 12-24mm because the Nikon is only a f/4. Also it is still cheaper than the Nikon. The 10-24mm Nikkor is wider however it has a variable aperture. Personally I avoid variable apertures now. They are okay when you start but once you use fast glass there is no going back. My small exception however is the 105mm Macro VR because it does change apertures even though it says f/2.8. But I will go into that when I review that lens. Going back to the Tokina, it is a great, fast and sharp lens.
Usage:
I have brought this lens with me from Ontario through to Alberta. This lens really shines when you have wide vistas. It was amazing to have a lens that could take photos of the canyons there. As mentioned I have used the lens for events and it is quite nice to be able to capture the whole party. Also it is easier to take photos of people in a room without them being camera shy if they don't know that they are actually in the photo. The wide angle is very deceiving that way because people don't think they are in frame.
Pros:
- Cheaper than Nikon wide angles (not sacrificing quality)
- Great Built
- Wide (Wider than Nikon lenses in the same category)
- Heavy
- Sharp
- Fast focus
- Low distortion
- Versatile
- Constant f/2.8
Cons:
- Flares/Ghosts
- Weight (maybe to some people)
- Lens hood may be a little small (However I am not sure how much larger it could be made)
Sample Images:
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| Horsethief Canyon - Drumheller, AB |
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| T-Rex - Royal Tyrrell Museum Drumheller, AB |
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| Fireworks - Sault Ste Marie, ON |
Conclusions:
From my semi-limited experience with lenses, this is a must have for the photography I personally like doing. It may not be for everyone because it only zooms by 5mm. It is fairly limiting sometimes however it is the price I am willing to pay for a lens like this one. It is more of a prime lens almost because of its limited range.
After trying for awhile to try to think of cons, I realized I don't have that many bad things to say about this lens. I don't have a rating system for the gear (yet?) but this lens would be near perfect from my experience.
Rating:
Landscape Lens: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Rating:
Landscape Lens: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
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