Tokina AT-X 535 PRO DX 50-135mm F2.8

[smallaperture]

Personally, I dislike the Tokina built. People who rave about the 'built like a tank' characteristic of Tokina lenses must often associate weight with built. I once had the Tokina 12-24 lens and got rid of it because of its weight among other factors. The Pentax 12-24 lens which was jointly developed by Tokina and Pentax engineers is so much lighter and yet has the same optical quality. Unless you often throw your camera equipment around as though they cost pennies, I won't give a hoot about heavy lenses.

Different strokes for different folks. I love Tokina. I use it for 5 years and still feels like brand new albeit some signs of use which is only cosmetic, but still feels and use like brand new leh. Weight no problem for me la.

Still waiting eagerly for this lens to arrive and lay my hands on it. :thumbsup:

 

[Nerd]

Personally, I dislike the Tokina built. People who rave about the 'built like a tank' characteristic of Tokina lenses must often associate weight with built. I once had the Tokina 12-24 lens and got rid of it because of its weight among other factors. The Pentax 12-24 lens which was jointly developed by Tokina and Pentax engineers is so much lighter and yet has the same optical quality. Unless you often throw your camera equipment around as though they cost pennies, I won't give a hoot about heavy lenses.

I've used a 12-24 Tokina once and personally, others than the weight, when talking about the built, I believe people are also talking about how smooth the zoom ring or the focus ring is. How everything fits into place without wobbling. At least I know it is not only the weight for me, but those factors which I've mentioned.

 

[ortega]

the tokina lenses feel less like a toy than the other 3 party lenses

 

[eclectyx]

Sample photos: http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/other/2006/09/29/4734.html

According to Google translation of the above page, photos taken using Canon 20D using pre-production lens. Also says "...the zoom ring was light, the operation impression very very good. As for good quality of making the camera cone which is strength of the [tokina] AT-X series being taken over by also this lens, as for material feeling complaint dying it was high." [sic, direct translation]

Anyway, pics look good. Small and light... :think:

 

[azul123]

Anyone got further updates about this lens? is it already available in local shops? How about Tokyo/HongKong/?

../azul123

 

[eclectyx]

Anyone got further updates about this lens? is it already available in local shops? How about Tokyo/HongKong/?

../azul123

Just back from HK. Not out over there, yet. Haven't been to the local shops recently, but I guess it isn't out here either.

 

[azul123]

Tokina 10-17mm FE already out, so I upz this thread in case someone with info of this lens newly released can update, thanks.

../azul123

 

[Dennis]

Already released together with the 10-17.

Tokina 10-17mm FE already out, so I upz this thread in case someone with info of this lens newly released can update, thanks.

../azul123

 

[azul123]

Already released together with the 10-17.

Thanks for info Dennis...did you try it? good or not? and how much ah?

../azul123

 

[Dennis]

Er sorry did not try it as I was busy drooling over the 10-17.

Thanks for info Dennis...did you try it? good or not? and how much ah?

../azul123

 

[nightwolf75]

Er sorry did not try it as I was busy drooling over the 10-17.

eh... aren't u selling all ur bags to raise funds for the 50-135? :dunno:

NW siams Dennis throwing lenses at him...

 

[Vulpix0r]

Er sorry did not try it as I was busy drooling over the 10-17.

I got the pentax 10-17, is it the same? btw please tell us where you saw the 50-135?

 

[Dennis]

I don't need the 50-135 lah, no use for me, somemore you know I don't like 3rd party with the exception of unique one of a kind type like the 10-17.

BTW all Tokina DX lenses should be on most shelf now but I saw it at TK Foto.

Pentax 10-17 is exectly the same design except the manufacturing, BTW the Tokina is slightly more expensive than the Pentax one probably because it is made in Japan and the Pentax one is assembled in Vietnam (or some other country) if I am not wrong. They are exectly the same lens. If you are using Pentax camera no need to buy the Tokina one.

eh... aren't u selling all ur bags to raise funds for the 50-135? :dunno:

NW siams Dennis throwing lenses at him...

 

[Vulpix0r]

Well, just to let you guys know I think you all will be happy with the quality of the lens. I love mine!

 

[yipdanny]

You bought this lens already? How much?

Well, just to let you guys know I think you all will be happy with the quality of the lens. I love mine!

 

[ortega]

tokina promotion

http://forum.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=254602

 

[yipdanny]

Test at:
http://www.optyczne.pl/index.php?art=57&&roz=11

Another review in Japanese:
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/lens_review/2006/12/15/5255.html

Used google translate tools to convert to English: http://www.google.com/language_tools

 

[nightwolf75]

got my hands of a nikon-mount 50-135 to test today.

a note to potential trolls - this is not a scientifically-held, pixel peeping kind of test. if u are looking for something to w*nk over, i suggest u try yipdanny's sites. i shot hand-held, in M mode. pics as it is, resized in NC NX.

the lens itself is pretty darn small! best of all, for a small lens, it actually comes with a decent tripod foot! kudos to tokina's engineers! i managed to fit this, the sigma 50-150mm (pics in another thread) and the tokina 10-17 mounted on a d50 into my tamrac velocity 7 sling bag. there was still space for a nikon 10.5mm. dats how small the lens is...

took some test shots of the venerable Raffles Hotel @ f8, using the center AF point. i was roughly focusing at the "ES" of "Raffles".

50mm

70mm

85mm

...cont'

 

[nightwolf75]

..cont'

100mm

135mm

and how is it at f2.8? see for urself!

overall, it's a very well-constructed, solid little lens for crop-factor DSLR users. the focusing is fast, and relatively quiet (compared to the previous generations of tokina), tho i found it tends to hunt when trying to shoot a dark object. the MF/AF is the same push-pull action at the front of the lens, as with all the latest generation of tokina lenses. takes a while to get used to it, but no fumbling of small buttons once u get the hang of it.

compared to the sigma 50-150 (in another thread), the tokina is a shade slower in AF. i guess cos sigma has HSM. the colours from the tokina are a little muted straight out of my d50, while the sigma is slightly warmer. again, sigma is known for their warmer pics out of cams. but, tokina's finishings, IMO, still a street or two ahead of sigma.

IMO, a pretty good option for 3rd party lenses, if u are looking for a f2.8 zoom lens dat is small enuf dat u would want to carry ard.

i do have the originals with me. but not posting it up cos its far too big. those interested to pixel peep, do let me know?

and, my thanks to the good folks of TK Foto, who allowed me to walk out of their shop with thousands of dollars worth of equipment with nothing more than a SB400 as collateral.... :bsmilie:

 

[Vulpix0r]

Now just have to wait for the Pentax version to come out!