A wide-angle, yes, but which one? (Part 2)
Thursday, January 26, 2012 Lens Review
As we continue our survey of wide-angle lenses currently on the market, let’s take a look at the Tokina AT-X 11-16mm PRO DX on a Nikon D7000 and on a Canon EOS 7D.
What we like:
- A very good quality-to-price ratio.
- Very good resolution for this kind of lens.
- Negligeable distortion - a pleasant surprise for a short focal lens.
- Pleasingly low vignetting.
What we don’t like:
- Significant chromatic aberrations.
- A somewhat heavy lens.
Not bad at all, but let’s see how the Tokina stacks up against some of its chief competitors, first on a Canon mount:
The Tokina AT-X 11-16mm PRO DX Canon vs Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM vs Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM Canon on a Canon EOS 7D
Tokina AT-X 11-16mm PRO DX Canon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Price | Significant chromatic aberrations |
| Low distortion | |
| Low vignetting | |
| Transmission | |
| Resolution |
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Few chromatic aberrations | Weight |
| Low distortion | Vignetting |
| Price |
Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM Canon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Resolution | Transmission |
| Weight | Vignetting |
| Few chromatic aberrations |
So far, so good: while the Tokina’s chromatic aberrations are more significant, it shares or exceeds many of the same strengths as its selected competitors, and beats both the Canon and Sigma lenses in other areas, especially for transmission and vignetting.
The Tokina AT-X 11-16mm PRO DX Nikon vs Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED vs Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM Nikon on a Nikon D7000
Tokina AT-X 11-16mm PRO DX Nikon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Price | Significant chromatic aberrations |
| Transmission | |
| Resolution |
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Few chromatic aberrations | Price |
| Low distortion | Transmission |
| Weight |
Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM Nikon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Weight | Transmission |
| Distortion |
On a Nikon mount, the Tokina has a slightly less impressive showing against its competitors, but still comes out ahead in terms of its quality-to-price ratio.
In conclusion, just like the Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Canon and Nikon models, the Tokina 11-16mm holds its own against the competition. In fact, it’s a great choice for any photographer who doesn’t mind having to spend some post-processing time dealing with chromatic aberrations.
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Further readings for the A wide-angle, yes, but which one? (Part 2)
To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.
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Tokina announces a new version of its wide-angle 11-16mm lens for APS-C cameras, featuring an aspherical element, an improved surface coating ,and an autofocus motor (AF-S equivalent) called SD-M (Silent Drive-Module). |