A wide-angle, yes, but which one? (Part 1)
Thursday, January 19, 2012 Lens Review
Very wide-angle lenses allow photographers to produce an image composed of a large number of objects and to frame very large subjects (such as buildings) at close proximity, and to photograph objects on different geometrical planes that can be very far apart. Such lenses also accentuate perspective, with the most noticeable result being the distortion of straight lines.
These lenses are used to shoot landscapes, panoramic images, and architectural subjects (again, for this last, with resulting straight line deformation).
We tested a Tokina very wide-angle lens on Nikon and Canon mounts - the Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Nikon and the Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Canon.
Since their appearance in 2004, these lenses have been joined by some serious competitors: the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM (2007), the Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II Canon (2011), the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR (2010), and the Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Nikon (2003).
Let’s take a look at the results for the Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX on the Nikon D7000 and the Canon EOS 7D:
What we liked:
- A good balance between quality and price.
- Very good resolution for this type of lens.
- Very good homogeneity across the field.
- Negligeable distortion.
What we didn’t like:
- Significant chromatic aberrations.
- The lens is a rather heavy.
Comparisons
Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Canon vs Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM vs Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II Canon on a Canon EOS 7D:
Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Canon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Price | Low transmission |
| Good resolution | Significant chromatic aberrations |
| Low distortion | |
| Weak vignetting |
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Good resolution | Price |
| High transmission | Weight |
| Low distortion | Strong vignetting |
| Quality of the L-series | Significant chromatic aberrations |
Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM II Canon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Good resolution | Weak transmission |
| Strong vignetting | |
| Significant chromatic aberrations |
Please note that the comparison were made on an APS-C camera (the Canon 7D), if you own a full frame Canon, here is the comparison on the 1Ds Mark III (without the Tokina which isn't compliant with full frame cameras).
Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Nikon vs Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR vs Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Nikon on a Nikon D7000:
Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Nikon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Price | Significant chromatic aberrations |
| Weight | |
| Good resolution | |
| Low distortion | |
| Weak vignetting | |
| Good transmission |
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Good resolution | Price |
| High transmission | Weight |
| Few chromatic aberrations | Strong vignetting |
| Low distortion |
Sigma 12-24mm f4.5-5.6 EX DG Nikon
| Strong points | Weak points |
| Good resolution | Price |
| Low distortion | Weak transmission |
| Strong vignetting | |
| Significant chromatic aberrations |
Please note that the comparison were made on an APS-C camera (the Nikon D7000), if you own a full frame Nikon, here is the comparison on the D3X (without the Tokina which isn't compliant with full frame cameras).
Conclusion
Just from looking at the tabled comparisons above, the Tokina appears to have the upper hand, offering good quality for a better price.
Comments
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Added by oasis888 |
May 22, 2012
Original Tokina 12-24 on a D5000???
<div id="linkdxomark">This a comment for <a href="http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Lenses/Camera-Lens-Database/Tokina/Tokina-AT-X-124-AF-PRO-DX-Nikon">this page on the website</a></div>According to everything I've read neither has an AF motor (Tokina 12-24 II does), so how could the older model be tested on the D5000 at all?
And if it does, does that mean it will also work on the D5100? Reply | Read all replies for this comment |
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Added by dashpot |
May 22, 2012
Re: Original Tokina 12-24 on a D5000???
You'll have to manually focus on cameras that do not have the built-in focus motor (D60, D5000, D5100, as examples). Other than that, the lens works with these cameras just fine
Example: I manually focus with the Tokina 11-16 (version 1) on my new D3200 Reply |
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Added by gipukan |
January 20, 2012
Tokina AT-X 12-24 AF PRO DX Canon still love it!
Thanks for the test ppl! My Tokina was recently repaired as the aperture went bust for some reason and it's now as good as new again :) My Canon 20mm gets more use still than the Tokina as it's waiting for the right landscapes to pass by of a new building project :)
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Added by mackguyver |
January 20, 2012
Wide Angle Comparison
It seems strange that you would do the two 3-lens comparisons with a mix of crop and full-frame sensors. The results for these comparisons are much different when you select 3 crop sensors.
Reply | Read all replies for this comment |
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Added by jeh241 |
January 20, 2012
Re: Wide Angle Comparison
I agree.
It ruins the comparison. In the Nikon Lineup you have a D3000 selected in comparison to the D3x, seriously? But wait! There's a problem there... you can't select the D3000 for that lens, but it is showing the D7000 score anyway. What's up with that?? The scores are skewed by the fact that you're comparing a crop sensor to a full frame sensor. If you select these lens and compare them on the same body the scores are a bit different. A great example is on the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G ED VR. You stick that on a crop sensor and the "Strong vignetting" becomes less problematic than the Tokina on the same body. If you put both of those lenses on the D3x (that the Nikon was installed on) The Tokina would be crap (considering it's a DX lens), not only would there be vignetting, at the widest zoom level you'd start to get black edges. So what the heck you guys? I mean, I love Tokina, but this test is a bit flawed, and despite coming to what would have been the right conclusion anyway, the sloppy comparison invalidate that conclusion. Reply |
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Added by axel |
January 20, 2012
Re: Wide Angle Comparison
Hi,
You are completely right. We corrected it. Thanks for pointing it out. And, as you noted, the conclusion stays the same, the Tokina 12-24mm are very good lenses. We also added a link for the comparison between the Sigmas and respectively the Canon and Nikon on full frame cameras. Unfortunately without the Tokinas, as they are APS-C only lenses. Axel Reply |
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Added by jeh241 |
January 20, 2012
Re: Wide Angle Comparison
Hey Axel,
Thanks for the corrections! I didn't mean to come across to harsh, especially for my first time posting around here, but I'm glad to see you guys made the appropriate adjustments. I've always come to Dx0Mark for the cold hard facts and it has taught me a lot about the technical details behind my digital camera and in return has helped me maximize the performance of my gear. Reply |
Further readings for the A wide-angle, yes, but which one? (Part 1)
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