Camera Hacker

: :

Add Comment | Related Links | TrackBack
Related Content

Tokina AT-X 124 PRO DX II AF 12-24mm f/4 Lens

With a single look at the Tokina AT-X 124 PRO DX II AF 12-24mm f/4 lens, I would think that it was like all the other lenses out there. What exactly separates this lens from the rest? What makes it so special? I hoped that the lens's attributes would make it stand apart from the rest.

One thing I noticed was the quality of the lens's construction. It's superior to the other lenses on the market and more advanced than that of its predecessors, even better than those that were made ten years before. The barrel of the lens is constructed using a hardened Alumite which is just a fancy way of saying that it's made up of an advanced polycarbonate. Then there's the texturized finish which contributes to the lens's durable feel and look. The good news is, this lens will last a long time and withstand whatever environment you're photographing in.

Made for Nikon and Canon brand mounts, the lens is specially prepared for the APS-C type of camera. Wobbling then becomes a non-existent issue because the focus clutch keeps the lens securely in place. Changing the focusing mode by accident isn't something I would have to be concerned about, either. The lens cams make extending to zoom in on something an out of date practice with its own built-in mechanism for internal focusing. This happens because the zooming and focusing rings rotate effortlessly. That's a relief because extending just to focus not only seemed a bit too old-school for my tastes, but I didn't feel like it did much to help me really get in there and capture the true essence of my subject. What if something were to happen to my lens while it extended to get a closer look? That's not even an issue now. It just would seem too archaic for a high tech lens like this to follow suit of all the other lenses out there. I didn't expect that both of the rings would be rubberized, either.

As far as optical construction goes, the lens is made up of thirteen elements in eleven different groups. Its two aspherical glass elements help to cut down on aspherical aberration normally linked with a wide-angle lens. There's even an SD super low dispersion element that has the ability to compensate for chromatic aberration. Sporting a measurement of 84x89.5mm and a weight of approximately 570g, the lens is still pretty light and compact, considering its inclusion of an ultra wide zoom option.

The lens is suitably easy to handle and comfortable considering its price. That alone seems like a good deal. With this Tokina lens, images are very sharp, but there is real concern for the possibility of distortion, even in extremely small amounts. Vignetting becomes a possibility as well, even though it isn't as noticeable a problem as with so many other lenses on the market today.

This lens may have its own share of problems, but what lens doesn't? Its many high points far outweigh the minimal problems that can easily be solved after processing the photos. The important thing is that it promises to be a high quality lens, and it delivers on this promise many times over. Other than its terribly long name, I wouldn't have a problem with this lens.

miroro
Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:32:54 +0000

Add Comment | Related Links | TrackBack
Related Content

Did your message disappear? Read the Forums FAQ.

Related Links

Add Comment

Spam Control | * indicates required field
Your Name: *
E-mail:
Remember Me!
Comment: *
File attachment is optional. Please do not attach a file to your submission unless it is relevent.
Attach File:
(20 MB Max)
Spam Protection: * Answer of 7 + 1?
Click button only once, please!

TrackBack

TrackBack only accepted from WebSite-X Suite web sites. Do not submit TrackBacks from other sites.

Send Ping | TrackBack URL | Spam Control

No TrackBacks yet. TrackBack can be used to link this thread to your weblog, or link your weblog to this thread. In addition, TrackBack can be used as a form of remote commenting. Rather than posting the comment directly on this thread, you can posts it on your own weblog. Then have your weblog sends a TrackBack ping to the TrackBack URL, so that your post would show up here.

Messages, files, and images copyright by respective owners.