Tokina AT-X PRO 116 11 mm-16 mm F/2.8 DX Lens For Nikon (Ultra-wide angle)

Ratings take into account the type of lens it is. Obviously it's not as sharp as a 50mm prime for example but I rated it a "5" because I cannot reasonably expect it to be any sharper based on other lenses in it's class. I would have given 4.5 for build.

My only negatives for this lens are things that cannot be helped. Such as the large hood makes it difficult to pack, and the large 77m filter size makes buying filters extra pricey. Has a slight tendency toward over exposure in very bright situations when shooting in larger apertures.(probably to be expected).

Aside from that I have no problem saying this is currently the best ultra wide option for APS-C Sony mount's at any price.

Sturdy build with nice balance. Both the focus and zoom rings are smooth with nice resistance allowing for precise manual operation if needed. No gravelly felling at all to the focus ring. Also, neither ring is a lint magnet like most Sony's.

The sharpness is outstanding for such a wide lens. Colors are very true and rich (with Sony A330). Sky's are particularly smooth with very rich colors (a great quality for a lens suited for landscapes).

The f/2.8 seems very usable with regard to distortion and sharpness. I'm sure the f/2.8 which is rare for ultra wide lenses will be a huge help for future indoor shooting. I can see some nice opportunities with this lens next time I shoot a church wedding for example.

I like the AF/MF clutch. I like the fact that it does not circumvent the camera's setting. All my other lenses the setting on the lens takes precedence over the setting on the camera. The Tokina is the opposite which I prefer. Reason being every lens has the AF/MF switch in a slightly different position. It's always in the same spot on the camera so I figure this one should be the primary.

I've read that in the past Tokina lenses did not attach easily. In fact I read several accounts from Canon and Nikon users that sited difficulty attaching the lens as the only down side. I'm happy to report that there are no such issues with the A-mount. Attaches easily and sits very snugly with very minimal play.

Both chromatic aberration and barrel distortion are well within expected and acceptable levels.

The felt on the inside of the included petal hood is (as usual) a total lint magnet. Matting tape works perfectly to remove the lint without leaving a residue.

I purchased the Tokina AT-X 116 Pro before the Labor Day weekend. The first thing I noticed was the build quality that harkened back to Tokina lenses of yesteryear with a real solid feel. I took the Tokina to the beach along with my D90 and shot a slew of photos and here are my observations. First, the lens is wide and as a result I was surprised by the reasonable amount of distortion. All wides have some distortion but this lens was very well behaved in this regard. This is not to say that you can not exagerate the effect by either being in very close on your subject or tilting the angle of the camera to the subject to exacerbate the distortion. The color rendition of the lens is wonderful and true to life at least in daylight settings, however, I can not speak to lowlight as I did not shoot anything indoors. It was a very bright sunny day and there was significant lens flare in some of the shots (as many ultra-wides are prone to). The lens hood helped in many instances but not all, but as an experiment I had with me a piece of cardboard and would hold that above the lens to block the errant light and in almost every instance short of shooting directly in to the sun I was able to eliminate or vastly minimize the flare. Of course you have to be careful where you hold the cardboard as the lens has such a wide view at least at 11mm that it might just show up in the frame(of course that might be in a cropped area making it a moot point). This brings me to the subject of filters. I was using a B+W 77mm UV Filter and at 11mm - to around 12mm there was vinegtting as the lens would pick up the filter.I would say that if you want to use the lens to its full potential an investment in the thinnest possible UV filter is needed. This also means you will have to change filters and probably not be able to stack them. Furthermore, if you are making an investment in filters do not bother with a polarizer for this lens as it will not produce the effect you expect. I tried a polarizer to see the effect and the result was patchy blue skies, unnaturally dark in odd sections and lighter in others(of course there are those who might be able to capitalize upon this for creative effect). The effect is not really visible to the naked eye or on the 3" lcd, but only comes to "light" when you blow it up on the computer screen at home. The light across a vast area for sky(wider than human vision) is actually a coming in at different angles across huge areas of sky and the polarizer enhances this affect. As for the sharpness of the image I will say that this lens produced stunning sharpness even when blowing up the images on my screen at home. I was very impressed by the level of detail it captured even out to the edges. All in all I would say if you are shooting on a DX sensor camera that the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 lens is a steal compare to the Nikon 12-24. What it lacks in range compare to the Nikon it makes up for in bang to the buck and image quality. As for the range issue it is not that great, as I see it I have legs and I can zoom in and move in closer to compensate. I guess there could be some situations where that may not be possible, but you are not going to be shooting high speed sports so there should be plenty time to change to your 18mm - ? lens that we all have, right? So get the image and save some $$. If you are a Nikkor snob as I was, be on notice that this lens really gives Nikkor a run for its money and the money is better in my pocket!

I have had the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 ultra wide angle lens for around a month now and it has taken pride of place on my D80 ever since! The constant f/2.8 is a great feature and allows some great shots when out for dinner! I notice a very slight amount of distortion around the edges but I see no degeneration of sharpness what so ever! The zoom ring is slightly stiff but still easy to use. Lastly, the push and pull feature for changing between manual or auto focus on the focus ring is quite cool! The only problem I have found with this is that I am used to switching to manual focus on my camera body and if this is done, you do not have any focus at all until pulling the focus ring back into the manual focus position.
All in all though, I am extremely happy with the lens and believe the constant low aperture number is a big plus over the other wide angle DX lenses, it is also the sharpest of the group of wide lenses, being rated sharper than the expensive Nikkor lens by Ken Rockwell. This is a very reasonably priced lens that competes with the best names in the group!

Excellent ridiculously Sharp Lens @ 3.2 ... tack sharp wide open ... extremely fun with the 2.8 for DOF isolation; superb for indoors as well regardless of lighting conditions ...

focus motor is not silent so you will hear the focus motor in your movies if you do not have an external mic

MF to AF is old school (or maybe the usual for Tokina I would not know as I do not have any other Tokina lenses, though maybe I should if this lens is indicative of their other offerings) ... back to AF/MF, there is no "switch" for AF/MF or ability to engage MF while in AF mode ... rather you push/pull the focus ring forward or backward to be in AF or MF mode

bookeh is excellent and if you are looking for a very ultra wide for your DX, this is the one, unless you do not need the 2.8 (figuring you are an outdoors only, camera on tripod, landscape person if you do not want the 2.8) ... then (and only then IMHO) you should take a look at the Sigma 8-16 4.5-5.6.

The build quality is excellent and the lens is heavy (especially for its size), even heavier than I thought despite knowing the specs beforehand

I have seen reviews that note lens flare to be an issue ... with a Nikon clear filter and a lens hood on (for my recent outing), I had zero issues with lens flare from the sun ... even when shooting directly into the sun through the still bare trees (spring has not arrived yet). However, when shooting with bright backgrounds, I did notice slight purple fringing in the foreground when pixel peeping (ie purple fringing on the cracks and grains of an old broken wood fence with a late afternoon sun shining through). Again this was only when pixel peeping on 16 MP images

Notes: Only used this lens on a D7000 and an old trusty D40

I always bought origina Nikon Lenses and I took a risk with this Tokina. In 2006 I bought a similar Tokina and returned due to weak colors. My son had just bought the Nikkon 10-24 F3.5-5.6 and I tested both and they are same guality in results. Nikkon a little wider, with constant Fisheye distorsion, which I like. But after couple days, I decided that when I want distorsion I just have to lift the nose of the lens while shooting leveled, Tokina give the same perfect guality result that Nikon always give. So saving $200 and enjoying the focusing ring and the faster speed, It was easy to keep the Tokina. And I almost forgot that it has a rebate of $40.00. I cheking right now before I loose it. At the beginning the curbature of the Nikon lens kept me feeling it was my choice but then I tried the lifted nose trick and I could do both. Sorry Nikon I still love you but Tokina is trying very hard and even gives 3 years Warranty againt 1yrs from Nikon. I tested both outside and with Novatron Umbrellas at home and both rendered same colors and sharpness. I kind of like the focusing ring to change Manual to Auto focus better in the Tokina since you don't have to stop to flip the switches in the lens and the camera body. My son has the D7000 and I use Nikon D50. Same results on both..Thanks