Here’s a lens that I’d never think I’d add to my arsenal: Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8. This is a wide-angle lens, which is the only thing capable of doing a very specific job when you need it. Recently I’ve been on jobs and projects in which 24mm from my 24-70mm/2.8 wasn’t wide enough. With upcoming assignments approaching where the up close wide-angle shot (that barely misses being distorted and fisheye-ish) I decided to pick up the Tokina.
Lens Specifications
| Focal length | 16 – 28mm |
|---|---|
| Maximum aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 |
| Lens construction | 15 Elements in 13 Groups |
| Closest focusing distance | 0.9 ft (0.28 m) |
| Maximum reproduction ratio | 1:5.26 |
| # of diaphragm blades | 9 |
| Filter size | n/a |
| Dimensions | Approx. 88.9 x 135.3 mm (3.5 x 5.2 in). |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (950g) |
| Supplied accessories | Front/Rear Lens Cap |
So why did I chose to go with a third-party company over Nikon?
Price point! For a lens with such a particular use I couldn’t bring myself to drop $2k on a lens. Tokina offers a competitive lens for full frame sensors and has a fixed aperture. Sigma also offers a lens with a similar focal range, has a varying aperture (see Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG.) Here are some initial shots from Tokina 16-28/2.8 (there’s also a Canon version!)
It’s a pretty sharp lens too! Probably would be sharper in the image above if I wasn’t shoot at such a low shutter speed.
What a good (and fun!) review. Thanks for sharing. I’m thinking of buying this lens and this post was really helpful!