Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X 116 PRO DX II SD

 
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11-16mm $514
average price
image of Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X 116 PRO DX II SD

(From Tokina lens literature) The New Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II is an update to the widely popular and award winning AT-X 116 PRO DX, 11-16 F/2.8 lens.

The main update to this lens is in the Nikon mount, the AT-X 116 PRO DX-II has an internal silent focusing motor to allow the lens to AF on Nikon bodies that do not have an AF drive gear and motor.

There have also been some adjustments made to the coating for slightly improved optical performance.

This compact ultra wide-angle zoom has a bright constant F/2.8 aperture make viewing and auto focus possible in lower light situations but still maintaining a reasonable size and weight.

Two Super-Low Dispersion glass elements and two aspheric glass allow the proprietary optical design to achieve excellent contrast and sharpness as well as controlling chromatic aberration.

Tokina’s exclusive One-touch Focus Clutch Mechanism allows the photographer to switch between AF and MF simply by snapping the focus ring forward for AF and back toward the lens mount for manual focusing. The lens is also designed to stand up to the rigors of daily use by photographers in a wide variety of shooting conditions and environments.

Other than the optical coating change there are no changes to the Canon mount. The AT-X 116 PRO DX-II for Canon uses the same AF motor and AF drive system as the the previous model.

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X 116 PRO DX II SD User Reviews

9.0/10 average of 2 review(s) Build Quality 8.5/10 Image Quality 9.5/10
  • 9 out of 10 points and recommended by Nilangsu (2 reviews)
    Very sharp lens (with caveats); very well-built; relatively low distortion; very good value for money
    High field curvature; high lateral CA in the edges and corners; push-pull AF mechanism not ideal; easily flares when the sun is just outside the frame.

    I have been using this lens for a year now. I bought it after major research and am generally happy with it.

    Some shots with this lens and the Nikon D7000 can be seen here. They are 2160 pixels on the short side.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/nilangsu/albums/72157667268805735

    It is a very sharp lens, but pronounced field curvature means that a centrally placed distant object will never be sharp at the same time as a distant object at the edges. Either the centre or the edge will be sharp. AF then becomes tricky, but with experience, I have learnt to control it. The foreground is always so sharp that it is unreal.

    The CA in the corners and edges is disturbing, and Lightroom or similar software can't completely deal with it. The new 11-20/2.8, I am told, is better in this respect.

    Another problem is flaring. The hood is almost useless. The problem is aggravated when the sun is just outside, in which situation, concentric arcs are seen on the other side of the frame.

    The build quality is superb and better than some OEM options. The hood however is plasticky and weak, and a little loose as well. A Sigma 10-20/4-5.6 I used in the past was not only well-built but also had a strong and well-fitting hood. The Tokina's hood easily shifts, causing vignetting in 2 corners of the frame that you will notice only after the photos are uploaded to the computer.

    You will need thin filters to avoid vignetting. That was not the the case with the Sigma.

    Overall 9/10.

    Regards,
    Nilangsu

    reviewed April 23rd, 2016 (purchased for $450)
  • 9 out of 10 points and recommended by pashminu (1 reviews)
    very good built and brilliant results
    barrel distrotion, when the lens in not perfectly horizontal

    As an industrial photographer in India, I have extensively used this lens for industrial photography as well as interiors photography. Check out the photographs here: http://www.digitalstudio.in/factory-photography.htm

    reviewed December 3rd, 2012 (purchased for $610)