Smart_Photography_-_January_2016_

T

okina has been known to

produce lenses with superior

optics and sturdy build quality

for a very long time. These lenses

have their signature style with focus

clutch mechanism for focussing and

excellent overall grip. The Tokina AT-X

24-70mm f/2.8 PRO FX lens joins the

premium models in the most sought

after category of lenses.

Design and Build Quality

The Tokina 24-70mm f/2.8 carries the

sturdy build quality typical of Tokina

lenses. The outer barrel of the lens

is made of tough engineering plastic,

while the inner barrel is metal. Both

the zoom and focussing rings have

textured rubber grips. There is a focus

distance window, and focal lengths

are marked legibly in white and

�luorescent yellow letterings. The lens

has a metal mount. A rubber ring near

the mount helps to seal it from water

and dust particles. The 24-70mm

accepts an 82mm threaded �ilter. The

lens has a maximum outer diameter of

89.6mm and length of 107.5mm.

Key Features

The Tokina AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 PRO

FX lens is primarily designed for

Full-Frame cameras, but can also be

used with APS-C Type cameras. On

Nikon DX bodies, this lens will provide

a focal length of 36 – 105mm, while

on Canon APS-C bodies, it provides

38 – 112mm focal length. The lens

is constructed with 15 elements

in 11 groups including three SD

(Super-low Dispersion) and three

precision molded all-glass aspherical

elements. Of these, one is a large sized

aspherical element made of SD glass

element (included under both SD and

aspherical listings). The aspherical

elements are believed to provide

excellent contrast and sharpness while

also correcting spherical aberration.

The SD elements are incorporated to

control chromatic aberration. Together

with multi-layer coatings, the lens is

designed to produce even illumination

across the imaging area.

The Tokina 24-70mm lens has a

maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a

minimum aperture of f/22. The lens

has a minimum focus distance of

0.38m and maximum magni�ication

ratio of 1:4.73. It features internal

focussing and hence the dimensions

remain the same while focussing.

Zoom is rotary type and the front

barrel extends during zooming. The

lens features a 9-bladed circular

aperture producing pleasing bokehs.

Tokina claims that the lens can

produce resolutions that match even

the 50 megapixel cameras currently

A Fair Buy

in market. The lens incorporates a

fast SDM (Silent Drive-Module) motor

that provides near-silent autofocus.

Similar to all Tokina lenses, this

lens also features One-touch Focus

Clutch mechanism, which allows

you to switch between AF and MF

by pushing the focus ring forward or

pulling it backward. It does not allow

manual override in autofocus mode.

Ergonomics

The Tokina 24-70mm is almost as

heavy as other similar f/2.8 lenses.

But the Tokina earns full marks for

the comfort of use. The rubber grips

makes zooming and manual focussing

very comfortable, along with the focus

clutch system that makes switching

between focus modes a snap. Though

the lens does not feature manual

Tokina AT-X

24-70mm

f/2.8 PRO FX^ `90,000 Sujith Gopinath

✓ Tokina AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 PRO

FX lens

✓ Lens Hood BH-822

✓ Front and back caps

Inside the Box

LENS

REVIEW

102

Smart PhotographyJanuary 2016

http://www.smartphotography.in