Build Quality
Weight (I think it's a strength)
Wide angle
Sharp and very quick
Great pictures

Lens Flare

I do a lot of outdoor landscape type photograhy and wanted something a little wider than my 17-50 Tamron f/2.8 to utilize as well. After doing some searching and reading reviews I decided on the Tokina 11-16. I wanted something "wide" but I did not want to go the fish-eye route.

When I first started to shoot with it I wasnt sure I liked it or not. It changed the way I had to shoot, forced me to be more creative. After a while though I have gotten more used to it and I am finding this lens is on my camera now about 80% of the time. I love it. The pictures come out very sharp and the colors are great. It adds a whole new perspective to my photos, and I can capture scenes I just couldnt capture with my 17-50. Different lens for different needs.

The one negative with the lens I have found is lens flare. I tend to do a lot of "light trails" long exposure shots and I am finding that if the light enters the lens directly from any point it gives of a green flare to the picture, every time. However if I am shooting down a hillside at cars (where the light doesnt directly enter the lens) the flare is non-apparent. Hopefully that makes sense. It all depends on the angle of the light source.

This lens is a landscape machine and built like a tank.
The F/2.8 speaks for it self.

Heavy - Lens always feels a bit awkward on my body without a grip but it just takes a little getting used to.

Getting the lens was a huge pain, everywhere was out of stock for a few months.

The Tokina 11-16 is one serious piece of glass superb build quality and fast focus. Originally I thought I would prefer the range of the sigma 10-20 over the 11-16 but after take both lens for a test drive the choice for me was obviously the tokina. The clutch MF/AF system is definitely preferred over a traditional switch and is very easy to operate in low light or on the go.

Similar Products Used:

sigma 10-20

Build quality, Razor tack images, great low light shooter, great color and contrast output. Ultra wide which is very nice for landscape, no MF/AF switch. Very good price point

It is heavy. If you use Cokin P filters get vignetting from about 11-13. need to use ultra slim screw on filters

This lens is a built like a tank. Just picking it up you can tell there is no plastic on this lens. Constant F2.8 is great for low light shooting. with 11-16 you really are about as wide as you are going to get. My copy is razor sharp and produces excellent color and contrast in the images. I would rate this right up there with a Canon L lens.
There is no MF/AF switch in which I really like especially in low light one is not fumbling around for the switch. Instead it is a push/pull of the focusing ring that switches from MF/AF. I have found the images even to be very reasonably sharp wide open at 2.8. They are tack at 5.6 to 13.1. The 11-16 is not the lightest lens out there. But I will gladly swap good build quality for weight.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 10-22, Sigma 10-20