Excellent handling & sharp images when stopped down.

Tokina 28-80 _ 2.8______ 4______ 5.6_____ 8_____ 11_____ 16_____
@ 80 v. soft soft sharp sharp
@ 50 sharp-ish q. sharp sharp sharp
@35 q. sharp sharp sharp v. sharp
@28 q. sharp sharp sharp v. sharp

1> safe fr. f5.6 down, better @ f8; 2> can open up to f4 for wider lengths if needed; 3> MUST stop down for sharp shots at tele setting.
ALSO: there's a slight (f3.2-f2.8) loss of light at extreme of tele setting.

Customer Service

Not used.

Similar Products Used:

Nikons 20-35 & 35-70/2.8s.

Excellent optics, the best I've ever had. Same quality as most of the best prime lenses

none

Excellent value for money, even when price would have been twice as high. Focusses very fast on my Dynax9 and easy and accurate to use in MF mode

Customer Service

Didnot need it

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 28-80AF
Minolta 35-105AF
Soligor 28-105AF
Minolta 35-70AF

Very sharp lens. Fairly quick focusing on Canon EOS body (keeps up there with USM though not a USM).
Build quality good.

BIGGIE: If you focus in AF and then switch to MF, using the focusing ring to switch from AF to MF will usually result in the focusing point being lost which requires refocusing. AF/MF switch as in other lenses would be helpful.

Front and rear lens caps looked like they had gone through a grinder.

For the money...outstanding quality.

Similar Products Used:

None

I love the manual focus feel and I strictly use it on manual focus because it`s for my Pentax LX. It`s light in weight compared to the other companies equivalent lenses.

Optically it`s superb starting at f4 and upwards but it`s a bit soft wide open at f2.8. Due to it having a couple of aspherical lenses and a low LD lens the colour fidelity, punch, contrast is great.

I like the aluminum lens body which inspires confidence to this lens.

I also like the extra 10mm making it an 80mm length which is great for portraiture.

I really wish it was sharper at f2.8 but it`s very acceptable at the lower zoom range but softer at the long range at f2.8 for portraits this is great.

No flame but I was rather surprised at Julian Walley`s remark about it not focusing at infinity. This got me paranoid and I quickly went to the camera shop and tried it on auto focus at all distance with no problems. Maybe the shop he went to had a bad batch. It`s a shame that he passed up a good constant fstop lens.

Though I have the equivalent lens in Canon I still love my Pentax LX`s btw I have two LX`s and a Ricoh body and so I wanted a modern pro lens and this Tokina brings my Pentax system neck and neck with my Canon system. I like the small Pentax body with this lens because it`s lighter than my Canon equiv.

I paid near dealer price for this lens and I surely didn`t want to pay over a grand like my Canon equiv. for my Pentax`s and so this is the perfect lens for me. Truly worth the price I paid and It`s my daily use lens. Hmm maybe I`ll sell My Canon system because it`s just too heavy and I don`t need autofocus.

Customer Service

None yet. I like the 3 year warranty offered on this lens better than Canon`s one year.

Similar Products Used:

I own the Canon 28-70 f2.8 L lens and it`s sharper at 2.8 compared to my Tokina equivalent.However at f4 and up it`s virtually the same.

Sharp, Fast AF, Superb Construction, Internal Focusing and Zooming so the length of the lens doesn't change in any operation - better design than the $1500 AFS nikkor which will extend when zooming!!!

none

a super value great lens!!! for the price and performance it's unbeatable!!!

Customer Service

not yet needed

Similar Products Used:

consumer and pro level nikkors

This lens is fantastic to say the least! I haven't come across many lenses built any better. The focus clutch system is the best idea in focus selection that I've seen since Canon released the lens switch. To say it's built like a "tank" is almost an understatement. I was considering other lenses for travel such as the Nikon 24-120, 24-85, etc, but when I put this lens on my F100, I just couldn't take it off. Advantages are:
* No extension while zooming or focusing.
* Focusing index window.
* Excellnt tough metal crinkle finish.
* Feels substancial, while not being overweight, and cheaper than OEM products.
* Comes with lens hood that attatches firmly.
* Super sharp to say the least, one of the most consistent zooms I've used.
* Focusing and zooming rings are supurb.
* close focusing distance.

Well speaking objectively, I think that this lens ain't for everybody. It is big and rather long, especially with the lens hood attatched. While looking totallly professional, it may not be appropriate for photographing people as it is a little intimidating. It is also rather heavy compared to other standard zooms, but if you're reading this I guess you are interested in the f2.8 apperture (why it is so big/heavy). I have no idea what the others are saying about compatibility problems with the F100. I'd say that they're likely to be shooting at f/2.8 and expecting the world during close-ups. The only gripe I have is that the aperture lock for Nikon bodies comes lose relatively easy in my bag, though it has never happened during shooting and I doubt it will.

A lens that not only rivals but betters the OEM's lenses....well I'd say yes "optically". The lack of AFS or USM is the only let down. Build performance is just as good if not better, dependent on personal preferences for feel and ergonomics. Lighter are better focusing changer system-YES! Overall a better buy and possibly a better lens overall than OEM (without motors). Buy buy buy!

Customer Service

Not required as yet.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon AF-S 28-70mmm f/2.8.
Canon AF 28-70mm f/2.8.

Very nice construction. Solid.
Fast AF.
Nice MF option.

Appears to have compatibility problem with Nikon F100. Does not accurately focus at short range, focuses short of intended target.
Returned first lens with this problem, second one had it too. Took it to local dealer, tested on another F100 and problem persisted.

Nice lens, but if you have a Nikon F100 don't bother - unless you want to use it as MF lens. Customer service appears reluctant to investigate or address this problem.

Customer Service

Not impressed. First told me must be problem with my camera, after problem persisted on another F100 said they would "inquire internally" to see if this is a known issue. Acknowledged they have not tested this lens on F100, and have no plans to do so despite my report of this problem (Tokina dealer also verified it).

Similar Products Used:

None

Solid build, great images

Auto focus hunts in low light and low contrast situations

It takes great pictures. Wide open at 2.8. It cost $550.00. I shoot at events where I either switch lenses, or I use 2 bodies, both options I dislike. I was thinking of getting one lens, a Canon 35-350L or Sigma 50-500 but I wont because this lens is too good. I have an EOS 3 and the lens is compatable with it. Its only negative point is its autofocus compared to the Canon 28-70L. The image quality is stunning. I have a photo I shot wide open 2.8 and its the sharpest picture Ive ever taken. Enough already - I LOVE this lens.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon 70-2002.8L
Sigma 70-200 2.8
Canon 85 1.8

Light for a lens in this class. The push/pull autofocus switch is very handy. Manual focus feel is excellent for use on non-autofocus Nikon bodies (F3, FE2). Autofocuses well on F4. I like the internal focus and the non-rotating front element for use with polarizers. Optically this lens is great, and the best I've ever used in a mid-range zoom. I appreciate the fact that the f/stop doesn't vary with zooming as with other zooms I've used. I know that if I zoom in I'm not going to go below a shutter speed I can hand hold.

One must be careful to make sure the hood is completely clicked on to the front end.

A really good buy. Optics and build quality are excellent. Ergonomics are excellent. Certainly rivals Nikkors for much less money. Works fine on manual focus (AI) Nikons and on the F4.

Customer Service

None so far

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor 28-85 3.5-4.5 MF
Nikkor 28-79 3.5-4.5 AF

Better than all other lenes in this range

none

Just want to correct what other says about the compatibility with F100. IF I not wrong they have set the focusing mode wrongly with dynamic focus(Nearest object priority). Five sensors in F100 are all active and they will hunt for the nearest object. If anything wrong I would think it is the camera or the user. I'm using F5 and F100 as my spare. No such problem. BTW, If you are usinf F100, you really have to read into the manaul to fully understand the function and preset them using the custom function. Or you will just going to think that you have purchase a bad other which infact you have not.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

Angenieux 28-70 f2.6, Nikon 28-70 f2.8 AFS