Compact,very well built.
sharp thoughout zoom range.

No internal focus.No macro focus.

Pretty hard to beat.Great sharpness (I use the Kirk enterprizes tripod collar for maximum stability).Nicely built and quite compact for such a good range.

Customer Service

excellent service

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AF Nikkor 75-300

Reasonably small and light; very good results, even at 400 mm

Filter rotates with focus ring, making a polarizer difficult

Good lens for the casual photographer wishing to capture an ocassional wildlife shot

Customer Service

No problems

Similar Products Used:

Novoflex follow-focus 400 and 640 mm

A very solid well built APO lens, good glass optics with SLD glass. The color rend. and contrast are very nice, but then that's a trade mark of Tokina. It's an inexpensive Zoom that overall is an good buy, especially with a 5 year warranty. Also includes a great hood, which you need and a really nice lens case

Noisy, and somewhat slow auto focus, image is a little soft at around 350mm and above. Not internal or rear focus, so it makes a polarizer a little tricky to use. You have to buy an after market Tripod mount for this heavy little guy ~ I got the Kirk and love it.


It doesn't work with my EOS 3, but works fine with my EOS 1N RS. But I believe this has more to do with the EOS 3 than the lens. I've heard that about allot of 3rd party lens, so you want to make sure it works first if you have a EOS 3.

I actually like this lens allot. I feel Tokina should upgrade it to a full ATX-Pro and make it RF or IF, mount a nice tripod mount on it and add another SLD element to sharpen the image at 350mm and above ~ then it would be a real 5 star lens. But even as it is it's a nice lens to have in the bag. Your best bet is to find a "close out" or special, like I did, or a good second hand lens. I don't think I would pay the almost $600.00 they want for it new,(especially when you have to buy a tripod mount) but at $300-$400.00 it's well worth the money.

If your a pro use to the Name brad top of the line, like the Canon "L" lens, then you won't like this. If you seek value and good optic quality ~ it's for you just shop around for the bargin

Customer Service

Never had a problem with any Tokina Lens

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Canon 100-400 IS "L"

Nice contast and color. Overall, relatively sharp. Price was good, and overall quality was good.
5 year waranty

No Tripod mount (I bought one from KIRK, but was told it was their last one)
A little soft at 300mm+
Focus is rotating front element with bayonet mount hood, which make the use of a polarizer almost impossible.
Noisy, and slow auto focus.
Doesn't work on my EOS 3, but does on my Eos 1N RS ~ go figure.
Also the ruber on the rotating distance came loose the first time out. TOKINA should really redesign this lens

Overall a nice lens. Optics are "sharp" for the most part, but get a little soft at 300mm+, but that's to be expected in a Zoom at this price range. That's the point, if you want a super lens, buy the Canon 100-400IS "L", but you'll pay 3 times as much for a Grey market version. I was a little disapointed in the lens comming from Tokina, i have 3 other of their lens and frankly expected more form the AT-X line. If they built in a tripod collar; made it rear, or internal, focus; and added 2 more SLD elements (to increase sharpness at 300mm and above) it would be a 5 star winner, as it is I suggest it for a "beginning or intermediate" photographer who wants to have a lens in his bag to cover a lot of area. A pro will not be happy, a lot of little problems add up to a big problem from the point of view of the pros.

Buy a tripod mount, she's a heavy lens. Also invest in a screw on lens hood, it makes using a polarizer much easier.

Look on the online auctions, you'll find it for around $300.00 ~ it's a good value at that price

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Canon 100-400 IS"L"
Canon 70-300 IS

It is reasonable priced. The size, weight, available focal length and the 5.6 aperture at 400 mm qualify this lens as a serious travel zoom.

None! I'd like to see it supplied with an internal focus fetature and detachable tripod collar.

A well-manufactured lens and easy to operate. A great lens for everybody who is looking for a tele-zoom (travel) lens in this focal range. It can not replace the quality of “primes” though.
It might be extend in focal length with a 1.4x tele-converter and still produce reasonable results.

See: http://euro-photo.net/cgi-bin/epn/info/tok840minolta.shtml

for my full review.

Beginners and casual photographers should not buy this lens type in general before they can find an opportunity to test it and to make sure that they really want (or should I say need) this “long” type of lens. It does require more care while taking pictures because of the long focal length thus a slight change of technique.

Small drawbacks may be the missing internal focus feature and the missing tripod-mount.
Most Canon and Nikon users will miss the ultrasonic motor capability; in most cases the comparable Canon/Nikon zooms with “USM” etc. can be expected to focus faster.
So it sounds like a winner for Minolta and Pentax AF mount?!?
The “low” price is a big plus to consider it as a starter lens in the telephoto range! It is a pity that it does not come with a tripod collar.

Customer Service

No problems.

Similar Products Used:

Tokina MF 35-200, Tamron AF 200-400, Minolta AF 100-300.

reasonable price, light-weight, reasonably fast

none really

wide-open at f5.6, this is fast enough to shoot handheld bright daylight, otherwise shoot only with a tripod or some form of support. this lens also features a Close-focusing capability like a tele-macro & at 400mm you can get a lot of great macro shots with this lens.

Customer Service

excellent

Similar Products Used:

Tokina 60-300mm f4.5-5.6