An excellent wide-angle lens for motorless
Nikon cameras
The popular Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX of 2007
has gotten an update in the form of the AT-X 116 Pro DX II. The latter is still
a solidly-built ultra-wide-angle zoom lens designed for cameras using APS-C
sized sensors (so remember to multiply the crop factor to get the 35mm equivalent
focal length) with a constant F2.8 maximum aperture throughout the zoom range;
but unlike its predecessor, the new lens has a ‘Silent Drive-Module’ (SD-M0
focus motor. What this means is that it can now be used on Nikon bodies that
don’t have a built-in AF motor. The lens is also fitted with a GMR (giant magneto
resistance) sensor to accelerate autofocus.
Tokina
AT-X 116 Pro DX II 11-16mm F2.8 Lens
As with all wide-angle lenses, when tested
on a D3200 and a D40x, we found AF to be very snappy. The focus ring has a
clutch mechanism whereby you pull it backwards to engage manual focus. Despite
the crop factor, there’s still a teeny bit of barrel distortion at the widest
end. Sharpness when wide open is very good, and gets even better when stopped
down. From our observations, the entire image looked the sharpest at F8. We
didn’t encounter many flare or ghost issue, and we attribute this to the lens’
improved surface coatings, and the fact that we kept the hood on most of the
time. If you’re going to use the camera’s popup flash, note that the lens will
cast a shadow.
The
lens is also fitted with a GMR (giant magneto resistance) sensor to accelerate
autofocus.
If you’re on the lookout for a high
performance non-Nikkor ultra wide-angle lens for your DX-format Nikon DSLR,
look no further than the Tokina AT-116 Pro DX II. If only all third-party
lenses were this good.
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Details
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Focal length: 11-16mm
·
Minimum focusing distance: 0.3m
·
Filter size: 77mm
·
Weight: 550g
·
Price: $1050
Verdict: 9/10
·
Physique: 8.5/10
·
Features: 9/10
·
User-friendliness: 9/10
·
Performance: 9/10
·
Value: 8/10
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