Tokina has announced its latest lens, an SZ 33mm F1.2 manual prime for Fujifilm X-mount and Sony E-mount APS-C camera systems.
The lens, which offers a roughly 50mm full-frame equivalent focal length, is constructed of nine elements in seven groups, has an aperture range of F1.2 through F16, features an 11 blade aperture diaphragm, has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm (19.7") and uses a 62mm front filter thread. Tokina says the optical elements feature ‘multi-coatings,’ but doesn’t elaborate on the details of said coatings.
Both the Fujifilm X- and Sony E-mount versions feature a clickless aperture ring for smooth adjustment. Tokina says it’s also minimized focus breathing when pulling focus on the 160º focus ring, as demonstrated in the sample footage below:
Below is a collection of sample photographs, provided by Tokina:
Both lenses measure roughly 71mm (2.8”) diameter by 87.5mm (3.4”) long and weigh 605g (1.3lbs). Both models should be available to purchase starting today for $399, although listings don’e appear to currently be live at any retailer.
Tokina has not issued any exciting lens for a long long time. They are way behind Sigma and Tamron for updating technology, and even behind Samyang/Rokina.
I with they'd made these manual, contactless lenses in EF mount... That way, you only have to buy adapters and you could use it on several different mount cameras (Z, E, X, M, RF etc.). If the lens has contacts of course it would be different. Does it have it?
Similar specs with the Tokina version having 11 blades instead of 10, 50cm min focus instead of 40mm, a bit longer and wider , f/16 insted of f/11 as smallest stop and made in Japan not China. (I see another review also having 11 blades on the Kamlan and different phisical size for it too ) Possibly the same design but made in house by Tokina.
I'm no expert on these things but I have to wonder what the market for this lens is. Neither X nor E-mount (APS-C) are video-focused, though this lens seems video-focused. And for still photogs it seems to be niche at best. I guess we'll see what the performance is, but the last few years you have to ask is Tokina even trying any more? I remember not so long ago when personally I considered them the best among Sigma and Tamron.
This lens needs a switch allowing the choice between clicked and clickless aperture setting. Also, is this lens chipped? I don't mind manual focus, but no communication with the camera body at all is so 20th century. I suspect this lens isn't what we would consider a "real" Tokina but a re-branded Chinese mystery lens.
I spent years with smaller sensors like crop buying ultra fast 1.2 manual lenses trying to achieve the FF look and then I just switched to FF and found I could use cheap 1.8 lenses that produced the beautiful looks I was after without the cost and pain of manual focusing.
I bought one for 750 usd, kitlens included. Then I added a 200 usd AF telephoto lens.
I was at a sports event lately and my pictures were among the best (regarding image quality). Even with the kitlens, I seem to have a good copy. Or perhaps I know what I am doing :-)
APS-c is the sweet spot for me at the moment. In the future I may upgrade to ff, yet stay with APS-c for video. It's that easy nowadays...
A FF DSLR kit is gonna be cheaper than an APS-C MILC kit
That said there's enough good fast AF APS-C glass (Sigma 1.4s, Viltrox 1.4s, random stuff like the Sony 24 1.8 & Canon 32 1.4) that a) you don't have to go FF and b) you don't have to go MF. This kind of lens is a novelty to play with.... not a main lens you want to depend on
The answer isn't a clickless or clicked aperture, its having a switch on the lens that allows users to choose which to set it too, this way the manufacturer isn't alienating one customer or the other.
According to Tokina it's made in Japan. Look at thge link I posted, under specifications. Probably based on tghe Chinese version but made in the Tokina Japanese factory.
IMO, Tokina should've just released this with a body design for cinema since they're making a point about how minimal the focus breathing is. Then maybe they can release a version for photography with clicked aperture.
Even so, this looks too large. I'll stick to my more compact and excellent Mitakon 35mm. The only thing I don't like about it is the click-less aperture but the image quality is just great even at f/0.95 so I'm willing to make do.
Clickless aperture lost me. I have used lenses with the clickless aperture and did not cared for it. I was constantly moving the aperture ring by accident. Since I don't shoot video with my Fuji XT-3 I have no need for it.
Same here, I don't do video and I really hate the " clickless" , i always do aperture change in the camera if I can, so I put a piece of tape on the aperture ring on all my GM lenses. of course I have to use the aperture ring on my Voigtlander and Zeiss Loxia but at least they have nice "click".
Might be a tough call for some choosing between this and the Viltrox (the Viltrox is a tad slower, but has AF for a bit less). But I guess a head to head might be in order between these two (at common apertures of course). For me, I'd take the AF over the slightly faster lens (since my vision isn't getting any better as I age).
Yet another video lens. with click-less aperture ring. I know it's useful for video, but it would be nice to see some stills lenses from the cheaper third parties. Why can't we get a decent X mount 33mm (and 23mm) 1.2 or even 1.4 lens, with smooth manual focus ring. Nice clicky aperture ring, and good image quality. I've yet to see a lens like that.
There are the Voigtlanders. The 35mm (that I own) has a lot of "character" at f/1.2 (I don't like it at that aperture), but by f/1.4 it's mostly gone and by f/1.6 is completely gone and the lens is sharp and nice. The 23mm is suposedly better at f/1.2 but there are few reviews yet. Edit: They are also chipped as a very big pro in my book.
Interesting how much folks seemed to like the $900 manual focus Voigtlander 35mm F2 prime posted the other day for z-mount. At the same time a lens that's less than half the cost for Fuji and also manual focus only seems to not popular at all and the issue because of no autofocus?
Might be that it's a Voigtlander. The are usually very high-quality built in Europe or Japan now, and most of the time have very good image quality. Also a clickless aperture ring, at least for me, is a dealbreaker.
I have just bought a 7 artisans 35mm 1.2 for £100, including postage. Tested this morning and am more than happy with the results for the price. The lens is also miniature compared to the Tokina. For my X-T1.
Seems like a nice lens but no AF, no purchase for me. My eyesight isn't what it used to be and progressive bifocals wreak havoc with focusing through an evf. I've never gotten along with mf on mirrorless cameras. Focus peaking is not enjoyable for me.
I just checked their website, and there is no mention of contacts either way.
Edit - just saw Becksvart’s comment, he’s right - the manual specifically states no contacts. Hard pass. I’ll stick with my CV 35/1.2, it has data link and aperture clicks - much better for still photography.
Though I'm all for more choice, the images presented don't make it look any better than my cheap 7artisans 35mm F1.2, which is a fraction of the size and weight, and if you crop the edges (which I tend to do anyway) is capable of excellent results.
" Tokina says the optical elements feature ‘multi-coatings,’ but doesn’t elaborate on the details of said coatings."
Do companies give sufficient information anyway when talking about their latest coating method?
I feel like the underlying point is to just note they're using the best coating method available to them, rather than something simpler for accessories or whatever.
Which is fine to do, but the press releases make it sound like their coatings are comparably better than others, when I think few people are able to compare coating technology.
Not really. Tokina have pretty much the worst coatings in the industry, or at least in Japan. They’ve co-developed/cross-licensed/whatever many lens designs with Pentax, and the Pentax versions are always much superior when it comes to flare, ghosting and veiling glare control (Pentax have had historically some of the best multi-coatings in the world).
I do agree that some of the manufacturer claims can be pretty empty and/or suspicious regarding coatings, but in Tokina’s case it really doesn’t inspire confidence if they use zero marketingese for this topic.
"The joy of video lenses" is more acurate. The size and weight is to compensate the focus breathing. There are a lot of smaller lighter 35mm f1.2 around
quatpat, Do not confuse light gathering with exposure. An F.1.2 lens will give the same shutter speed/ISO value couple whatever the sensor size, because the sensor collects the same number of photons per unit area. Light gathering is linked to the total number of photons that a system (lens + sensor) can capture. An F1.2 lens and an APS-C sensor collect the same quantity of photons than an F1.8 lens and an FF sensor, producing two images with the same level of noise.
@Karolly: " An F1.2 lens and an APS-C sensor collect the same quantity of photons than an F1.8 lens and an FF sensor, producing two images with the same level of noise."
Sorry, but that's not entirely correct, or rather, when you talk about noise levels you'll have to take into consideration the viewing magnification and the pixel density. A 10MP APS-C sensor will, for example, have less noise at a pixel level, at the same aperture, than a full-frame sensor with 30MP, because the later will have a higher pixel density. Therefore, the equation f/1.2 on FF equals f/1.8 on APS-C in terms of noise levels, just isn't true.
" Therefore, the equation f/1.2 on FF equals f/1.8 on APS-C in terms of noise levels, just isn't true." It is true and DPReview already explained why...
quatpat, I am sorry, but it is a long time ago. But for sure, comparing a 10MP APS-C sensor and a 30MP FF sensor at pixel level, as you do, is irrelevant : different sensor size, different resolution and different pixel density. It is comparing apples and oranges. What I remember from the DPR article is that you compare camera+lens by comparing pictures at same print size and there is at least one good reason for that: the print size is your target. And if you do that, the 10MP APS-C sensor cannot keep up.
Karroly, All that is nice and fine, but what was wrong was your initial statement. Noise has ONLY to do with pixel density and the amount of light reaching each pixel, and absolutely nothing with overall sensor size. That's why I had to object you your statement. ;-)
"Noise has ONLY to do with pixel density and the amount of light reaching each pixel, and absolutely nothing with overall sensor size. That's why I had to object you your statement. " Same old wrong song... Because you check noise by viewing images at 100% magnification which is irrelevant.
Doesn't seem to be, viltrox doesn't offer a 33mm f/1.2. It's also incredibly expensive for a viltrox lens, that's almost double the price of the viltrox AF 33mm f/1.4
Tokina hasn't released a new lens of their own design since the 20 mm f/2 in 2016 (the 50 mm f/1.4 was a design shared with Pentax). But then they have been a niche player for a long time already with mainly a focus on a range of wide-angle zooms and a few macros (and last new wide-angle zoom was from 2015).
$499 isn't bad. Some of the Laowa lenses are around that same price, and they too are manual focus. If this was say a $800 or $1200 lens, then yes, it would be "overpriced" by a fair amount. But for third party lenses it seems that $400-$800 is the going price for most manual focuses lenses.
Holy Stone produces dozens of low-cost drone models aimed at consumers. We look at the HS710 and HS175D to see if they stack up to other sub-250g offerings. Are these secretly great or more like toys?
The EOS R6 II arrives in one of the most competitive parts of the market, facing off against some very capable competition. We think it rises to the challenge.
Above $2500 cameras tend to become increasingly specialized, making it difficult to select a 'best' option. We case our eye over the options costing more than $2500 but less than $4000, to find the best all-rounder.
There are a lot of photo/video cameras that have found a role as B-cameras on professional film productions or even A-cameras for amateur and independent productions. We've combed through the options and selected our two favorite cameras in this class.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both the speed and focus to capture fast action and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.
Family moments are precious and sometimes you want to capture that time spent with loved ones or friends in better quality than your phone can manage. We've selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens.
What's the best camera for shooting sports and action? Fast continuous shooting, reliable autofocus and great battery life are just three of the most important factors. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting sports and action, and recommended the best.
A blog post from Panasonic touts the ways its organic film CMOS sensor can control color spill between pixels, giving more accurate color in challenging lighting, but doesn't propose photography as something the sensor is suited for.
Digital sensors are at the heart of digital photography, but their development sometimes gets obscured by the marketing claims made along the way. We take a look at how sensors have developed since the early days of CCD, to better understand the milestones of the past and what's really going on today.
Who doesn't love a compact prime? This full frame 26mm F2.8 Nikkor lens has a sweet price, good features...but does it take a sharp photo? See for yourself in this new sample gallery shot with a production lens.
We met up with OM Digital Solutions' senior management at CP+ in Yokohama to find out what the transition from Olympus was like and to gain insight into its focus going forward.
If you're new to the drone world, there's much more you need to know than how to unbox and launch a drone. We break down the 5 mandatory steps you need to follow to fly safely and legally.
Camera and lens rental company Lensrentals has published a list of its most popular 'point-and-shoot' cameras, only to reveal that the very concept might now be obsolete.
Holy Stone produces dozens of low-cost drone models aimed at consumers. We look at the HS710 and HS175D to see if they stack up to other sub-250g offerings. Are these secretly great or more like toys?
Leica has announced the Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm F5-6.3, a telephoto zoom lens for L-mount. It's also announced a 1.4x extender teleconverter to work with it.
Round One voting results are in and we're now down to 8 matches. Jump in to see who won and sneak a look at how the DPReview team debated the choices, then get ready for Round Two – voting starts now!
Mathematical correction of lens distortion is commonplace. We explain why we don't think it makes sense to ignore it or to assume it's always a bad thing.
How well do Fujifilm's film simulations match up to their film counterparts? We revisit a classic DPReviewTV episode in which Chris Niccolls and Jordan Drake shoot a few rolls of Fujifilm's Acros 100 II, and a few frames on the X-T3 in Acros film simulation, to find out.
It's March, and in America that means it's time to start arguing over which college athletics team is the best at basketball. For DPReview, it's also an opportunity for a good old-fashioned camera fight.
We take OM System's new 90mm prime F3.5 macro lens out and about around Seattle, in search of sunlight, people and very tiny things to get up close and personal with. Flip on through what we found, and see how the lens performs in the real world in our sample gallery.
After a three-year hiatus, we've been at the return of the CP+ camera show in Yokohama, Japan. In between interviews with executives of the major companies, Dale Baskin took to the show floor to bring you this report.
OM System's latest lens is a whopper of a macro, featuring optical stabilization, full weather sealing, up to 2x magnification and a whole lot more. What's it got and what's it like to use? Let's dig in.
Comments