Tokina AT-X 840 80-400mm AFII f/4.5-5.6

great lens if you know how to use it properly. At the long end wide open performance is pretty average to poor; images are very soft and printing above a4 ain't great. However stop down to f9.5 - f11 and images are really zingy with nice contrast & colour. Anything below 300mm is pretty good anyway but I'd still recommend leaving this lens at f8.
I have the older version and focus isn't isn't particularly quick but once focus is found on my 1d mkII there are never any problems tracking in AI servo.
Build is great and gives real confidence. Zoom action is nice & smooth. The hood is good although I always leave on a collapsible rubber hood.
I tend to set my 1d to lowest compression jpeg, sharpening at level 2, iso1600 & f9.5 and use a monopod whener possible. I process my shots in CS2 and use Noise Ninja to take out noise and USM images.


If you want L performance go spend L money. Used carefully this lense will give superb results.

build
feel
size
performance once stopped down
price - shop around and you'll get a bargain - I paid about £140 on fleabay

performance wide open at long end
noisy & slow initial focus (on older version)
no zoom lock

canon 100 - 300
minolta 70 - 210 (both last version & better original "beer can" version)

never needed to use

I was encouarged to look for a Tokina telezoom, because I also have the Tokina 12-24mm Wide-angle lens. (very good indeed)

After extensive practicing and testing I have concluded that that the Tokina 80-400 ATX-D is a good lens, especially considering it's price! I have the Nikon-variant by te way. I intend to use it as an allround travel companion.
(landscape-details, people, plane and train spotting, and an occasional bird-shot)

At first I found the results disappointing, especially on the log end, even while using a tripod, but I found out after some time that the tripod collar is not up to its task.
When adding extra support (i.e. a Manfrotto lens support 293), and truly stabilizing it, the results dramatically improved. Don't forget a 400mm is not really ment to be used hand-held. (indeed the basic photography rules)

Sharpness/contrast:
It performs really good up to about 300mm, nice and crisp.
At 400mm however it becomes soft, but at F8 it's all fine again. Even with a 1.7x converter (680mm) I got reasonably good results.

Chromatic abberation:
On the long end, I find it a bit too much (the only real weakness), it is correctable, however, but not all that easy.

I think this lens is meant for advanced photographers, who know what they are doing. People who expect AF-S, Ultrasonic, VR, image stabilizer, etc, should NOT buy this lens.
An aditional tripod support is mandatory for excellent results

Build quality is absolutely superb, all metal!
Affordable alternative!
Sharp images, stepped down to F8
Hood with polariser control knob!! Very nice detail!

Too much chromatic abberation at 400mm
Slow focusing, frequent hunting at low-light conditions (but expectable)
Stiff operation (mine is very young)
Tripod collar not up to it's task

Sigma 70-300mm Macro, (a lot less than the Tokina)
Nikon 80-200 2.8 AF, (better, not really a surprise, BUT at F8 / F11 the Tokina comes NEAR!!)
Nikon 70-210 AF-D (equal)

not used

My Tokina 840 AT-XII is either defective or junk. If I can't get a clear shot of a brick wall tripod mounted at f22 and 1/1000 speed then I can't get a clear shot of anything. SOFT SOFT SOFT
If you buy one of these do yourself a favor and only purchase the 840AT-Xd (latest version)

Solid
balanced
cost

Bright apeture that can't be used (f8 + is only decent) f11+ is better
Soft focus at infinity
This lens will not take a sharp shot at 80mm f22 1/1000

Nikon 70-300mm VR

I bought a second hand (like new condition) of this model which does not have the tripod collar and barrel lock. My impression so far is WOW. I have put it through some tests on my Nikon D70 and am very very pleased. Images are sharp and clear.....even at 400 mm (1.5X for the D70 = 600mm in 35mm equivalent), as long as you respect some basic photography rules: 1) when handholding any camera, minimum shutter speed should not be slower than 1/ the focal length of the lens.....ie for a 500mm lens, the shutter speed used should not be slower than 1/ 500th of a second. This minimizes blurr and fuzzy or soft pictures caused by camera shake. 2) the longer the lens, the shallower the depth of field will be....so precise focusing is key....telephoto lenses can have a depth of field of only a few inches when wide open....using a smaller aperature (larger "f" number) increases depth of field, hence pictures seem sharper. I wonder how many of those who dismiss a lens for being soft actually respect or even know about these 2 basic rules... All the features of the D70 seem to work just fine with this lens. Auto focus speed is fine for most situations, although it does hunt in low light or with low contrast subjects. This is completely normal and I think this has more to do with the camera rather than the lens, as it is the camera that determines when focus is achieved....not the lens. Overall I am very pleased to have such a good lens at such a great price. I was also looking at the Sigma, Tamron, and Nikon 70 - 300 mm units. Glad I picked this one! It is very solidly constructed with METAL.....it is heavier than the other contenders for this reason, but has a good feel in my hand. Zooming action is smooth and not too loose. The others felt and sounded cheap and clunky when zoom ring was rotated.

Sharp pictures. Solid construction. Reasonably fast for its wide zoom range.

Physically long at 400 mm setting with the lens hood attached.

Sigma, Tamron, Nikon (cheapest model...they have two) 70 - 300 mm.

not used

This lens is really a bang for your buck: Good optics: Sharp and usable images @ wide open, very sharp when step down to f8. I have used compact tele-lenses such as Sigma 55-200mm and Tamron 70-300mm; @ wide open f/5.6, Tokina is much better than sigma and Tamron. Great Built: This lens will last forever, all metal construction, beats every Canon consumer level lens in built quilty. Very Compact: this lens is so small in size for a 400mm, I was thinking it was a EF-S type of lens when I first saw it. Very nicely priced: for $350 I paid, I just can't go wrong with it

Good Optics, Great Built, very compact, Hood, tripod ring, and lens bag included, and nicely priced

Manual Focus ring can be smoother, non-removable tripod ring, and slow AF.

Tamron 70-300mm