Tokina AF17mm AT-X Pro f/3.5 Aspheric 35mm Primes

Tokina AF17mm AT-X Pro f/3.5 Aspheric 35mm Primes 

DESCRIPTION

Tokina uses an aspherical glass lens in its AT-X 17AF. In addition to correcting spherical astigmatism, these lenses fully correct light quantity and distortion at the edge of the image and provide excellent results when used in combination with floating elements.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 11-20 of 22  
[Nov 20, 2002]
Malcolm
Intermediate

Strength:

Price, durablility

Weakness:

Lens shade is difficult to work with and the 77mm filters are expensive.

A great lens at a great price. The 3mm difference from the 20mm lens is well worth the investment. Get to use it more than I thought.

Customer Service

Great, had to replace a lens shade and they guided right to a supplier

Similar Products Used:

Canon 20-35mm L Canon 24-85mm

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Apr 16, 2002]
dynax7top
Expert

Strength:

Built like a tank (all-metall), no trouble with the mechanics of my sample. Flare and ghosting is pretty good for such type of lens. The coverage of 17mm is soooo lecker!!!

Weakness:

Lenshood is firmly attached to the lens body. but can be taken off by customer service.

This is a non-pro lens in Minolta AF: Great value for the money and wonderful toy for wide-angle addicts... Sharp, crispy and neutral colour.

Customer Service

Not needed for this lens, but on another occasion: the German service station is pretty much OK.

Similar Products Used:

24mm f/2.8 Minolta AF

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jun 17, 2000]
Maxwell Millowick
Model Reviewed: AF 17mm f/3.5 ATX PRO Aspherical Autofocus

Strength:

Good build quality

Weakness:

Slightly soft compared to my Eos L lenses.
Great when price compared to Canon eqiv.

I am very happy to have this lens as part of my kit

Similar Products Used:

None

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Apr 29, 2000]
Alberto Baffa
Intermediate
Model Reviewed: AF17mm AT-X f/3.5 Aspheric

Strength:

Very good construction quality and - surprise! - good (never said) resistance to ghost and flares!

Weakness:

on the plastic mount of a Minolta HTsi it sometimes fail in monitoring shutter opening (just a stupid problem); you have to be used with a bit of distorsion (but it's a 17...)

I falled in love with super wide angles shoot, and decided to got this tokina for the 17 vs price; I took my first three rolls from the lab two days ago (superia100, ultra100 and Ekta100vs): no vignetting with polarizer and, believe me, I am very very happy. TIP!: choose this or another prime super wide, and not a zoom like 17-35 or similar: very close focus is ESSENTIAL (imho) to got smart pictures with this focal lenght.

Customer Service

boh?

Similar Products Used:

no one so wide

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Apr 21, 2000]
Ken Welsh
Professional
Model Reviewed: AF17mm AT-X f/3.5 Aspheric

Strength:

Exceptionally well built. My sample offers extremely sharp optics. Have duped some shots up to 6x9cm

Weakness:

I'm happy.

My sample is a bargain alternative to much more expensive marquee optics. I have two other ATX Tokina lenses which are also excellent: the 28-70mm f2.6-F2.8 and the 100-300mm f4. The only bad luck I have had with Tokina ATX lenses is with the f2.8 20-35mm. My tests - on a tripod - showed the edges to be soft. I sold it.

Customer Service

No problems, so far (3 years)

Similar Products Used:

20mm Nikon f4 and 20mm Nikon AF f2.8

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Oct 17, 2000]
Patrick Barriball
Casual

Strength:

Ultra-wide angle makes for some fun picture-taking opportunities. Focuses quickly and relatively quietly.

Weakness:

Transition from autofocus to manual is not the easiest I've used. I suppose there are probably sharper lenses available, although sharpness is in the eye of the beholder.

I bought this lens to try wide-angle photography, which can be a completely new experience. I've had a lot of fun with it so far, and have taken some serious pictures as well -- the wide angle allows you to get some good pictures in tight spaces. The price is good as well, considering to buy the alternative from Canon would have cost quite a bit more. Overall, this is a good lens at a good price if you want to expand your photographic horizons and try a new perspective on the same old thing.

Customer Service

Haven't had to have any service.

Similar Products Used:

None.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Dec 08, 2000]
Frank Paris
Expert

Strength:

Gorgeous, physically. I'm thrilled every time I take it out of the lens pouch and put it on the camera. Very sharp and contrasty > f 5.6

Weakness:

soft at f2.8 but I always use it on a tripod so this is irrelevant to me. The lens hood is a pain getting on and if it isn't on perfectly you get viginetting big time that you can't even see in the viewfinder.

I do landscape photography in the Columbia Gorge where there are amazing opportunities for extreme wide-angle. There are a lot of missed opportunities I never dreamed of until I got this lens. I use it a lot more than I ever thought I would, and it is such a pleasure to handle. Its robust feeling is almost over the top.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 20 mm f2.8, a great lens but the 17mm Tokina opens up even more wide angle opportunities.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jan 14, 2001]
Arnon Hubara
Professional

Strength:

The lens I own produces excellent images. Sharpness and contrast is very high thanks to the aspherical element.

Weakness:

The lens I own is AT-X non pro, it's mechanism is very weak and causes a lot of problems.

Boosts excellent optical quality specialy comparing to it's very low price. Produces far better images than the much more expensive Pentax that I had before. However due to mechanical problems I intend to exchange it with the Pro model which is opticaly identical. The rating I ssubmit is only for the non pro lens.

Customer Service

It was repaired once by Tokina's representetive, good service. Twice by an independent, excellent service!

Similar Products Used:

Pentax-A 15mm 3.5
Nikon 20mm 2.8

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Mar 23, 2001]
Steve Keppel-Jones
Intermediate

Strength:

Nice sharp wide-angle
Solidly built (even the non-pro version that I have)

Weakness:

Mechanically seems a bit inferior to my (more expensive) name-brand lenses; just feels slightly cheaper.
My unit has a slight rattle in it which is likely a loose bit of plastic, but I haven't had that interfere with either the mechanics or the optics yet.

Cheaper than similar focal length name-brand lenses, and easily sharp enough for my non-professional use. I have taken lots of nice WA photos with this lens and plan to take lots more!

Customer Service

none needed yet

Similar Products Used:

none

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Apr 02, 2001]
Arnon Hubara
Professional

Strength:

Very good optical quality, very good build quality. relatively small size

Weakness:

none.

I bought the old 17 AT-X just before this lens came to the market. I was very unsatisfied of the poor build quality of the old model. The old model needed to be repaired several times. This one has outstanding build qulity in addition to it's excellent optical quality. I can't see any differnce between the pictures I took with the Nikon 20 mm and this lens that costs nearly half. The pentax I had before costs 3 times more and not as capable is the Tokina. I am very stisfied. This is a true pro lens!

Customer Service

I don't think I'll need them.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 20 2.8
Pentax-A 15 3.5
Tokina AT-X 17 3.5 none pro

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 11-20 of 22  

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