Sharp performance

None

The first one I purchased left a lot to be disired. It would bind when zooming from 28mm to 50mm. I contacted Tokina and requested the lens be evaluated. I shipped it to them and they stated it had a problem and that they had order parts and that it would take 4-6 weeks. Well I was not going to sit idle and wait so I called them and after a long drawn out converstation they agreed to send me a new lens to replace the one I had pruchased. This one operates perfectly and I have no problems and am satisfied with the performance. For a third of the price of the Nikon version this is one heck of a deal.

Customer Service

1 time because the build quality was not what it should have been.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 24-120 AF-D

Terrific performance, improved a lot the quality and sharpness of my photos.

Nothing to specify

May be best value for money zoom at this range

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 28-70 f/3,5-4,5
Sigma 28-105 f/4-5,6
Sigma 28 -105 f/2,8-4
Tamron 28-200 f/3,8-5,6
Canon 28-105 f/3,5-4,5

Very reasonable price, good built quility, sharp even in wide open, no noticeable distortion.

Quite heavy

Very good optics with very reasonable price especially if you can find an used one. It's a good substitution to the Canon 28-70/2.8L if you don't have too much money burning in your pocket.

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-70 2.8L
Tamron 28mm 2.5

Optical and mechanical quality, price compared to the orginals.

weight and size (but that's a problem with all f2,8 lenses)

Very good lens. Good to handle, despite it's size.

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

Minolta, Pentax, Nikon and Sigma, same range

This lens has excellent construction and the finish is very nice. I find the autofocus to be fast for such a heavy lens with large glass. The manual focus ring has a dampened feel to it like the old manual focus lens.
This lens takes very sharp pictures that rival the best Canon L lens. The color balance and contrast are also very good in images taken with this lens.

Flare can be a problem with this lens at 28mm so you need the use the lens hood.
It takes a little while to get use to switching between manual and auto focus.

This is a pro caliber lens in terms of construction and image quality. This is an excellent lens for the serious photographer who wants quality and at the same time to save 2/3 the cost of the canon L lens in the same focal length. The lens is so good that I bought a second one for my Wife to use because she was always borrowing mine. I would recommend this lens to anyone.

Customer Service

I sent the lens in when the autofocus switch failed. It was repaired and back in 2 weeks. The lens comes with a 5 year warranty.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-105mm f3.5/4.5 USM
Canon 50mm f1.8
Canon 28-70mm f3.5/4.5
Canon 20-35mm f3.5/4.5

very solid construction.Cheap price for very sharp picture, and the color is not bad too.

a front heavy lenses compare to the sigma's,but Tokina's image quality is much better.

Some body has found it is diffcult to swith MF/AF.But to me,I agree with Tokina's way rather than Nikon.The swith only took me 20min to get used to it which against the half day of practice on nikon's.One of the most impotant thing about this lenses is the soomthness of the MF that is much better than most AF lenses on the market(I do not use AF often).The Apture ring also has very possitive feel to it.It is a 5 star lenses for what it is ,and what is it designed for.

Customer Service

never try

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 24mm,28mm,50mm,60mm,105mm,and 35-70/2.8.
contax 28mm,50,and 28-70.
some olympus

Speed, price and sharpness

Non yet. A bit hefty. I wish it went to 105 with the same speed and price.

Great all around lens. You can't beat the quality, price or speed.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Nikkor fixed lenses in same range

The build quality is beautiful--nice heft without being an anchor. The mechanical operation is very nice--high quality. Optically, it is much sharper than any consumer zoom with fast speed to boot.

Some flare issues--use the hood!

For the price, it was/is a no-brainer, pro-quality lens that my budget could afford. Maybe the $1000 Nikon/Cannon/Minolta versions may beat it out at the extreme end of performance, maybe, but for my serious amatuer purposes it is perfect.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Sigma 28-70/2.8 EX

Minolta 24-85

Excellent build quality,
Excellent picture quality

Noisy auto-focus

I have yet to try the Nikon 28-70--but so far this lens has met my high expectations in a pro-caliber lens. My only gripe is that I wish the lens outer design is similar to the 28-80 lens.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Tokina ATX Pro 28-70 I

Great image clarity,
sharp and very handy to use.
Famous Tokina's built quality proves itself
again

Switching AF/MF is a pain (especially from
MF back to AF) demand matching focusing ring exact position in which is was switched to MF.

Far minimum AF distance might disturb sometimes.

Exceptional value for money (especially considering 270 $ I paid for used in mint condition including original hood and soft case).
Great feeling holding the lens (due to very sturdy contruction and heavy weight). Very smooth
and well damped MF operation thanks to wide focusing ring. Zoom ring feels not worse.
Preserving constant external geometry and fixed front element during focusing contributes greatly to the handling.
Very clear image quality, really fast aperture (allows slightly faster AF responce then my original Minolta 28-85/3.5-4.5 on 700si, although this is very good lens itself).
May be the only really downside to consider is relatively far minimum AF distance (about 0.7m).

Customer Service

Never needed so far...

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 28-85/3.5-4.5
(old version), other zoom lenses (of different focal ranges)