Latest Review Posted | Tokina MF 28-105mm F3.5-4.8 Same lens as in colas review. Very handy, not too heavy two-ring zoom with smooth zoom and focus action. Zoom even moves too easy and creeps.
Focus throw very short. You better use finder magnification for critical sharpness.
For its time unusual short mfd of 0.5 meters. Lens is parfocal. If you need to adjust infinity peel off the rubber from the zoom ring. Under the small copper plates you will find four screws which allow for some movement of the whole front assembly. But take care not to remove the screws completely; there's a tiny shim underneath which likes to jump away forever.
Very usable wide open, best at f8. Sharp in the center to 2/3 of the frame, corners never catch up. Some CA, but remarkably low fringing.
Flares a bit against light, but no worse than others. No lowering of contrast to speak of if you keep the adverse light just outside the frame. I use two filter rings, glass removed, as a sunshade.
So: No lens for landscape or architecture if corner-to-corner-sharpness is crucial. But very convenient for everyday use, people, family, travel. I like it. The only 28-xx zoom which definitively betters it in my arsenal is the small Olympus OM 28-48. Sharp as a prime, but - only 48. |