| Latest Review Posted | Tokina AT-X 80-400mm F4.5-5.6
This review is for the first version without tripod collar (see Arjay Bee's pictures above)
The positives:
- The greatest feature of this lens is its size, it is a bit more than 1.5 times the length of a 50-200mm, and only weights 960gr (2lbs). In contrast to all other 400mm it fits in a normal photo-bag.
- since it is not very heavy and the zoom ring is sufficiently wide (at least in this version) it is easy to handhold it. The shake reduction works very well, I get reliable results at 1/125sec at 400mm. At an overcast day I can shoot with f8 at iso 400.
- It does not have a tripod collar which would only make it bigger and would be in the way. It is light enough to mount the camera directly on the tripod.
- The pentax mount is fully supported, it transmits the focal length and f-stop correctly to the camera (the exif says, though, it is a Sigma 80-200mm lens), I was worried about this considering its age.
- although it is not very sharp compared to the Tamron it is still usable at f5.6 or f8 at 400mm.
The negatives:
- The autofocus is fast but tends to hunt. The whole front part of the lens moves for focusing, which produces quite some torque. You can feel a kickback when the focus starts and locks in. This also makes it difficult to use a polarizer.
- manual focus is to easy to turn. It does not have a focus clutch, so one has to set the camera switch to manual to be able to focus manually.
- the zoom is not linear it only takes 1/8th of a turn to go f... |
