Tokina 11-16 f/2.8

[smphoto]

Hi All,

I am about to purchase this lens as the Nikkor range does not have something in this range.

Anybody got positive or negative feedback, or perhaps an alternative recommendations?

Regards,

Steve

[jerryph]

Well, I do have have some experience with it as my friend has it and I was able to use it recently.

First off, that 5mm range is so small, it is near useless. May as well leave it at 11mm and stay there with it because at 16mm there is little difference. Second, yes it is a fast lens, with a constant F/2.8 aperture, but if you think about it, the best places to use it are outside for landscape type shots. What happens because of this is that you almost always close the aperture to F/4 or smaller.

The results that this lens gives are great, but in all honestly, I would suggest the Sigma 10-20mm (the widest "Ultra-Wide Angle" lens on the market) at F/4-F/5.6. It is a little bit slower but it is a way more useful lens. At 10mm it is a full 1mm wider than the Tokina and it has a full 10mm range to play with (and it is actually more useful because of it). To make things more interesting, Sigma has made a newer version of this lens that is a constant F/3.5 throughout it's range.

Unless you *absolutely* need F/2.8, the Sigma 10-20mm is a better choice.

I have the older one that is F/4-F/5.6 and the results with this version of the Sigma 10-20mm are excellent:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3351/3188073638_bbc38f3d79.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2123/2264260296_ab7464de51.jpg

[pipedesign]

Perhaps it is presumptuous of me to respond when I am so new to DSLR and this forum .....
....but two months ago I got a Nikon D60. Two weeks ago I got a Sigma 17-70 f/2.8 and the solid feel and quality of pics so far is a real treat to me. It has a 1:2.3 max magnification too and my close-ups are better.
Nothing posted yet though, sorry.