Lens review

Tokina AT-X 840 AF D 80-400 mm f/4.5-5.6

8. Vignetting

In this category we return to praising. Fast aperture telephoto zoom lenses with small dimensions often have problems with vignetting, especially at maximum focal length. This rule doesn’t concern the Tokina, tested here. In the 80-300 mm range the light fall-off in the frame corners won’t be bothersome practically in any conditions. At 80 mm even wide open the vignetting amounts to just 10% (-0.30 aperture value). On stopping down to f/5.6 we see the problem decrease to a marginal level of 3%.

Although it’s difficult to imagine, at 200 mm the results are even better – at the maximum aperture the vignetting reaches just 8% (-0.23 aperture value). At 300 mm the situation is only slightly worse – by f/5.0 the light fall-off in the frame corners amounts to 12% (-0.37 EV). It’s enough to stop down the lens a bit to f/5.6 and the vignetting is just 9%.

We get the biggest chances to spot the vignetting for the combination of 400 mm focal length and f/5.6 aperture where it reaches 16% (-0.50 EV). This level is still considered to be low. On stopping down by one stop we se the brightness loss decrease to practically zero because by f/8 it amounts to just 8%.