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Lens review

Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 17-35 mm f/4 (IF)

16 September 2013
Arkadiusz Olech

5. Chromatic and spherical aberration


Chromatic aberration

The longitudinal chromatic aberration is beyond reproach. It is corrected so well that it remains unnoticeable even at the maximum relative aperture; there is no need to stop down in order to reduce its level.

Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 17-35 mm f/4 (IF)  - Chromatic and spherical aberration



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Also the Tokina’s 17-35 mm performance when it comes to the correction of the lateral chromatic aberration is a very nice surprise. Well, objectively speaking the results can be hardly called good because a level of 0.18% still means a high value of that aberration; however, if you remind yourself how the other wide angle Tokinas fared here, exceeding easily 0.2% or even reaching 0.3%, the results of the full frame 17-35 mm model are optimistic enough, suggesting that perhaps, in a not so distant future, we can expect wide angle Tokinas devoid of that aberration completely.

In the current situation the aberration won’t be horribly bothersome only at 35 mm focal length, where it’s medium. At shorter focal lengths, near the maximum relative aperture, it remains high and on stopping down it approaches the borderline between high and medium levels.

The graphs below show the performance of the lateral chromatic aberration on the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor and on the edge of full frame.

Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 17-35 mm f/4 (IF)  - Chromatic and spherical aberration

Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 17-35 mm f/4 (IF)  - Chromatic and spherical aberration

Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 17-35 mm f/4 (IF)  - Chromatic and spherical aberration


Spherical aberration

Spherical aberration is corrected well. The lens doesn’t feature any ‘focus shift’ effect and defocused light points look similar in front of and behind the focal plane.

Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 17-35 mm f/4 (IF)  - Chromatic and spherical aberration