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• good image quality in the frame centre regardless of the focal length used,
• quite good image quality at the frame edge,
• chromatic aberration corrected well,
• slight coma,
• low astigmatism,
• metal barrel with metal mount,
• good price/quality ratio.

Cons:

• quite significant distortion for this class of lenses,
• vignetting visible even on APS-C/DX sensors,
• weak performance against bright light,
• poor autofocus accuracy.

How could you assess the Tokina 19-35 mm? In absolute terms its result doesn’t make us happy. If you consider the price, amounting to about 100 $, though, you look at it differently. It would be unreasonable to demand from such a lens to compete with much more expensive equipment.

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When you consider the Tokina as a cheap substitute of a kit lens it presents itself the best. It compares favourably with the 18-55 models from Canon and Nikon when it comes to the build quality (metal against omnipresent plastics), image quality and distortion. Its vignetting is lower, it was designed to work on full frame and its life span will be longer (plastic kits can fall apart after a year or two). The rivals of the Tokina can compete with it giving a wider focal lengths range, better work against bright light, a bit more accurate autofocus, and their price as well if we buy them in a set together with a camera body.

The choice is, as usual, a matter of individual tastes. Some people will gladly pay more and invest in the Tokina; the others will think that making a surcharge is wasteful and the Tokina’s potential advantages – unimportant.

Sample shots:

Camera: Nikon D200 Parameters: 35 mm, f/4.5, exp. 1/640 s, ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 3.9 MB	Camera: Nikon D200 Parameters: 24 mm, f/6.3, exp. 1/160 s, ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 4.5 MB	Camera: Nikon D200 Parameters: 19 mm, f/7.1, exp. 1/160 s, ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 7.1 MB
Camera:Nikon D200 Parameters: 35 mm, f/7.1, exp. 1/200 s, ISO 200 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 6.8 MB	Camera: Nikon D200 Parameters: 35 mm, f/4.5, exp. 1/60 s, ISO 400 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 3.7 MB	Camera: Nikon D200 Parameters: 28 mm, f/4.0, exp. 1/125 s, ISO 100 File: JPG, 3872x2592 pix, 3.9 MB