Tokina’s 11-16mm lens has long been legendary among independent filmmakers and photographers, largely because it’s one of the only non-fisheye wide-angle zooms, not to mention its constant F2.8 aperture. Glass is almost unheard of in this class of lenses. While the original 11-16 remains the same as ever, Tokina has now developed a new version of its flagship zoom lens with a few improvements over its predecessor – most notably an integrated follow focus ring.
Before we get into the new DX V lenses, it’s worth noting that Tokina has been offering more traditional cine lenses for some time. For example, the Tokina Cinema 11-16mm T3.0 is a full-featured cine lens that comes with manual aperture and focus, a geared aperture ring, PL mount options, and more.
However, the new V-shaped lens fits right in the middle between its original Tokina 11-16mm and higher-end cinema models. Like the original 11-16, the DX V has both autofocus and manual focus (easily switched by pulling the focus barrel up or down), and the overall housing and dimensions of the two lenses are nearly identical. See both side by side:
At first glance, the only physical differences between the lenses appear to be the gear-following focus ring and the red markings on the DX V. This is a sentence from Turina:
Sharp images are achieved through the use of new aspherical lenses and ultra-low dispersion glass.
PM-O aspheric lens elements are placed in the front group. This element, combined with the glass-molded aspherical lens of the rear group, corrects various aberrations while also ideally correcting distortion. Further correction of chromatic aberration is achieved by using two other types of SD (extra-low dispersion) glass “FK03” that are essentially close to fluorite glass.
So how do these shots actually perform differently in reality? I took a few test shots to find out, and while it’s no surprise that the two lenses are very similar in almost every way, there are some noticeable differences.
It’s worth noting that my intention was to test these lenses the way I would actually shoot with them: at their widest focal lengths and apertures. For consistency, all tests below were shot at 11mm/F2.8.
The purpose of my first test shot was to see which lens would be sharper at the closest focal length.
Tokina 11-16mm DX V / 11mm @ F2.8
Tokina 11-16mm DX / 11mm @ F2.8
The first and most obvious thing I noticed here is that the original 11-16 DX lens was unable to focus at the same distance as the newer DX V lens (you may need to click on the enlarged image to see this a little). Even though all camera and lens settings are the same, the DX V is surprisingly able to focus at slightly closer distances. In order for the original 11-16 DX lens to focus properly, I had to move it back a few inches. This is what the frame looks like after repositioning the camera:
The next thing I wanted to test was the sharpness of both lenses at infinity focus and in difficult conditions. To do this, I took a photo of a wide hilly landscape from my balcony and set the camera to window crop mode. This allowed me to get a closer look at the lenses within the camera, revealing the sharpness/softness differences between lenses more clearly. This is why the image below is not clear.
Tokina 11-16mm DX V / 11mm @ F2.8
Tokina 11-16mm DX / 11mm @ F2.8
At this point, I think it’s basically a wash. When zoomed in to 400% on my monitor, there’s little noticeable difference in sharpness between the two shots. That said, there are some subtle differences in color and brightness between lenses. The DX V lens seems to let in slightly more light than the original DX lens. To test this more clearly, I ran a low-light test of the lens.
The photo below was taken at ISO 200 and a shutter angle of 11.25 degrees so I could avoid using any ND filters on the lens.
Tokina 11-16mm DX V / 11mm @ F2.8
Tokina 11-16mm DX / 11mm @ F2.8
Again, the lenses are a very close match in this test, but the newer DX V lens has a slight increase in exposure. It’s almost unnoticeable at first glance, but it’s there. In my opinion, that’s about 1/4 the pause difference, which is certainly not life-changing – but still worth noting.
Who are DX V lenses suitable for?
Some of you may be wondering where the new DX V lenses fit into the Tokina range. After all, they already make original DX lenses that are an excellent choice for filmmakers on a tight budget, and the higher-end Cinema 11-16mm is ideal for filmmakers who want a more professional option.
Personally, I think the DX V lens does have its place, although it may be for a specific type of shooter. For those who shoot still photos and videos professionally, More specifically the person who needs the focus – This is a great option. Obviously larger professional productions will require manual aperture and won’t need the autofocus setting available on this lens. But for one-man band shooters that float between stills (requiring autofocus functionality) and film, this is a viable alternative to the original Tokina 11-16mm DX.
While there are some subtle differences in image quality between the original Tokina 11-16mm and the DX V version, it’s really just a matter of gear focus. Since the DX and DX V have physical shifting mechanisms on the focus barrel, they are not always suitable for use with third-party follow focus gears. The fact that you need to constantly pull on the lens barrel to change focus settings means you need a rock-solid gear, and having one built in will give you more stability than most aftermarket gear. for this type of barrel.
That’s it for now.
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