Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

I'm happy with this lens and I don't notice the weight on the camera. But I notice it when it's in my bag.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

I looked at both the Nikon and Tokina wide angle DX lens. After reading many reviews I got the Tokina and I'm happy with it. In some ways it/s nicer than the nikon equivalent. I like the auto/manual slide ring to quickly go to manual focus without taking my eye from the finder.
I also like that the distance scale is printed on the lens.

It seems very well made. I did get the Nikon NC filter (77mm) and the lens cap fits well on it.

The lens hood does leave a shadow at the shorter focal length when using a flash indoors but I think all lenses of this focal length do.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

Wide angle lenses are great for giving you that 'you are there' feel.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

This is my first non-Nikon lens. It is being used on my Nikon D300s APS-C sensor camera ("DX" format). I purchased this lens after doing some research and reading that Tokina has had many awards for the optical and mechanical quality of their lenses.Let me tell you that this lens is GREAT and as far as I can tell, is as sharp as any Nikon lens I have, and I have some good ones, both for use in "DX" and "FX" format (on a Nikon D700). The brightness of this lens is smooth and consistent across its entire field of view. If my Nikon lenses are any better, I just cannot see it, and I tend to be very critical of optical sharpness.The lens weighs 19 oz., and is well built, using brass metal internally where Nikon uses plastic. The zooom is tight to turn, and you are not going to accidentally bump or shift it off-distance. Another really nice feature is the AF-to-Manual shift, which you do by 'snapping' the focus ring forward or backward. The ring makes a nice 'click' into its detent position and this feature is MUCH nicer than fumbling for the slide-switch as we have on Nikon lenses. (Plus you will not accidentally hit the wrong switch as you could do with a Nikon, such as hitting the LOCK switch on their zoom lenses).I made some interior shots of my house, and some shots of our cats. All photo's are as sharp as can be, and individual hairs and whiskers on the cats are very sharp. Color and contrast with this lens is GREAT.If seriously pressed to find fault with the lens itself, I really cannot find any. The only complaint I can possibly have is the front lens cap. It is almost a duplicate in design of Nikon's, and for me (and I have small fingers!) the 'recess steps' of the cap are very difficult to grip, resulting in slipping and dropping of the cap. But what are we going do; this is not a really serious issue.This lens is less than HALF the cost of Nikon's equivalent, and if you purchase this lens it should make you VERY happy. Keep in mind that with very wide angle lenses such as this, you need to think creatively and get 'down and dirty' and 'up close' with these lenses at their widest fields of view to obtain some very dramatic shots. Wide angle lenses are F-U-N! The more experimenting you do the more interesting things you learn (and learn to SEE).Tokina has peaked my interest with this Nikon-challenging product and this will undoubtedbly not be the last Tokina lens I purchase. (BTW- Tokina is made in Japan for those not in the know. They are not made in some 'other country' where the machinery, labor force and quality control may be less than up-to-par).For many purposes you may be better off using manual rather than autofocus. The reason? Creativity -- focusing where YOU want it to focus, especially when you want a close-in focus. And, the autofocus of this lens DOES work very well. Some newbie users of Wide Angle lenses who complain about the autofocus of these lenses may not realize that they might have been in a circumstance where manual focus would have been their BEST choice.One last thing. The best filter to use on wide angle lenses is the THINNEST multicoated high quality filter you can get. The thinner filters are best for reducing the possibility of vignetting with wide angle lens' very wide fields of view as the filter ring by design is lower in height above the lens' view than a 'standard height' filter. Stacking of filters may inevitably lead to some vignetting on ANY lens.Best [$] I have spent. THANK YOU TOKINA!

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

Love the wide angle and internal zoom.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

Excellent Lens,
Solid construction, albeit quite heavy
Has a significant amount of distortion when zoomed out to 12mm, this is excellent for landscape photography but can lead to unatural distortions when taking photo's of people.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

This is a great lens for wide landscapes or interior shots yet has a very nice focal range going up to 24mm. effective angle of view is 18-36mm on a full frame covering almost all wide angle needs.
Really nice build quality,Tokina builds em like it was 20 years ago (heavy and solid). Very sharp and usable even wide open. focus and zoom direction match Nikon's own lenses.

Be aware that this lens will not auto-focus in live view with the Nikon D7000. If you want or need focus using live view you may want to consider the Nikkor lens even at the higher price. I can not speak to the version I of this lens since I have not tried it.That's the only reason I gave 3 stars instead of 4. If possible I would have given the lens 3 1/2.

Focus is slightly loud in auto focus but since it does not need to travel far it is very fast and the sound is a very quick and short ZZZZIP. Both zoom and manual focus are well dampened and accurate. The focus clutch is easy to use, but it is just a touch too easy to engage and disengage.

Flare seems to be fairly well controlled.

Overall a great lens at a superb price. I would not hesitate to reccomend it.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

I wanted a lens that was wider than my kit lens. This Tokina really fits the bill. It is wide enough on a crop sensor to be considered a true wide angle or even an ulta wide. Yet it is not limited to that range since it goes up to 24mm (36mm angle of view if it was full frame). The fixed constant aperture is a real plus. Image quality is very very good and flare is controlled fairly well. Construction of the lens is typical Tokina (over built). One great feature of Tokina Nikon mount lenses is that the zoom and focus rings match Nikon's own rotation.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

I'm the kind of guy that likes to use Nikon stuff with my Nikon stuff so buying an "off brand" lens went against my gut. Reviews here and elsewhere on the web convinced me to give this one a try and I am not disappointed. The lens feels and operates as well as any of my Nikon lenses and is very sharp. I purchased it mainly for architectural interiors and have only shot one with it so far but was very satisfied with the performance. I check heavy as a con above but that's only because I know some people are very worried about weight. If you intend to pack this thing you may want to consider a lighter lens but the weight doesn't bother me.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

This lens really is better than what I was expecting. I can take shots I never could with a standard lens. The lens lives up to all the reviews I read before I bought. I was really happy with the sharpness on the edges and focus is quite fast. This lens is well worth the money and more.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

Solid lens, great focus and quick. No issues with it so far.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

If you want one Get it.You will not regreat it.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

This is my first Tokina lens but it won't be my last. I purchased this lens after extensive reviews and find it to be excellent in every way. I am using the lens on the Nikon D80 and will be switching to the D90 next week and I expect it will work even better, if possible, then.
Pictures are sharp and clear, edge to edge. The wide angle allows for good lighting even under less than ideal situations.
I am a photojournalist and now keep this lens on my camera at all times; use it for every shoot. It's a good reliable lens and works for close up as well as wide shots.
The lens is so good that my editor has borrowed my camera on occasions so he can shoot with this lens. I highly recommend this lens to anyone. It beats Nikon's price by almost half and is, believe it or not, superior.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

After using the Nikon 12-24/4 I thought that no lens could match a wide angle zoom like that. However, the Tokina 12-24/4 is everything the Nikon is for substantially less price.

Everything.

In fact, I actually think the Nikon is a touch darker. If the Nikon is a true f/4, then the Tokina might be a little less around f/3.8 or so. Just comparing side by side brightness in the viewfinder.

Otherwise, the optics are absolutely top notch. Granted, wide angle lenses are a little more forgiving at slow shutter speeds, but seeing as how both are 12-24/4, they're extremely similar.

I will say, I thought the focusing clutch system was a bit odd, but its sort of a rarity to need to use it anyway. No complaints there.

In the end, everything the Nikon brings to the table, the Tokina lens matches it. And I'm talking from a strictly day-to-day photojournalist perspective - heavy use and abuse. I can't speak for things like architecture or landscape because that's not what I do. But, if you want a lens that matches the Nikkor in every perceivable way but costs far less, the Tokina 12-24/4 is the way to go.

Comments about Tokina Tokina 12mm - 24mm f/4.0 PRO DX II Autofocus Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras:

This lens is a genuine bargain. Build quality is excellent, image quality is first rate.I needed a wide zoom for landscapes and architecture and tested this lens against the new Nikkor 10-24 (not a bad lens)and kept the Tokina.The Tokina's performance at 12mm and wide open at f/4.0 in my copy is very poor...which doesn't bother me because I never shoot any lens wide open. As soon as the lens is stopped down even to f/4.5, the difference is dramatic, and it just gets better all the way to f/16. Couldn't ask for more from a [$]super WA!