Any opinions on the Tokina AT-X 828 AF PRO 80-200mm F2.8?

As the title says, wondering if anyone can comment on how good a lens this is? Comparison to similar focal length Sigma? I've come

across one for sale for $330 CAN. The thought of a nice f2.8 in this range is very appealing, especially now that the 60-250 won't be within

any lens budget I've got for a while.

 

 

Bill

I owned this lens for a long time, got it for under $400 (like $350 I think), sold for almost $900. Miss the lens, but $900 was toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much to turn down. Buy low, sell high!!!

 

Actually I'd have made more but Ebay pulled my listing because I violated a rule I didn't know I was breaking, all they had to do was give me 8 hours notice to change it or something, and I've have changed it. Similar lenses in similar shape sold for over $1000 the days/weeks before. That is the last time Ebay will screw me, I now sell everything on Craigslist, for less money, but also less ebay cut of course.

 

Anyway, it is sharp, even wide open (though not as sharp). It's built like a tank. It does suffer from purple fringing on the older 6MP cameras, a bit less on the 10MP, but still there. It can be corrected in post processing.

 

My recommendation, buy the Tokina, sell it on Ebay, and buy whatever you want!

Justin, did you say it looked like new in the title? I got one pulled for that with 2 days to go and a healthy number of watchers. Can't they just send you a message asking you to change it? Most annoying of all was the fact that ALL my other listings that week had the same text (cos the stuff WAS like new) but they only pulled the important, expensive one down.

 

Sorry for the highjack, Bill.

No problem Miserere.

 

 

I think I might be developing a serious case of LBA, but who can say no to a nice lens when I only have two others in

similar focal length range? (Pentax 50-200 and the Sigma 70-300 APO)

 

Now somebody can join in and say it's apples to oranges to help me rationalize this right?

Bill, two things. First, it seems to me that you already have two fine lenses in that range. So unless you need a faster lens and low light shooting, I would pass on it..

 

My second comment is this and i quote you''especially now that the 60-250 won't be within any lens budget I've got for a while. ''...Mis and a few of us where talking about this very thing and fealt Pentax may have shot themselves in the foot.

"Now somebody can join in and say it's apples to oranges to help me rationalize this right?"

 

Oh definitely. There's no comparing a constant f/2.8 tele zoom with those consumer lenses you mention, both in

size/weight and IQ.

 

I just hope you're not paying more than $500. Remember how much the Tamron and Sigma versions cost.

You really cannot compare a professional 2.8 zoom, the bread and butter lens of photo journalist to a 70-300 4-5.6 or a 50-200 4-5.6.

 

First it's a full stop to 2 full stops faster, second it's built like a tank and will last decades. It's tolerances are also tight, meaning while it's not sealed it can be exposed to some light rain and mist with a little TLC afterwards.

 

That said, THIS IS NOT a walk around lens. You really need to know you are going to need and want to use this lens for specific things to appreciate it.

 

Just as a note, unless the Tamron version works better in Pentax than it did in Nikon, there is absolutely no way I'd trade the Tokina for the Tamron. The Tokina is better built, however, the Tokina doesn't have focus issues which were seen on both Canon and Nikon. If you buy the Tamron expect to use it as a manual focus lens WITHOUT focus confirmation. At least this has been reported with Canon, and I saw it with Nikon.

 

I now have the Sigma 70-200 2.8 in Nikon and it works like a dream. Very very very fast focus in the HSM, sharp enough wide open, and less fringing than the tokina.

 

The guy I got it from only had it 6 months, sent me the original receipt, a slim B&W filter, the case, box, etc for $625 shipped, and live.com gave me a 35% rebate on it!!! So well less than $500 for a great lens.

Just a note that I'm going to tone down the posting. I have my own ebay issues as well, but we want to keep this out of the record.

 

Doug

Just where do you find these lenses at those prices? Inquiring minds want to know . . . :)

Bill buy it, If you don't like it for some odd reason, you can make a tidy profit on that lens. But I suspect that once you have tried it, you will be selling the 50-200 with lack of use.