Tokina 12-24/4 VS. Sigma 10-20/4-5.6

[jdbcreativity-portfolio]

I'm considering one of these two wide-angle APS-C lenses for my Canon

20D. I'll be using it for weddings, landscapes, and occasional sports

photography.

 

Looking at the Tokina with a constant f/4.0 aperture and a little bit

more reach, versus the Sigma with a bit wider range and not quite as fast.

 

Any thoughts between the two? Can anyone let me know if they've used

either or both, and can compare the two in terms of sharpness, light

falloff, and AF speed?

 

Thanks

 

Jamison

[jayhai]

I don't know about the tokina but the Sigma is alright. It has its faults though, I can say

that it is almost impossible to get a good picture in low light, the pictures are dark and not

sharp, Although Ive never used an external flash. I dont think it would be the best wedding

or sports lens. I use the 10mm in the day, and I have got some great landscape pics, If you

shoot raw you will spend some time in ps, but you will get some good shots. You can

check my portfolio, everything wide is with the sigma.

[fourfa]

Try <a href="http://kenrockwell.com/tech/digital-wide-zooms/comparison.htm">this review</a>. It's for Nikon mount but the optics are the same.

[miro]

Hi Jamison,

i have Tokina and use with Canon 10Dand.No bad for the money.I use it for wedding,landscape and architecture.I think,you can not use with in camera flash becouse is to big.I use wit 580 EX.Minus is you can not use filter in front.

[dogbert]

I haven't used both but I would happily recommend the sigma. There are a few shots in my portfolio towards the bottom taken with it. My copy is sharp and contrasty and compares favourably with my canon primes.

 

While I quite like Ken Rockwell he is notoriously anti sigma, seemingly mostly because he doesn't like the finish on their EX lenses.

[rogernoel]

I have the Sigma 10-20 and I am very pleased with it. Pop Photo, Outdoor Photog and Shutterbug have all reveiwed these two plus the Tamron 11- forgot. I don't think they are quite as good as the Canon 10-20, but I have taken many pics with the Sigma, generally using a polarizing filter. You can look at the shots on my gallery. The Canyon Lake shots and most of the Arizona 2005 Balloon Festival shots were with the Sigma. I have a friend who has the Tokina, and he has had no real problems either. I think the Sigma does the best from 10-15mm. Some softness at 20mm. Good Luck.

[jim_z]

I have the Tokina used on a Canon 20D used only for weddings. Its a big, hefty piece of glass built like in the old days (i.e. lots of metal, smooth zoom function and nicely-weighted focus). That's the "downside". The upside: sharp as all get out, love that fixed aperture (I use a Vivitar 285HV flash for weddings - its simple auto-flash requires a fixed aperture ... and these flashes sure are cheap compared to the ETTL flashes for a 20D!), and I think the Tokina system to switch to manual focus is fantastic - no fumbling over a silly tiny little switch, just grab the focus ring and push - pull to go from autofocus to manual and back. I love it. Tokina 12-24 and 28-80 f2.8 are all that I've ever needed for small weddings (note these two lenses share the same filter size, too!).

 

Jim

[mark u]

More comparative review here:

 

http://www.nikonians.org/html/resources/nikon_articles/nikkor/af/wide_angles_shootout/index.html

 

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/tokina_1224_4/index.htm

 

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/sigma_1020_456/index.htm

[sloopjohne]

<i>Hi Jamison, i have Tokina and use with Canon 10Dand.No bad for the money.I use it for wedding,landscape and architecture.I think,you can not use with in camera flash becouse is to big.I use wit 580 EX.Minus is you can not use filter in front.</i><br><br>

 

That's odd: I use all kinds of filters --UV, Polarizer, 81A, various Cokin "P" Series-- on the front of my Tokina 12-24 with no problem at all.<br><br>

 

The filters are big (the Tokina lens requires 77mm) but you can certainly use them on the front of the Tokina.<br>

[miro]

You are righ John,you can use filter vith this lens.

[harold_lassers]

I just sold my Tokina. Sharp, very well built, some distortion, noticable chromatic aberration in backlight situations. For parties the distortion was not be an issue and the chromatic aberation was not a big issue. I would have kept the lens if I was mostly shooting parties. For landsapes the CA bugged me. Nothing I have read about the Sigma makes it seem a better choice to me. Seems to me 12-24 is a near perfect range for a party. 10 gets a bit wide for people.

I decided to splurge on a 5d which is why I sold the Tokina. If I was staying with APS sensors and shooting parties I would definitely have kept the Tokina.