Review on Tokina AT-X PRO DX 11-16mm Ultra-wide Angle Lens for Nikon - AT-X116PRDXN by Daniel Murr

If you don't have a focus motor in your camera body I would recommend buying one instead of the newer version. (The only difference is the internal motor and slightly improved lens coating.) This is the lens to buy if you want to get wide-angle focal length on a fast DX body. The optics are great at such a low price - they're a lot better than Nikon's own 10-24mm and really impressive for something so cheap. It offers excellent sharpness at almost all apertures; At f/2.8 it offers good sharpness and contrast, and from f/4 it's a great performer. My only complaint is that this lens is capable of moderate f/2.8 to f/4 fringing, but I see no problem removing this entirely in Photoshop and Lightroom. At 11mm the distortion is very little, and when zoomed in to 14mm it completely disappears. Some vignetting is possible at wide angles at f/2.8, but very weak. The bokeh on this lens is sharp and a bit blocky, but you won't see much since it's such a long focal length. The build quality of this Tokina is very impressive. It has all-metal internals covered in a durable plastic case that appears solidly attached to a barrel that appears to be very impact-resistant. I took mine on an overnight desert ride in 10°F snowy weather and it held up great and never froze on my hands. It's epoxy coated similar to Nikon's, so it can easily withstand most bumps and scratches. The only thing I don't like about this lens is the look of the rubber grips; They're overly enhanced and look like something out of a GI Joe toy. Besides the looks, the zoom and focus knobs are comfortable to use. Of particular note is the front focus ring; To focus manually, pull the ring towards you like a shotgun grip and activate manual focus. The clockwork has a little play, but is comfortable to use. The autofocus on this lens is pretty fast and very accurate. Focusing speed and control will vary depending on which camera you are using as it depends on the focus motor in your camera body. The focus window is easy to read and there is no play when turning the focus ring, which is great for fine focusing. Rotating the zoom ring has quite a bit of weight and a very smooth transition, which is good for video work. The lens hood is a little tight, so be careful when removing it. When zooming, the front and rear elements move slightly, but don't protrude beyond the front of the lens (and yes, filters can be attached to it: 77mm). Pros: Inexpensive Very usable focal length on DX Fantastic optics Good performance with the lid open and only 1 stop to get into the optimum condition - Excellent build quality - Good ergonomics and feel - Easy to clean front and rear elements Cons: - Unpleasant appearance - Mediocre Color fringe (but easy to remove) - Lens hood difficult to remove Summary: This is probably the best wide-angle crop sensor lens on the market (better than its Canon and Nikon counterparts). The optics compete with lenses over $1,000. Even better, it's one of the cheapest wide-angle options on the DX. Outstanding optics and build quality; I would buy it before it is completely replaced by a more expensive successor.