Announced: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

[9VIII]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

Since Tokina APS-C lenses can mount on full-frame Canons, it will be interesting to see how much this vignettes at the wide end.

The 18-35A almost looks good at a 1:1 aspect ratio, 4:3 gets very dark corners.
It's one of the reasons I was really happy to hear about the 5Ds having native crop options. Hopefully they implement that in more bodies moving forward.

 

[scrup]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

What types of pictures are people taking with a fast wide angle?

 

[Bennymiata]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

My Tokina 11-16 f2.8 (original version, which is still a great lens that I love) works on my 5d3, but vignettes badly until you hit the 15mm mark, then it's fine.
I often use the 11-16 on my 70d for video at events, but only if I intend to dub music over the original sound, as the focussing motor could almost wake the dead.

 

[Sharlin]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

Not sure who this lens appeals to as it has no image stabilization, has a short focal range, and is barely in ultra-wide territory. Maybe landscapers who don't want distortion?

What types of pictures are people taking with a fast wide angle?

I don't really get this focal length, but the f2 is nice!

This lens is pretty awesome news for all of us shooting night landscapes and/or the night sky, particularly aurorae. IS is useless in that use case, short focal range is not a huge problem, and 14mm is considerably wider than what the 18-35A, the closest competitor, can offer.

EDIT: Also, of course, event photography indoors (club gigs etc.) Speed >> IS because the latter doesn't help freeze motion.

 

[IglooEater]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

Along with sigma's 18-35 1.8 these lenses are making staying on aps-c more tempting.

I just switched back from full-frame to APS-c, and the two major enablers were the 7D mark II's high ISO performance (which is outstanding IMHO) and the Sigma 18-35/1.8.

Just need some fast longer lenses such as a 50-150 2.0 for aps-c or something of that nature

I'm using my Canon 70-200/2.8L IS II. That's working out quite well. It's the one lens I kept from my full-frame kit.

Agreed, the 70-200/2.8 IS II is a lovely lens, but I find it's range slightly cumbersome on aps-c, often finding myself wanting something slightly shorter.
Btw, how would you say the 7d ii's iso compares to the 7d from your experience?

 

[Cory]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

While we're at it, might (even a 1st generation) an 11-16 be a solid choice for astrophotography on a crop or maybe go with a Rokinon 14mm 2.8?

 

[Sharlin]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

While we're at it, might (even a 1st generation) an 11-16 be a solid choice for astrophotography on a crop or maybe go with a Rokinon 14mm 2.8?

Yes, the 11-16 is exceedingly popular for astrophotography on crop. With this new Tokina, you would lose a few mm from the wide end (which admittedly stings) but get a full stop of more light in return - especially important on crop where you can't raise the ISO willy-nilly. Plus maybe some advances in optical quality, but that remains to be seen.

 

[Nininini]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

Speed >> IS

I'll take a slower lens with IS over a faster without. As ISO and video capabilities keeps improving on cameras, IS becomes more and more valuable over speed of the lens. A wide APS-C lens with IS like the 10-18mm STM is a dream, video straight out of the camera looks like it was shot on a tripod. Long exposures without any blur. The lens isn't super fast, but I would choose it over a faster lens without IS any day.

I'm not even considering zooms without IS anymore, a prime yes, zoom no. IS is a must.

Fast zoom lenses without IS still have their place, you mentioned capturing moving subjects in very dim light in a night club, if you can get the camera to even focus correctly in dim light with shallow dept of field on fast moving subjects, it's a reasonable argument. But it's a lot of money for a single purpose, and better ISO performance is starting to erode the cost / value proposition of zoom lenses without IS.

 

[PureClassA]

The problem with that is aperture is far more important for ultimate shutter speed (particularly with Astro shooting, which I'd suspect this lens will be VERY popular with) and creating the DOF look you can achieve at f2 that you physically can not with f4 and IS. Each lens is made with a purpose. This glass is not for the purpose you seem to have in mind.

 

[Loswr]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

I'll take a slower lens with IS over a faster without. As ISO and video capabilities keeps improving on cameras, IS becomes more and more valuable over speed of the lens. A wide APS-C lens with IS like the 10-18mm STM is a dream, video straight out of the camera looks like it was shot on a tripod. Long exposures without any blur. The lens isn't super fast, but I would choose it over a faster lens without IS any day.

I'm not even considering zooms without IS anymore, a prime yes, zoom no. IS is a must.

Fast zoom lenses without IS still have their place, you mentioned capturing moving subjects in very dim light in a night club, if you can get the camera to even focus correctly in dim light with shallow dept of field on fast moving subjects, it's a reasonable argument. But it's a lot of money for a single purpose, and better ISO performance is starting to erode the cost / value proposition of zoom lenses without IS.

Normal and wide, IS isn't terribly useful. If shooting people (in dim or bright light), a shutter speed of at least 1/60 s and preferably 1/100 s is needed to avoid subject motion blur, and that's sufficient to eliminate the effect of camera shake. If shooting static subjects in dim light, IS can help...but even with an ultrawide IS lens you can't get handheld shots long enough for blue hour, etc., without pushing the ISO way up.

 

[privatebydesign]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

I'll take a slower lens with IS over a faster without. As ISO and video capabilities keeps improving on cameras, IS becomes more and more valuable over speed of the lens. A wide APS-C lens with IS like the 10-18mm STM is a dream, video straight out of the camera looks like it was shot on a tripod. Long exposures without any blur. The lens isn't super fast, but I would choose it over a faster lens without IS any day.

I'm not even considering zooms without IS anymore, a prime yes, zoom no. IS is a must.

Fast zoom lenses without IS still have their place, you mentioned capturing moving subjects in very dim light in a night club, if you can get the camera to even focus correctly in dim light with shallow dept of field on fast moving subjects, it's a reasonable argument. But it's a lot of money for a single purpose, and better ISO performance is starting to erode the cost / value proposition of zoom lenses without IS.

Normal and wide, IS isn't terribly useful. If shooting people (in dim or bright light), a shutter speed of at least 1/60 s and preferably 1/100 s is needed to avoid subject motion blur, and that's sufficient to eliminate the effect of camera shake. If shooting static subjects in dim light, IS can help...but even with an ultrawide IS lens you can't get handheld shots long enough for blue hour, etc., without pushing the ISO way up.

I'm not so sure now having owned the 35 f2 IS for a while, looking at my EXIF in my current library out of 1034 images with that lens 247 of them were shot at less than 1/15 second, a few on a tripod, but not many, so it would appear I am finding IS useful on a wide angle and faster aperture lens.

Below is an f2 @ 1/4 second, sure there is some motion blur in the arm, but it very nicely represents the scene as it was before me. Now I agree that there are other ways to achieve this same image, the new 35 f1.4 would have helped as the dof isn't that important, and owning a camera that can shoot over 100 iso would help (I am so stuck in the ways of hate for image noise I'll take subject motion over noise, but I blame that on too many years of National Geographic!). But even if I had those I can find darker places

 

[Loswr]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

Below is an f2 @ 1/4 second, sure there is some motion blur in the arm, but it very nicely represents the scene as it was before me.

Any of my three kids would be a complete blur at 1/4 s, even when they're asleep.

 

[privatebydesign]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

Below is an f2 @ 1/4 second, sure there is some motion blur in the arm, but it very nicely represents the scene as it was before me.

Any of my three kids would be a complete blur at 1/4 s, even when they're asleep.

;D I hear you, and agree for most images most of the time there are better solutions (roll on the 1DX MkII to free me from my current self imposed limit of 800 iso), I am just surprised at how I am actually using the IS on the 35 f2. I rarely shoot kids!!

 

[Luds34]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

I'll take a slower lens with IS over a faster without. As ISO and video capabilities keeps improving on cameras, IS becomes more and more valuable over speed of the lens. A wide APS-C lens with IS like the 10-18mm STM is a dream, video straight out of the camera looks like it was shot on a tripod. Long exposures without any blur. The lens isn't super fast, but I would choose it over a faster lens without IS any day.

I'm not even considering zooms without IS anymore, a prime yes, zoom no. IS is a must.

Fast zoom lenses without IS still have their place, you mentioned capturing moving subjects in very dim light in a night club, if you can get the camera to even focus correctly in dim light with shallow dept of field on fast moving subjects, it's a reasonable argument. But it's a lot of money for a single purpose, and better ISO performance is starting to erode the cost / value proposition of zoom lenses without IS.

Normal and wide, IS isn't terribly useful. If shooting people (in dim or bright light), a shutter speed of at least 1/60 s and preferably 1/100 s is needed to avoid subject motion blur, and that's sufficient to eliminate the effect of camera shake. If shooting static subjects in dim light, IS can help...but even with an ultrawide IS lens you can't get handheld shots long enough for blue hour, etc., without pushing the ISO way up.

+1

And I'll add that IS is just another thing which adds complexity to the lens and design. The lens will cost more, have an increase in size and weight, and be just another thing that can fail thus incurring repair costs and time.

 

[Nininini]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

IS is just another thing which adds complexity to the lens

The complexity of stabilizing video footage in software is much higher than the complexity of turning on IS on the lens with the switch of a button. Most people have neither the time, or desire, to spend hours doing post process stabilization in expensive software. Not to mention trying to stabilize footage in software crops part of your image.

Canon realizes that video is popular enough, that all APS-C zooms now come with IS. 10-18, 18-55, 17-85, 18-135, 18-200, 55-250, they all have IS. Canon no longer produces APS-C zooms without IS.

Even smartphones now comes with IS. Having wobbly video footage now looks amateurish. Even from a wide lens, it wobbles enough that it looks like it was shot on an old point and shoot.

If you believe IS adds complexity to the lens, you must buy all lenses without AF, because that adds quite a bit more complexity than IS does. At this point, IS is a must for most people.

 

[scyrene]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

I'll take a slower lens with IS over a faster without. As ISO and video capabilities keeps improving on cameras, IS becomes more and more valuable over speed of the lens. A wide APS-C lens with IS like the 10-18mm STM is a dream, video straight out of the camera looks like it was shot on a tripod. Long exposures without any blur. The lens isn't super fast, but I would choose it over a faster lens without IS any day.

I'm not even considering zooms without IS anymore, a prime yes, zoom no. IS is a must.

Fast zoom lenses without IS still have their place, you mentioned capturing moving subjects in very dim light in a night club, if you can get the camera to even focus correctly in dim light with shallow dept of field on fast moving subjects, it's a reasonable argument. But it's a lot of money for a single purpose, and better ISO performance is starting to erode the cost / value proposition of zoom lenses without IS.

Normal and wide, IS isn't terribly useful. If shooting people (in dim or bright light), a shutter speed of at least 1/60 s and preferably 1/100 s is needed to avoid subject motion blur, and that's sufficient to eliminate the effect of camera shake. If shooting static subjects in dim light, IS can help...but even with an ultrawide IS lens you can't get handheld shots long enough for blue hour, etc., without pushing the ISO way up.

+1

And I'll add that IS is just another thing which adds complexity to the lens and design. The lens will cost more, have an increase in size and weight, and be just another thing that can fail thus incurring repair costs and time.

In principle. But in reality, has anyone here ever had the IS fail on a lens? Like auto aperture it can fail, but is surely so rare as to be of negligible relevance.

The 35 f/2 IS is a little larger and heavier than the non-IS version it replaced, but is still a modest-sized lens, and sells for a modest price, especially given the image quality.

Most devices are getting more complex. But as technologies mature, they ought to become more reliable, cheaper, and often less bulky. Almost all lenses now have AF and electronic aperture. Why shouldn't IS join them?

 

[Loswr]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

IS is just another thing which adds complexity to the lens

The complexity of stabilizing video footage in software is much higher than the complexity of turning on IS on the lens with the switch of a button. Most people have neither the time, or desire, to spend hours doing post process stabilization in expensive software. Not to mention trying to stabilize footage in software crops part of your image.

Canon realizes that video is popular enough, that all APS-C zooms now come with IS. 10-18, 18-55, 17-85, 18-135, 18-200, 55-250, they all have IS. Canon no longer produces APS-C zooms without IS.

Even smartphones now comes with IS. Having wobbly video footage now looks amateurish. Even from a wide lens, it wobbles enough that it looks like it was shot on an old point and shoot.

If you believe IS adds complexity to the lens, you must buy all lenses without AF, because that adds quite a bit more complexity than IS does. At this point, IS is a must for most people.

Ok, but I didn't say that.

 

[pixelsouldier]

Re: Leaked: Tokina AT-X SD 14-20mm f/2 PRO IF PRO DX

IS is just another thing which adds complexity to the lens

The complexity of stabilizing video footage in software is much higher than the complexity of turning on IS on the lens with the switch of a button. Most people have neither the time, or desire, to spend hours doing post process stabilization in expensive software. Not to mention trying to stabilize footage in software crops part of your image.

Canon realizes that video is popular enough, that all APS-C zooms now come with IS. 10-18, 18-55, 17-85, 18-135, 18-200, 55-250, they all have IS. Canon no longer produces APS-C zooms without IS.

Even smartphones now comes with IS. Having wobbly video footage now looks amateurish. Even from a wide lens, it wobbles enough that it looks like it was shot on an old point and shoot.

If you believe IS adds complexity to the lens, you must buy all lenses without AF, because that adds quite a bit more complexity than IS does. At this point, IS is a must for most people.

Ok, but I didn't say that.

I would agree that IS might complicate things and make it more expensive, but it does have quite the benefit in low light conditions. I feel that the previous arguments have nailed the advantages of having IS. It is quite nice to have it when you need it. But each to their own!