Tokina AT-X PRO 28-80 mm 1:2.8 280 AF Review

Tokina AT-X PRO 28-80 mm 1:2.8 280 AF is a fast autofocus zoom lens for full-frame 35mm cameras. It is a modification of an earlier lens Tokina 28-70mm f / 2.8 AT-X AF, which was produced according to the Angenieux patent.

Produced since 2000 for different systems, currently out of production. In this review, version for cameras Nikon.

Tokina AT-X PRO 28-80 mm 1:2.8 280 AF Specs

Focal length: 28-80mm

Aperture: f/ 2.8 — f/ 22

Weight (gr): 820

Length (mm): 135

Filter Ø (mm.): 77

Aperture blades: 8

Min. Focus distance (m.): 0.5  

Handling and Mechanics

The lens has a good build quality. All lenses Tokina Series AT-X PRO has an excellent constructive. Lens dimensions are impressive. The camera looks very serious. 

The barrel has 2 rings. With straight serif front of the lens - focus ring. With oblique, close to the camera - the zoom ring. Filter diameter 77mm - professional lens diameter.

The side of the barrel has a window with a distance scale. Near the mount has a ring with an aperture value. Control aperture you can control from the camera and manually. So that the camera seen in the lens, it is necessary to set the aperture ring is set to 22. The front has a special mount for the lens hood. The kit comes with the lens hood BH-775.

Where 77 is the diameter of the lens barrel, and 5 is the depth of the hood in millimeters. The lens is pleasant to the touch, and it is convenient to use the camera.

Focusing and zooming

The lens has an internal focus; by focusing, lens length does not change. Also, the length remains constant when zooming. While focusing, the front lens does not rotate, allowing you to keep shooting gradient filters, petal flower hood, etc. All these features are a sign of a constructive professional lens—no wonder the series is called AT-X PRO. Focusing is automatically (screwdriver mechanism) and manually.

The autofocus works only on older models Nikon, who have focusing motor. On the low models, autofocus will not work. Switch between automatic and manual focusing is performed by One-Touch Focus Clutch Mechanism; it is convenient. The focus ring is rotated by 90 degrees. The autofocus works quite well. MDF lens is 0.5 m. It's not much.

Tokina AT-X PRO 28-80 mm 1:2.8 280 AF Sample Photos

All of the examples were shot on a Nikon D3100 DX camera. RAW export, without postprocessing.

Sharpness

At Aperture f / 2,8 lens is sharp in the range of 28-50mm. Further is a small soft. Therefore, to shoot at aperture f/ 2.8 in the range of 50-80mm, it is necessary to get used to the lens. 

28 mm f / 2.8 Example of sharpness at infinity 

100% the size of the previous image  

80 mm f / 2.8. Sharpness at close focus

100% the size of the previous image

Soft completely lost since the aperture f / 4. However, further, close the aperture, the lens has a soft character. This is good for shooting people. With this lens, portraits are never restrictive.  

Character and Bokeh

The lens has an own individual character, and this attracts many photographers. 

80mm f/ 2.8

Many photographers naming this soft-effect as a «Tokina Glow.» It is observed in some fast zoom lenses Tokina. Due to the spherical aberrations in the open aperture, sharpness and contrast are muted. The character is soft.

80 mm f / 2.8 “Tokina Glow” Example

80mm f/ 2.8 Bokeh is very nice, especially at the far end of the zoom.

28mm f/ 2.8 flashlight

Contrast and Color Rendition

The lens has a warm tone, and portrait photographers love it.

80 mm f / 2.8

Backlight from the window and a small drop of contrast  

The colors are bright, vivid, lively, but after the 50 mm, you can see focal length falling contrast backlit. 

55 mm f / 2.8 strong backlighting. A significant drop in contrast and flare Lens has good contrast but still afraid of direct light.

Summary

Tokina AT-X PRO 28-80 mm 1: 2.8 280 AF is a zoom lens with a constant aperture of 1: 2.8. Very nice constructive fall in love with. But the lens has a specific character and the need to get used to it. This lens is better than a kit lens for a reasonable price if you want to zoom in. But if you count pixels and love sharpness, the lens may not like you due to the soft effect. Also, do not forget that at the ASP/C sensor cameras, 28 mm is not so wide-angle. See also the Tokina 28-70mm f/2.8 AT-X AF vs. AT-X PRO 28-80mm 1:2.8 280 AF. Compare Test