Lens Tests : Wide-angle zooms

Lens Test/Wide-angle zooms

Tokina 19-35 f-3.5-4.5 AF. Available mounts: Canon, Minolta, Nikon.


Specifications :

Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-4.5. Minimum f-22-27
Angle of view: 98-63 degrees
Construction: 13 elements in 13 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.3 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 3 inches
Diameter: 82mm
Filter size: 77mm
Weight: 14.6 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood (not included)

Test : Replacing the AF 20-35mm f-3.5-4.5, the 19-35mm f-3.5-4.5 AF is the amateur version of Tokina's 20-35mm f-2.8 AT-X Pro. Light weight and finished in black with very damped rubberized zoom and focusing ring. Autofocus is very fast. Lens includes high refraction, low dispersion (HLD) glass with body made of poly carbonate. Lens includes internal focusing. At 19mm setting, lens produced good sharpness at all apertures with no loss of corner sharpness. Slides were similar at 24mm setting with edge to edge sharpness at all f-stops. At 28mm setting slides were crisp even at f-4 wide open aperture. Lens produced razor sharp results between f-11 and f-22. At 35mm and f-4.5 center was very sharp with only a slight loss of corner sharpness with similar result at f-5.6. Edge to edge sharpness is achieved between f-8 and f-22. Lens produced very contrasty images and was easy to handle. Barrel distortion which is common among wide angle lenses was present at 19mm and 24mm, but well controlled at 28mm and 35mm.

Verdict: This is one of the sharpest and most affordable wide-angle zooms. Minimum focusing distance is a major plus. Although this lens is not built as tough as the 20-35mm f-2.8 AT-X version, sharpness has not been sacrificed. Avoid using thick polarizing filters as Vigenetting can accrue. This lens will satisfy any photographer including pros. Overall Performance: 19mm: very good. 24mm: very good. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good.
Rating: 16/20
Note: Lens was not tested at f-27

Tokina 20-35 f-2.8 ATX Pro AF. Available mounts: Canon, Minolta, Nikon.

Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-2.8. Minimum f-22
Angle of view: 96-63 degrees
Construction: 15 elements in 11 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.64 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 3.4 inch
Filter size: 77mm
Weight: 1 LB 5 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood and soft case

Test: A bright viewfinder throughout its range, provided by constant f-2.8 aperture. Professionally built, with aluminum lens barrels and chrome plated brass mount plate. Lens elements are made of HLD (High refraction, Low Dispersion) glass. All black with gold ring in front of the lens. Lens provides internal focusing which is fast and quiet. Tokina's exclusive Focus Clutch Mechanism lets the user switch from autofocus to manual focus instantly. Focus ring does not turn in autofocus mode. By moving the focus ring forward and back, you can switch between auto and manual focus. Zoom ring turns smoothly and very well damped. Test slides were razor sharp at 20mm and all f-stops including f-2.8. Distortion (barrel) was noticeable. At 24mm, lens produced crisp images at all f-stops except soft edges at f-2.8. Distortion was less noticeable. At 28mm and f-2.8, center was sharp with slightly soft edges. Stopped down to f-5.6, corner to corner sharpness is achieved. Lens produced best results from f-8 to f-16. At 35mm, slides had very good sharpness at all f-stops. Only a slight loss of sharpness was noticeable in the corners at f-2.8 and f-4. Lens produced superb results from f-8 to f-22. Distortion was less noticeable. Overall performance was excellent. Superb sharpness throughout its range of focal lengths.

Verdict: One of the best wide-angle zooms in the market. Includes all four popular wide-angle focal lengths in one rugged body. Fast maximum aperture give bright viewing, perfect when focusing the lens manually. Focus Clutch Mechanism is a great addition, but you need to return the focus ring at the same position where you changed from auto to manual focus and vice-versa. Some may find this uncomfortable. Distortion is present at wider settings which is typical of all wide-angle lenses. It is a pro quality lens and costs less than its competitions.
Overall performance: 20mm: excellent. 24mm: excellent. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good
Rating: 17/20
 

Vivitar/Phoenix 19-35mm f-3.5-4.5 AF. Available mounts: Canon, Minolta, Nikon.

Lens tested: Phoenix. Vivitar is identical to Phoenix
Specifications:
Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-4.5. Minimum f-22-28
Angle of view: 97-63 degrees
Construction: 13 elements in 11 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.60 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 2.60 inch
Diameter: 3.20 inch
Filter size: 77mm
Weight: 10.50 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood.

Test: Lightweight and compact. Good size focus and zoom ring. Zoom ring is smooth and autofocus is very fast. Manual focusing is damped, but could be improved. It is the lowest price zoom in its class, but with very good optical quality. Body construction has been sacrificed, probably to keep the price down. Test slides were very sharp at 19mm at all f-stop, but distortion (barrel) is noticeable. Corners were slightly soft at maximum and f-5.6 apertures but clear at f-8 and smaller. At 24mm and 28mm setting lens produced crisp images at all f-stops similar to 19mm with distortion still visible, but improved. At 35mm setting corners are slightly soft wide open, with corner to corner sharpness at f-8. Distortion was less noticeable. At f-11 and smaller apertures, no lack of sharpness was noticed at any focal lengths. Contrast was very good.

Verdict: Don't let its low price fool you. I was very surprised with the results. Images were sharp with good colors. It provides adequate close focusing. Take caution when removing the lens. Make sure lens is not locked and turn by holding the rear of the lens. One of my workshop participants tried to release the lens by turning the front of the lens which caused it to become loose. This is a very good lens for beginners wanting a wide-angle zoom at an affordable price.
Overall performance: 19mm: very good. 24mm: very good. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good
Rating: 15/20
 

Nikon 20-35mm f-2.8D IF AF


Specifications:
Aperture range: Maximum f-2.8. Minimum f-22
Angle of view: 94-62 degrees
Construction: 14 elements in 11 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.7 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 3.7 inch
Diameter: 3.2 inch
Filter size: 77mm
Weight: 22.6 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood.

Test: This wide-angle zoom uses Aspherical elements for superior images in a smaller and lighter body. All black finish and well made. Zoom ring and focus ring are damped and highly grippable. Internal focusing allows focusing without change in its size. Lens is very well balanced. Autofocus is very fast and quiet. Test slides were extremely sharp and contrasty at 20mm setting and all f-stop, with superior images between f-5.6 and f-16. Distortion (barrel) was noticeable. At 24mm, lens performed flawlessly with sharp images at all f-stops, and less noticeable barrel distortion. Best performance was between f-8 and f-16, with some loss of sharpness at f-22. Similar results were produced at 28mm setting, except slight loss of sharpness in corners at f-2.8, with edge to edge sharpness between f-8 and f-16. At 35mm setting, lens continued to give sharp and contrasty slides throughout its range of f-stops with no distortion noticeable. Slight loss of sharpness was noticed in the corners when shot wide open and at f-4. This did not concern me since it becomes only apparent when making very large prints.

Verdict: This lens will easily replace four fixed wide-angle lenses without sacrificing any quality. Stop down three to four stops, and this lens will give images that can be enlarged to gallery size prints. This is undoubtedly one of the sharpest wide-angle zooms. Add more close focusing to this lens, and it can put an end to the production of fixed focal length, wide-angle lenses. As with other wide-angles, distortion can't be eliminated. It was more at 20mm, less noticeable at 24mm, and none at 28mm and 35mm. This lens can be used in low light situations with wide open aperture with great results. Its major drawback? Price.
Overall performance: 20mm: excellent. 24mm: excellent. 28mm: excellent. 35mm: excellent
Verdict: 19/20

Special thanks to Linda Day for lending her lens for this test.

Minolta Maxxum 24-50mm f-4 AF


Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-4. Minimum f-22
Angle of view: 84-47 degrees
Construction: 7 elements in 7 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.1 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 23/8 inch
Diameter:211/16 inch
Filter size: 55mm
Weight: 10 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood.

Test: Very light and compact, in an all black body. Autofocus is fast with damped manual focusing, placed in front of the lens, but narrow. Zoom ring is good size and very damped. It provides very good close focusing. It is well made and easy to handle. At 24mm and f-4, no loss of sharpness was noticed. At f-5.6 and f-8 lens produced very sharp images with excellent results between f-11 and f-22. At 28mm center and corners had good sharpness at f-4. At f-8 both center and corners are very sharp with best performance at f-11 and f-16. Set at 35mm, slides were crisp at all f-stops except at f-4 and f-5.6 which showed soft corners. At 50mm center and corner sharpness are good at f-4 and f-5.6. Lens produced edge to edge sharpness at f-8. At f-11 and f-16, sharpness is excellent and very good at f-22. A great lens, replacing wide-angle and normal lenses and can also be used for close-up work with extension tubes at its 50mm setting. Lens produced contrasty slides with minimum of distortion only at 24mm setting.

Verdict: About the same size as a 50mm lens, this lens can easily be handheld. Constant f-4 aperture provides bright viewfinder. It covers most widely used focal lengths for general purpose photography with very good overall sharpness and contrast. Lens needs some improvements at 35mm and 50mm at wide-open aperture. It is capable of producing high quality images between f-8 and f-22 where lenses of this class are most likely to be used.
Overall performance: 24mm: very good. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good. 50mm: very good
Rating: 16/20

Minolta Maxxum 20-35mm f-3.5-4.5 AF

Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-4.5. Minimum f-22-27
Angle of view: 94-63 degrees
Construction: 13 elements in 11 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.6 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 23/4 inch
Diameter:31/16 inch
Filter size: 72mm
Weight: 11 Oz
Accessories: Lens hood.

Test: Sturdy made, in an all black body. Rubberized zoom ring turns smooth, grippable, and well damped. Focus ring is damped but narrow. Autofocus was fast. Lens balances nicely and very easy to handle. Test slides were extremely sharp and contrasty at 20mm setting even at f-3.5 wide open aperture. Set between f-5.6 and f-22, lens produced razor sharp images. Barrel distortion was noticeable. Lens produced almost identical results at its 24mm setting with less distortion. A slight loss of sharpness was noticeable at 28mm and f-4 and f-5.6. At f-8 both center and corners were sharp with excellent sharpness between f-11 to f-16 and very good at f-22. Lens produced sharp images at 35mm and f-4.5 and f-5.6, somewhat better than 28mm. Edge to edge sharpness was achieved between f-8 and f-16, with very good sharpness at f-22. Slides were contrasty with typical wide-angle distortion mostly noticeable at 20mm setting.

Verdict: An outstanding lens capable of producing sharp and contrasty images at all focal lengths. It is not a constant aperture lens and slower than some of other lenses in its class which makes it more affordable. Focus ring is narrow which can make it a little difficult to manual focus. It is a solid lens and very easy to handhold. A perfect lens for Maxxum owners wanting all the wide-angle they can get in one package and still be able to produce quality images.
Overall performance: 20mm: excellent. 24mm: excellent. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good
Rating: 17/20
Note: lens was not tested at 35mm and f-27

Canon EOS 20-35mm f-3.5-4.5 EF USM

Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-4.5. Minimum f-22-27
Angle of view: 94-63 degrees
Construction: 12 elements in 11 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.1 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 31/4 inch
Diameter:3 1/16 inch
Filter size: 77mm
Weight: 11.9 Oz
Accessories: None

Test: Lightweight and compact. All black finish with rubberized zoom ring placed close to the front of the lens and well damped, but narrow. Focusing is fast and quiet. Focus ring is placed close to the camera mount and does not rotate in AF mode. It is very narrow, but damped. Lens can be manually focused without switching the focus mode to manual. Test slides were very sharp at 20mm at all apertures, especially between f-5.6 and f-16. Barrel distortion was visible. Lens produced crisp and contrasty images at 24mm at all f-stops with less distortion. No loss of center or corner sharpness was visible. At 28mm images showed very good sharpness at all apertures except at f-4 and f-5.6 with slight loss of corner sharpness. At f-8 sharpness is greatly improved with best performance at f-11 and f-16. At 35mm, center was sharp with soft corners at f-4.5, with corner to corner sharpness achieved at f-8. Set at f-11 and f-16, lens gives excellent sharpness with very good sharpness at f-22. Lens produced contrasty slides with distortion visible at 20mm and slightly at 24mm.

Verdict: A perfect, affordable wide-angle zoom, and a great alternative to the pricey EOS 17-35mm f-2.8L. Its autofocus is very fast, but I like a larger focus ring for manual focusing. Lens is very solid. It is extremely sharp at 20mm and 24mm settings. Except for slight loss of sharpness at wide open apertures at 28mm and 35mm settings, lens produced sharp images at all f-stops. It also has a very good close focusing capability.
Overall performance: 20mm: excellent. 24mm: excellent. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good
Rating: 18/20
Note: lens was not tested at 35mm and f-27

Special thanks to Ben Collins for lending his lens for this test.

CANON EOS 24-85mm f-3.5-4.5 USM AF,

Specifications:

Aperture range: Maximum f-3.5-4.5. Minimum f-22-27
Angle of view: 84-28 degrees
Construction: 15 elements in 12 groups
Minimum focusing distance: 1.6 ft
Zooming: Rotation
Length: 27/8 inch
Diameter: Not available
Filter size: 67mm
Weight: 13.3 Oz
Accessories: None.

Test: A lightweight and compact wide to short telephoto lens. All black body and very well made with damped zoom ring. Zoom ring is placed in front of the lens. Focus ring narrow and does not rotate in AF mode. It can be manually focused without switching the focus mode to manual. Lens is very easy to handhold. Test slides showed very good sharpness at 24mm with slight loss of sharpness in center and corners between f-3.5 and f-5.6. Slides showed edge to edge sharpness between f-8 and f-16. Distortion was slightly noticeable. Set at 28mm, slides were very sharp at all apertures with no loss of center or corner sharpness. Razor sharp slides were produced at f-11 and f-16, with no distortion visible. At 35mm and 50mm settings, results were identical with very good sharpness at all f-stops with excellent results at f-11 and f-16, and very good at f-22. At 85mm slides were sharp in the center but soft in the corners at f-4.5 and f-5.6. Greatly improved at f-8, with excellent sharpness at f-11 and f-16, and very good at f-22. Lens produced very contrasty images. Distortion was only noticeable at 24mm setting.

Verdict: I was more than pleased with test results. This lens will cover everything from landscape to portrait with sharp and contrasty results. Distortion is well controlled. Lens is capable of producing sharp results at all focal lengths, but needs improvements at 85mm at wider apertures. Its focusing ring needs to be a little larger. A quality lens in a small package.
Overall performance: 24mm: very good. 28mm: very good. 35mm: very good. 50mm: very good. 85mm: very good
Rating: 17/20

Special thanks to Ben Collins for lending his lens for this test.

Do you want some great bargains?
Equipment I test are either borrowed, demos at camera stores (used outside the store), rental, or purchased.  I look for bargains on used and new products. When I find a good deal, I purchase the camera or lens for testing and my own pleasure. I then auction the camera and lens on line for the price I paid. I only purchase used equipment that are in very good condition or brand new cameras and lenses at reduced price. If you like, you can fill out the form below to have your name added to my list of buyers. When I'm done testing an equipment, I will e-mail you prior to listing it for auction. I will include the minimum price and the condition of the camera or lens as well as page URL so you can see the picture and more detail information on the equipment . If you like to purchase the equipment, you must e-mail me within 48 hours and include the maximum price you are willing to pay. Please note that I will only respond to the highest bidder which is kept confidential. Only the highest bidder will receive an e-mail. I have purchased both used and new equipment at very low prices. For example, I bought a Tokina 80-400mm f-5.6, brand new on sale for less than half price at an electronic store that was going out of business: A Tamron 28-300mm f-3.8-5.6 Super demo model in excellent condition on clearance also at half price. Some short zooms I have tested here, were purchased in a trade show at unbelievably low prices. I do not have bargain cameras and lenses at all times and can't tell you what I may have in the future.