Tokina 11-16 f2.8 vs Tokina 12-28 f4

patrocl

New member
Hi guys, I am really confused about the both Tokina lenses 11-16 f2.8 and 12-28 f4. I would like you guys with more experience please help me.

The other day I went to buy any of these two lenses and the seller was telling me that the 11-16 is better because it has aperture since f2.8; but when I took pictures from each lens with exactly the same settings and zoom, I found that (unexpectedly) the 12-28 f4 was much lighter than 11-16 f2.8. I can not understand, it isn't technically logic.
The settings aren't the best but here they are: Zoom 12mm - ISO 800 - F5 - 1/50
Also, I think due to 11-16 seems to be darker it has better sharpness.

Is someone there who can help me to figure out such dilemma? Thank you so much, I really appreciate your comments, I am not professional, this is my hobby and I want to improve my skills. Thank you again.

dsc_9698_11-16_f2.8_copy.jpg

Tokina 11-16 f2.8

dsc_9697_12-28_f4_copy.jpg

Tokina 12-28 f4

screen_shot_2018-02-24_at_23.55.43.png

Left: Tokina 11-16 f2.8
Right: Tokina 12-28 f4
 

Texas

Senior Member
I have the 12-28 that I use on my D7100 and live it. Very sharp and bright.

Can't explain the camera's metered exposure difference in your examples given both lenses set to the same focal length. Looks like a half stop or so difference. Not enough to be a concern.

If you are set for matrix metering I would think the results would have been in the opposite direction given that there is a bit more dark/black areas in the 11-16 photo.
 
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lokatz

Senior Member
I used to own the 11-16 (great lens) and switched to the 12-28 (equally great, but I prefer its wider zoom range). Agree with the previous poster that the difference is hard to explain but not much to worry about. I don't think you'll be disappointed with either of these two.
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I've had slight differences in exposure when shooting back-to-back images with the same lens and without zooming in or out. I find it can happen when shooting in Aperture Priority for some reason.

As for the differences between the lenses, the f/2.8 lens is heavier because it is faster glass. The f/2.8 aperture would be useful in low light situations. Quite often faster glass is better optically (but not always).

As for the sharpness, when a lens is shot wide open, it can be its weakest when it comes to sharpness. The rule of thumb is a lens is sharpest when it stopped down a couple of stops. It's possible the focus point wasn't on the exact same spot in both photos, too, which would affect your depth of field (and what is very sharp). Or it could be a difference optically between the f/2.8's ability and the f/4's.

My suggestion would be to take a few more comparison shots if it is possible. See if the f/4 lens is consistently soft or if that was from user error (not focusing on exactly the same point). If the f/4 lens is consistently soft, the lens might not be a good copy. Once in a while identical lenses can vary in their optical quality and a bad one gets thrown into the mix. The f/4 (12mm-28mm) has a better range with its focal length so it would be more useful. Plus it is lighter. If you can take more comparison photos and find it has good sharpness, not just at f/4 but also shoot at f/5.6, f/8, and f/11), then my suggestion would be to go with that one. If the sharpness just isn't there, try to find a different copy of the lens and see if it is any better.
 

patrocl

New member
I have the 12-28 that I use on my D7100 and live it. Very sharp and bright.

Can't explain the camera's metered exposure difference in your examples given both lenses set to the same focal length. Looks like a half stop or so difference. Not enough to be a concern.

If you are set for matrix metering I would think the results would have been in the opposite direction given that there is a bit more dark/black areas in the 11-16 photo.

I took those photos with matrix metering, I never change it.
 

patrocl

New member
The fact is that I don't find reasonable why the dark lens (f4) takes lighter pictures than the one that is f2.8, both being used with ABSOLUTELY SAME SETTINGS... So if it's suposed that the 11-16mm should have a better performance in low lights I'm already having doubts...... I understand that both pictures have to be taken with the same focal lenght for being fair, but the results are drastically different.
Or tell me guys if am I doing something wrong?
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
The fact is that I don't find reasonable why the dark lens (f4) takes lighter pictures than the one that is f2.8, both being used with ABSOLUTELY SAME SETTINGS... So if it's suposed that the 11-16mm should have a better performance in low lights I'm already having doubts...... I understand that both pictures have to be taken with the same focal lenght for being fair, but the results are drastically different.
Or tell me guys if am I doing something wrong?

In the second photo, you are slightly closer to your subject. That means the amount of light hitting the sensor will be slightly different and would show up differently at the same settings.

Are these both new lenses? If not, it's possible the aperture blades aren't stopping down all the way in the second photo--that would cause over exposure.
 
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