Potential Problem With My Tokina 12-24??

[Enem178]

I just picked up a tokina 12-24mm lens from b/h today and my 1st impression was that it was a very well built lens. The problem is the pictures seems to be out of focus and very soft overall!! I know something has to be wrong since every review I read says this is a extremely sharp lens. I used the flash for both and you can also see that there is a spot on the tokina photo that looks blacked out at the bottom of the imaged. I've included 2 pics, the 1st is from the tokina and the 2nd is from my canon 28-135. I used auto focus for both. Tell me what you guys think. This isnt the only photo that looks soft to me, I just snapped these 2 for comparison because they are both in the apt.

Tokina 1/125 F/5.6 iso100 awb

Canon 1/125 F/5.6 iso100 awb

 

[Big Mike]

That does look softer than it should. Can you exchange it?

 

[Enem178]

Yeah I just bought it today, so ill prob take it back Friday or Saturday. Im thinking maybe I should just get a speed lite or something else instead??

 

[frXnz kafka]

Yeah I just bought it today, so ill prob take it back Friday or Saturday. Im thinking maybe I should just get a speed lite or something else instead??

Why not just switch it for another copy?

 

[Enem178]

In all reality I prob will just get a replacement but it kind of scares me when I get a brand new product and it's not performing the way it should. I'm happy I can still take this one back, im worried next time I might not be as lucky.

 

[dEARlEADER]

The dark spot looks like you were using pop up flash. The shadow is cast by the lens.

Dumb question but you do have the focus ring pushed up to the AF position? Can you hear/see it focusing when you bring your hand in and out of the image?

How sharp is the lens when you MF?

 

[Enem178]

I know the auto focus is working because I hear it and I see it. I tried manual focusing and I get the same results.

 

[Montana]

I am assuming you were at least a foot away from the flowers...right? How does it perform on further subjects? I was just wondering if you were under your minumum focusing distance...

Derrick

 

[Enem178]

Yeah I was far enough away plus I also took several shots outside that were soft also. Im going to b/h tomorrow and ill decide what ill do when I get there.