Should I do it? Lens trade.

CyrilVelasco · Feb 25, 2013

Hi everybody!

So I'm in a little bit of a dilemma.
I own the Nikon D7000 and currently have the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. My dilemma is I need something wider. Should I trade it for the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC OR stick with what I have and get the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8.

BUT WAIT THERE's MORE!! Go with option 2 and keep the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 and get either the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 or Tamron 10-24 f/3.5-4.5?

Summery: Body Nikon D7000
Option 1: TAMRON 28-75 f/2.8 vs TAMRON 17-50 f/2.8

Option 2: TAMRON 28-75 f/2.8 + TOKINA 11-16 f/2.8 vs TAMRON 28-75 f/2.8 + TAMRON 10-24 f/3.5-4.5

NEW Option 3: TAMRON 17-50 f/2.8 + TOKINA 11-16 f/2.8

THANKS IN ADVANCE

P.S - please don't include the Nikon versions just because I don't gots the money for that. Lol.

Mike_E · Feb 25, 2013

I don't have much experience with Tamron but I do with Tokina. It's all been good with Tokinas.

11mm is a LOT less than 16mm

CyrilVelasco · Feb 25, 2013

Can you expand on what you meant when you said a lot less? What do you mean?

kundalini · Feb 25, 2013

I think what he means is.....

On the wide end of focal lengths, 6 mm is a significant difference.

CyrilVelasco · Feb 25, 2013

Oh that's what you meant. Yeah each mm makes a difference.

Btw what's your opinion between the 3 options for a DX/APS-C camera?

kundalini · Feb 25, 2013

I shoot Nikon (no 3rd party lenses), but I've used a friend's Tokina 11-16mm and was impressed with it, especially having a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the range.

Sigma's 10-20mm is quite good also.

Nikanon · Feb 25, 2013

I never used the Tokina 11-16 2.8 but I also have friends that shoot landscapes that also said it's the best 3rd party lens they ever used.

bc_steve · Feb 25, 2013

I have the Tokina 11-16mm and it is great. It is definitely an advantage to go down to 11mm as opposed to 17. With the Tokina I find the 11mm is my most used focal length with it. If you do some research on it you will come across some reviewers that tested the lens and compared it to similar lenses, including Nikkor I believe, and the Tokina was sharper so you are not making a compromise by going 3rd party! and you will like the fact that it goes down to f/2.8. The only real problem I noticed with this lens is chromatic aberration near the corners, but it is easy enough to fix in photoshop.

I would just keep the Tamron lens that you have and add the Tokina. I don't think you'll really mind having a gap between 16 and 28mm.

rgregory1965 · Feb 25, 2013

Sigma 10-20

Rafterman · Feb 25, 2013

If you're happy with your Tamron 28-75, don't trade it in for the 17-50, just pick up an ultra-wide. On that note, don't rule out the Tokina 12-24mm f/4 from your options. It's $450 with the built-in focusing motor, whereas the 11-16mm f/2.8 is $700. That's a pretty big price difference for just 1 millimeter wider focal length and 1 stop faster speed. Plus, IMHO a range of 12-24mm is MUCH more versatile and usable than 11-16mm. Since your current Tamron zoom goes down to 28mm, having a max zoom of 24mm on the Tokina would be a great pairing. I will say that with the Tokina 12-24 that I had, I used it at either 12 or at 24, almost never in between. It's a great lens though and I highly recommend it.

greybeard · Feb 25, 2013

I can vouch for the quality of Tokina superwide zooms. I have the 12-24 f/4.0 It is the older model without the focusing motor. It works like a top on my D7000, razor sharp and built like a tank. The 11-16 is the same thing, just faster (2.8) and a little bit wider. I had the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC. Too soft for me at 2.8.

slow231 · Feb 25, 2013

depends on what and how you shoot.

a midrange zoom is irreplaceable to me. i despised my nikon 17-55 (compared to my other lenses) but it was on my d7000 almost all the time. although you could technically cover the focal range with a 12-24 and a 24-70 (or similar), i find that shooting in this 17-50ish range happens concurrently. constantly switching lenses is not practical. for me i'd go with that + the 11-16. the times when i need to go wide, i need to go wide, and the capability to go tighter is meaningless (and a similar thing can be said about the other end of the spectrum). this all is how I shoot though. but i would suspect that this applies to many others as well, the breaks in the trinity are where they are for a reason.

TimGreyPhotography · Feb 25, 2013

Get the 11-16. Love that lens! Most of my work is with it. Here is some examples of the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 on my Canon 60D:

Zenith Towers by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

Tanguisson Beach by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

Mt. Aso Ridgeline by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

Electric City by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

View from Fuji by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

Fuji Supercell by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

Mt. Aso II by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

Ikitsuki Island by Tim Grey Photography, on Flickr

invisible · Feb 25, 2013

Tamron 28-75 + Tokina 11-16. Those were my go-to lenses for years. Love them both.

The Tokina flat out rocks.

HughGuessWho · Feb 25, 2013

TimGreyPhotography said:
Get the 11-16. Love that lens! Most of my work is with it. Here is some examples of the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 on my Canon 60D:

I cant speak for the Tokina lens as I have never used on. I have the Sigma 10-20 and love it, but, I must say, those are some amazing shots, TTimGreyPhotography. They would convience me about the Tokina choice.