Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Macro Focus Limiter.

[jwbryson1]

Can somebody please explain to me what purpose this serves and on which setting (Full or Limit) the lens should be set for (i) macro shots and (ii) portraits or other shots?

Thanks.

 

[Overread]

There should be a slip of paper with the lens which details its operation and controls.

As for the focus limiter switch its intent is to limit the focusing range of the lens. The idea being that it will lock the focus either on longer distances (thus cutting out the close up macro distances) or to lock the focus the other side, so that it won't focus further off. The idea being that if you're using the lens normally you won't need it focus through its whole close up focusig points, so cutting those points out means that it auto focuses a lot quicker (esp if it starts hunting).

 

[jwbryson1]

There should be a slip of paper with the lens which details its operation and controls.

I thought so too but there is only a warranty card in the box. Thanks for the response.

 

[jwbryson1]

Bump.

Can anybody answer this question?

 

[sm4him]

Ask Charlie, he'll know!
I bought mine used and there was nothing in the box about using it. It seems like I even asked Charlie about it, and he explained it kind of the way Overread did. At the time, the only important part of that to me was "quicker auto focusing." I was using it on a D5100, which meant I could ONLY focus it manually, so the whole thing was a moot point to me.

Now I just got a D7000 and it just occurred to me last week that I no longer HAVE to manually focus my Tokina!! But I still end up doing it anyway, because I'm used to it.

 

[slow231]

the focus range is huge on that lens. turning the the switch to "limit" it limits the available focus range to either the nearer half or the further half (depending on where you are in the focus range when you turn the switch on). like lots of macro's this lens also hunts, a lot. by cutting down on the available range it doesn't search through the entire focus range to try and lock focus. i usually have mine limited to the "far" end, and this gives a normal-ish (non-macro lens) focus range. although it still hunts, it makes the hunting (and therefor AF) faster. only when i'm doing a macro shot do i switch to the full range.

Cliff notes: portraits, limit switch on (while in the far end of the focus range). macro, full.

enjoy the lens. this is easily my favorite lens (even above the 70-200 vrii). it's disgustingly sharp even wide open, and with beautiful bokeh. it suffers a little from CA and the colors with the nikon auto WB generally come out very cool (this seems to be typical of tokina), and it focuses slow, and is awful tight on a crop.... but the shots it makes are beautiful.