I can't really say anything on the specifics of that lens itself since I never owned one, but I have actually just bought a Tokina 12-24mm DX II today. I can tell you one thing about the construction of the lenses made by Tokina: solid as a brick. This lens cost about 2/3 of what the nikon one does, and it is obviously better built. The quality and sharpness of the lens is also very similar to the nikon version and I really can't tell the images apart. So, speaking about Tokina lenses in a general sense, I think you would really not regret buying one, I'm extremely happy I saved the extra 400 dollars and ended up getting something that is just as sharp as a nikon and it is actually more sturdy. Good luck!
