Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 24-70 mm f/2.8 (IF) review - Distortion

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Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 24-70 mm f/2.8 (IF)

8 April 2016

Arkadiusz Olech

6. Distortion

If you work on the smaller APS-C/DX sensor the distortion is not a problem; the biggest chances to notice it you have at the shortest focal length where it reaches a distinct level of −2.12%. At 35 mm the deformations decrease to −0.78%, and right afterwards they change sign to become at 50 mm a very slight pincushion, amounting to +0.24%. At the maximum focal length the distortion still remains low, being just +0.47%.

When you pass to full frame the distortion correction becomes much more difficult and the 24 mm focal length is the most obvious place to see it. The result amounted to −3.73% and it compares favourably to the results of the Tokina’s competitors; still it is worth emphasizing that moustache distortion helped the lens a bit. When you take your measurements using only a fragment of the frame without the moustache deformations the barrel distortion might reach about −4.6% and it is quite a lot. Mind you the problems connected with moustache distortion happened also to the Canon EF 24–70 mm f/2.8L II USM. The Nikkor AF-S 24–70 mm f/2.8E ED VR didn’t have the moustache distortion but its barrel equivalent in its case reached as high as −4.23%.

When you increase the focal length to 35 mm the moustache distortion of the Tokina disappears, leaving behind classic “barrel” amounting to −1.77%. At 50 mm you deal with just slight pincushion distortions which, according to our measurements, amount to +0.46%. At 70 mm the distortion increases to +1.08%; it is a result noticeably better than the result of e.g. the Nikkor 24–70 mm VR; that lens could reach almost −2%.

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To sum up when it comes to the distortion the Tokina AT-X PRO FX SD 24–70 mm f/2.8 (IF) has results typical for this class of equipment, never standing out in either a positive or negative way.