The following chart shows a comparison between the tested Tokina and other full frame lenses with similar angles of view and aperture fastness. What’s interesting, all these constructions consist of 13 elements positioned in 11 groups. The minimum focusing distances of the Tokina and the Voigtlander are longer than those of their rivals but they allow you to use smaller filters. Despite a metal casing the Tokina is hardly the heaviest here; the Sigma is heavier but it also comes with a better aperture fastness.
In the photo below the Tokina is positioned next to another Sony FE lens, the Sony 50 mm f/1.8 FE
The tested lens starts with a metal mount which contains contacts; it surrounds a rear element 24 mm in diameter. That element doesn’t move and it hides inside a properly darkened and matted tube. From this side everything looks just fine.
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The proper body of the Tokina starts with an immobile ring with many additions. If you look from the above you see an inscription with the name and parameters of the lens. On the left there’s a white dot, making an alignment with a camera easier; right next to the dot the filter diameter, 62 mm, is given. Further on you see an inscription “Tokina Japan” and a serial number of the lens.
The second part of the ring features a depth of field scale with marks for all aperture values apart from marks by f/5.6 and f/2.8 which weren’t inscribed due to lack of space.
A manual focus ring, as wide as 29 mm, is the next part of the lens. Its middle is covered by fine ribbing and below you see a distance scale expressed in meters and feet. The ring moves smoothly and is well damped; running through the whole scale takes a turn through an angle of 150 degrees. It’s more than enough to ensure comfortable performance, taking into account the parameters of the tested lens.
Further on you see an aperture ring, only 6 mm in diameter, moving every 1/3 EV step. Right behind that ring there’s a part of the tube which doesn’t move; it turns smoothly into a hood mount. In this part of the lens you also find a switch which enables you to choose among two aperture ring modes: clicked or clickless.
The front element of the lens doesn’t move, it is slightly convex and 38 mm in diameter. It is surrounded by a non-rotating filter thread 62 mm in diameter, a moderate value for such parameters of the lens.
The optical construction of the Firin consists of 13 elements positioned in 11 groups. There are many special elements among them: two aspherical ones and three made of low dispersion SD glass. Inside, you can find a round aperture with nine diaphragm blades which can be closed down to a value of f/22.
Buyers get both caps and a hood of very characteristic shape in the box.
