Olympus 12mm f/2.0 vs Tokina 11-16mm which would you buy?

D

dtzfilms

Well-known member
I only have $700 to spend on one wide angle lens.
I was about to pull the trigger on the Olympus but
read this review on B&H.

I'm leaning toward the 12mm because it's faster and lighter and
apparently will work the autofocus I might need for steadicam shots.
At 12mm I think almost everything will be in focus anyway.

Suggestions? Experience? Advice?




THE REVIEW:

I purchased this lens to be used on my Af100. I was tired of using adaptors with mixed results. This is a nice looking lens though when mounted on the AF100 it looks tiny and silly. If your EGO is easily affected by the size of your lens, don't get this!


Auto focus works well with the Af100, especially when using the focus selection square on the Af100. Aperture switches smoothly and quickly via the iris wheel.The manual "switch" on the lens, which reminds me of the way many Tamron lenses switch to manual focus,causes issues with the Af100. In order to manual focus you need to switch the camera to manual AF. Just switching the lens doesn't work, it causing this un-smooth motion when pulling focus. Smoothest manual focus is had when the camera is set to manual and the lens to Auto focus.
With such a high price and rave reviews I expected superior sharpness. It is sharp but it can't match my Tokina 11-16mm on the Af100. I also own the Olympus 45mm 1.8 and the Nokton 25mm. These two lenses are razor sharp and that is what I expected from the 12mm.


three stars because of the high price and that it isn't as stellar of a performer.
​
 
I have the Tokina 11-16 and the Hyperprime 12/1.6 and I like the later on my AF101 much better. No adapter it just works. I also see a big benifit to have a fast wide angle lens on the AF101 so even wide angle shots can put background elements away from the subject.
 
I have been extremely pleased with my 11-16, however I am considering selling it to get the Hyperprime 12mm 1.6 like Editman. The tokina is a fantastic lens, but there are many, many times on the AF100 where I wish I could open the lens just one more stop... and you never know exactly what aperture you are shooting at.
 
Hmmmmn, so this hyperprime 12mm 1.6 that's the Noktor, right? I heard those were rebranded CCTV lenses from China.
You elected to get the hyperprime over the Olympus? Is the hyperprime automatic on the AF100 and where in
the name of Waterloo did you buy this? No one seems to be able to find any for sale! Not even at SLR Magic's own ebay store!
 
Last edited:
I'm beginning to think it's some type of mystical being! I've been searching for it since mid December and still nothing!
 
I got it as a review sample and it's an all manual lens which I prefer. Just like the Voigtländer lenses I use. The only AF lens I have is the Leica 45/2.8 but I seldom use it in AF mode.
 
I've just bought one - it is hard to find as it can't be got direct from their site, to get in the ordering queue you need to email sales@noktor.com All who own it say it's great and haven't had problems getting it delivered. I paid on monday so *hopefully* it'll be here any day. Review from Andrew Reid here.
 
I just wish this hyperprime would be widely available so the price of the Olympus can drop a bit. I saw a comparison of the Olympus and the hyperprime footage here on the forum, and the hyperprime though one stop faster was quite washed out because of some coating. That and the fact that it's not autofocus makes me opt for it mainly for use on a blackbird stabilizer on wedding gigs etc. Editman, how in the name of Belzebus did you get a review sample? I want a review sample! Have any of you any experience using this on a stabilizer? Does the the manual focus bother you? I heard the Olympus is great at face recognition - "near telepathic" is the description the forum member used.
 
I think I'm sold on the Olympus. EOSHD says this:

The Olympus 12mm is an F2 lens not quite as fast as the SLR Magic 12mm F1.6, although I often stop that down to F2 to get flare down to an acceptable level and increase contrast. I can use the Olympus wide open and it is sharp and very flare resistant. I like both lenses but the Olympus is a MUCH more expensive. However as you’d expect it has better image quality, with hardly any distortion and it’s very sharp wide open. AF is of the next-gen video optimised variety, it is extremely stable in video mode and never hunts randomly in the middle of a shot.

FULL REVIEW
http://www.eoshd.com/content/5476/t...scott-with-the-hacked-gh2-and-olympus-12mm-f2
 
Noktor replied to my email - pre-order only. Deliveries currently being done for the November pre-order crowd. If I buy now, (Jan 6th) I get it February 10th. That's $499.
$241 difference for the Olympus where you get a lighter, smaller automatic lens with better image quality, sharp wide open at f2, Hyperprime has to be stopped down to reduce flare.
I'll be using this lighter lens on my stabilizer and that'll save my arm from falling off. Olympus has my money at $740 plus free shipping. Maybe give it a month and see if the price drops
a bit. Yippy-yakka-Ko-Knee-Chee-waaa!
 
TomLenham said:
I've just bought one - it is hard to find as it can't be got direct from their site, to get in the ordering queue you need to email sales@noktor.com All who own it say it's great and haven't had problems getting it delivered. I paid on monday so *hopefully* it'll be here any day. Review from Andrew Reid here.
Click to expand...
Let us know when you get it, please. e-message to me said deliveries expected by Feb 10th.
 
Olympus 12mm f2.0 is now $718 at B&H. I'm so glad I didn't buy it at $740! Only $22 but I hope it continues to go down.
I think the best price for the Olympus is $650. They'd sell a ton at that price, but I might just buy mine at $685.
 
I'm wondering how useful the auto focus, etc is on the Olympus. I contacted SLRMagic. They sent me a list of review and videos including a link to editman's. Nice! How did you do that overhead shot? You didn't have to pull focus for that, right? As you say, I don't even think you can get a follow focus on this.

There's one comparing the two http://vimeo.com/30233622

The Olympus is stupid sharp and with that price at B&H it's not that much more expensive but that little Hyperprime has a lot of character. It reminds me of the Voigtlander 25mm that way. That's the thing I like the most about it. Plus those flares are nuts! This is a tough one. I'm not pulling the trigger till I get back from a shoot today. This is a tough one.
 
dtzfilms said:
Hmmmmn, so this hyperprime 12mm 1.6 that's the Noktor, right? I heard those were rebranded CCTV lenses from China.
You elected to get the hyperprime over the Olympus? Is the hyperprime automatic on the AF100 and where in
the name of Waterloo did you buy this? No one seems to be able to find any for sale! Not even at SLR Magic's own ebay store!
Click to expand...

Shot this yesterday with the 12mm 1.6
I had the Tokina and love this Noktor!

http://vimeo.com/34702930

sales@noktor.com
 
hscully said:
I'm wondering how useful the auto focus, etc is on the Olympus. I contacted SLRMagic. They sent me a list of review and videos including a link to editman's. Nice! How did you do that overhead shot? You didn't have to pull focus for that, right? As you say, I don't even think you can get a follow focus on this.

There's one comparing the two http://vimeo.com/30233622

The Olympus is stupid sharp and with that price at B&H it's not that much more expensive but that little Hyperprime has a lot of character. It reminds me of the Voigtlander 25mm that way. That's the thing I like the most about it. Plus those flares are nuts! This is a tough one. I'm not pulling the trigger till I get back from a shoot today. This is a tough one.
Click to expand...

The Hyperprime goes into hyperfocal pretty fast so just as I used to do with the Tokina 11-16 I find a nice focus setting that works for most of the shots. The overhead shot was made with my multijib.
 
hscully said:
I'm wondering how useful the auto focus, etc is on the Olympus.
Click to expand...

STEADICAM/JIB SHOTS
I'm putting the Olympus on the AF100 with a blackbird, that's why the autofocus will be useful for me.
Autofocus-Face-recognition works almost telepathically according to a thread in the GH2 section.
This means you can track a dog or a slow walking subject (bride/groom) without a follow-focus either stationary or on the steadicam.
Can you say AIM 9X Fire and forget missle!

So if I get some weddings etc, it'll earn its plus $200 worth from that. There's currently a price war going on right now.
So I'm happy the hyperprime is out and inciting this (my theory, lol). The Olympus is available at 7 online retailers and all of them are under
cutting each other. I put the Oly in my shopping basket at $799, watched it drop to $740 and then $718 within a week or so.
I bet we'll see a sub $700 price shortly.

Bottomline, if I get the Olympus, how dark could it get that I can't add more light or bump up my ISO to make up for that extra stop on the hyperprime?
Conversely, if I opt for the hyperprime, can I work around the autofocus? No.
Lighter, smaller on the hand-held blackbird steadicam, (my arm thanks me) better image quality, sharp wide open - the Hyperprime isn't as sharp wide open, sharpest being 2.0, no distortion. I'm not a pixel counter but I'm quite sure I'm
happy going for the Olympus when the price is right. I'm happy getting it now, but I think I'll wait a bit.
 
Last edited:
editman said:
The Hyperprime goes into hyperfocal pretty fast so just as I used to do with the Tokina 11-16 I find a nice focus setting that works for most of the shots. The overhead shot was made with my multijib.
Click to expand...
What is the hyperfocal distance on the hyperprime?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top