Olympus 12mm f2 vs. Tokina 11-16mm advice

P

Picturequest

Well-known member
Now I know the Tokina is highly regarded for video. Even rehoused in PL mounts. And a bargain. I'm going on a photography trip. And I'm thinking about the Oly 12mm f2, even though it is expensive, F2 is reasonably close to my beloved Panny 20 f1.7. Other benefits for street photography is AUTOFOCUS and I believe it is very fast at that. Plus it is small and light.

The Tokina gives you 11-16 so a small amount of zoom. 2.8 isn't that bad, but it is a full size lens and no autofocus on the GH-2.

Has anyone used both lenses on a GH-2? How do you compare image quality as well as ease of use. If this was primarily for filming I'd go Tokina.

But taking quick, discrete street photos the Olympus seems pretty nice.
 
I would go with the 12mm F2.0 since it is twice as sharp as the 11-16mm .
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12 mm f/2.0 ED

Image resolution :


3434_roz.jpg
Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX AF 11-16 mm f/2.8

Image resolution :


2582_tok_res_c.jpg

border performance :
2583_tok_res_e.jpg
 
Last edited:
For photos the olympus is better.
Autofocus.
Much much smaller.
My tokina plus adaptor looks like a bazooka on my gh2. Not handy at all. Plus focusing means you cannot take quick snapshots discreetly at all.
 
Speaking of the Tokina, anyone recommend a good, decent priced adapter (with aperture control) for it?
 
More often than not I use the Duclos version with a hot rod PL adapter on my M4/3 cameras, and a EF mount Tokina on my Canon cameras.
 
I'm in the same boat... Can't decide which to get. Since the olympus is wider/smaller, i may have to go with that one.
 
Just worth noting that the Tokina may test out to be less sharp than the Oly, but it doesn't lack in sharpness. I actually sold mine when I was shooting on t2i's because the Tokina was TOO sharp for the sensor and was causing moire and aliasing constantly. I'd rent both and spend some time shooting, it's the only good way to tell which is the one you want.
 
HDkilledFILM. said:
I'd rent both and spend some time shooting, it's the only good way to tell which is the one you want.
Click to expand...

I used a Tokina 11-16 on a 7D for two years and I absolutely loved that lens. Basically I'm wondering whether the Olympus 12mm f2 on the GH2 will be more like the Tokina on the 7D, or if I should just get the Tokina and deal with the crop...which is...what again? How do I convert focal length from APS-C to 4/3? I suck at math.
 
The Tokina will always be wider than the Oly, the field of view is all that changes with the crop factor. See here:

http://www.abelcine.com/fov/

Before you buy you should ask yourself:

Do I need auto focus? Does the zoom matter to me? Which has a better look overall? Do I care that I need to use an adapter to change the aperature? Is the Tokina a better choice because I plan on switching to FF in the future?

Again, RENT, or better yet, go to a shop (If you can) and shoot with them side by side for a bit (It's free and I do it all the time, usually before I rent things to see if it's even worth that much of a look). Glass is subjective, lenses are as unique as they are numerous and everyone has a different style or look. Trying to get a good set of lenses which match or seem to cut well together is one of my favorite parts of shooting, and the best way to do it is to go try things out. Not only will you get to use the product you plan on spending cash on, but it'll make it a much easier decision to make when you can say: *I like this one better for me*
 
HDkilledFILM. said:
The Tokina will always be wider than the Oly, the field of view is all that changes with the crop factor. See here:
Click to expand...
I had an idea of the difference visually, I just wanted to know what the 11mm focal length translates to in 4/3 metric...it appears to be ~17mm?

I'm thinking of going with the Olympus simply because its smaller and won't stress the lens ring, and because it's faster/wider. I love the Tokina so maybe down the line when s35 becomes more affordable I will buy another one. Renting isn't an option unless you live in a bigger city.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top