Jim Bianco

Do you guys think this is a good tradeoff, trading a Nikon 24- 85 vr if 3.5 lens for a wider angle lens and that is a tokina 12-24 f/4 AT-X PRO DX lens.I have a Nikon D7100 camera. Mpb photo said they will trade me lens for lens and they will give me 11.00 more. Both lenses are in EX condition.Is it a fare deal, let me know what you guys think. I am doing this because I can not afford a wider lens. Thanks Jim Bianco

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

If you need the width and won't miss the longer range then go for it. The Tokina is pretty nice and its a crop lens. Will give you the FF equivalent of an 18mm

Jim Bianco

Thanks

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Anytime.

Hey, if it gets you what you need, and costs nothing out of pocket, how can you go wrong?

Canisdirus

Depends on what you want to use it for.
Astrophotography? Go wide as you can, as fast as you can (fstop)
Landscape? Meh. If you have Adobe or equivalent, stitching means you never need a wide angle lens.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

If you won't miss the great photography the 24-85 gives you then by all means go ahead. I have the same 24-85 and love it. It is my almost every day lens on my D800. My other lens for the camera is the Nikkor 105mm f2.8 Micro lens. Those two lenses take care of 90% of my DSLR photography. While I will someday get a wider lens, probably a 16-35, I like what I already have.

Dennis

Jim Bianco

Thanks Dennis, I just don't know what the better lens is.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I don't think it is a matter of a better lens but more of what lens will you get the most use from. The 24-85 is really a great lens in its own right. No slouch by any means. It is terribly useful to me although if I had thought about it I would have purchased the 24-140, I think it is, for a bit more length. But still, I do use the 24-85 all the time. I have been to Europe and around America with only this one lens and have never wished for different. My thinking is if you trade for the other lens you will miss the 24-85. Like anything else, you make your choices and go with it.

Good luck,

Dennis

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

First, I'd say that it depends a lot upon what other lenses you have, if any.

Personally I wouldn't want ONLY the 12-24mm..... If it's your only lens, I'd keep the 24-85mm (you can always use multiple shots assembled as a panorama to make a wide angle view of a scene).

But it also depends upon what you like to shoot. Maybe a wide to normal lens is all you need.

The Tokina 12-24mm is "pretty good". Are you aware it's a discontinued model? It was superseded 2 or 3 years ago by a 12-28mm f/4.

There also have been two versions of the 12-24mm... the original and a "II". There's little difference between them in most other mounts, but the version is more significant with Nikon. In the F-mount versions, the original lens is "AF-D" type, no focusing motor... While the "II" has a motor added and typically sells for more. It won't matter using them on a D7100, since that camera has the in-body "screw drive" and can autofocus either lens. But if you ever go to resell it, the original lens will not retain it's value as well. It will not autofocus on any of the D3000 or D5000-series cameras, for example.

I used a Tokina 12-24mm in Canon mount for a number of years... It's well built, has pretty good image quality. I sold a Canon 17-35mm f/2.8L from my film days, to fund the purchase. The 17-35mm was no longer wide enough, once I switched to shooting with APS-C DSLRs. Later I got a Canon EF-S 10-22mm USM lens that's sharper, more flare resistant and is better corrected with less chromatic aberration than the Tokina (or the 17-35mm, for that matter).

The Tokina 12-24mm original version (motorless, in F-mount) can be found used for around $200.

The Tokina 12-24mm II (w/focus motor in F-mount) can be found used for around $250.

The Tokina 12-28mm f/4 is currently selling for $429 new in F-mount (for some reason the Canon mount version is about $50 cheaper).

I didn't find any used copies of the AF-S 24-85mm VR, but new it's selling for just under $500. So the trade you detailed doesn't sound like all that good a deal.

Also, are you aware the Nikkor AF-P 10-20mm VR is currently on sale new for $277? It's also sometimes available refurbished for $249. I think there are some limitations using an AF-P lens on a D7100 (updated firmware might help, making the lens usable, but not "fully compatible"... I don't know exactly what this means, but it's something you should look into if you consider any AF-P lenses).

It sure would be nice to keep the 24-85mm and complement it with one of the wide angle lenses, rather than replace it and only have the wide lens to work with

Jim Bianco

Thanks Dennis . I just don't know if the tokina is as good as the. Nikon.

Jim Bianco

Thanks, amfoto1

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Jim Bianco I have (and use) the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO DX lens...
This is the older model without an internal motor... it's exactly the same as the newer more pricey model and lighter... noticed it is currently available on KEH for $268 in "Excellent" condition.

If you need to go wide this might also be a wise choice...
My copy is very nice and I love the f/2.8 aperture... sort of offsets the lack of VR

As for the 24-85mm... I have this lens but I'm currently looking to trade it in... while it is super fun to shoot with... Sadly it is soft in the corners noticeably so at the wide end... so much so that I can't use it for catalog fashion... I've had to fall back on my 50mm f/1.4G Nikkor instead... stopped down to f/5.6 the corners of the 50mm f/1.4 are crazy sharp... especially on my D810

But please don't take my word here... check out DxOMark for the lens you are considering... and for the 24-85mm... Don't get me wrong the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Lens has awesome 4 stops of excellent VR, tack sharp in the center and is optically superior to the 24-120mm... it's actually considered by many to be a poor man's alternative to the 24-70 f/2.8 Nikkor.

That said if you are shooting commercially this lens doesn't cut it... especially if you need the short end... edge sharpness simply isn't acceptable... period. It's a great lens for prosumers and hobbyist because of the very forgiving VR but it can't deliver edge to edge acuity and resolution like the 24-70mm f/2.8 (even stopped down)... and this is the reason I'm looking find mine a new home... Have to pony up for the Pro Grade 24-70mm f/2.8 if I want to keep my client base...

Please enjoy you journey with the Tokina... albeit wide can be a challenge on an APX-C sensor since the 1.5 crop factor makes it virtually impossible to go ultra wide...

btw, my Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DX APO OS HSM Nikon lives on my D7200.... it is vastly superior to the 24-85mm Nikkor on a crop body... using a FX lens on a crop body isn't a wise choice... there are considerable differences which is a major frustration with Nikon not providing Pro-Level glass for their Crop Bodies forcing DX users into third party camps for Pro Glass... enough said.

Hope this helps Jim Bianco
All the best on your journey

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

People say lenses from Tokina and other manufacturers are excellent quality. I generally just use Nikon lenses or Leica lenses for my Leicas. I do think some of the other lenses are of excellent quality though from what other members have written. My concern is not the quality of the lens so much but more of when you get rid of the 24-85 you will miss not having it.

Another point I agree with is that which another poster brought up. I think the Nikon will hold its value far better than the Tokina. If this is a camera store that is doing the trade and will give you money plus the trade I think you may be getting taken advantage of.

How about keeping the Nikon and then buying the Tokina either used or new.

Dennis

Jim Bianco

Good thought Dennis

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Thanks. Good luck with your decision.

Dennis