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Tokina Cinema Lenses
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  • vicharrisvicharris

    It's the same lens @svart. The rep already said that in the interview. They didn't change any glass at all. That's my point. They already did the hard part. All they did was put a gear ring on the focus ring, put some more numbers on the whole thing but the main thing is the addition of the iris control. This lens already comes declicked so they didn't even do that, they just added a ring with a gear. S you are paying more than double the cost for a focus gear and a iris control, which people already have if they have the Nikon mount version. This is why I got so upset when that rep stood up there and said the price. Like I said, he doesn't want to say what it is. Listen to him again. Even the interview guy has to take it in for a sec. I know I sound like a complete asshole here but I'm not critiquing the quality of these lenses at all. I think the 12-24 is one hell of a lens for the price and is a wonderful outdoor zoom option for us GH users, not to mention how good we all know the 11-16 is. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and this lineup sells like hotcakes but I have a feeling we'll see a price drop within a year of these coming out if not less.

    As for the breathing problems, I don't think that's going to be a big concern since the focus throw on these lenses is so short. It's going to be just hell for you or a focus puller to try and rack with these and hit the marks. It ramps up so quick and then hits infinity. These aren't the deep rack focus babies! :)

  • svartsvart

    We'll see. While they may seem expensive, maybe they offer Cine like qualities that lack in other cheap "cine" lenses like the samyangs. It's important to remember that simply throwing on a gear ring doesn't make any cheap lens into an instant "cine" lens. Things like NOT breathing so heavy that it looks like small earthquakes everytime you touch the lens are very important to making a lens a "cine" quality lens. Optics are only part of the equation and it seems everybody can get close enough with those. Anyway, for 3k$ you can start getting into real cine lenses with proven usability and durability, so we'll see.

  • AriaAria

    @vicharris, all I can say is MARGINS, MARGINS, MARGINS. You have to remember that the Cine lens won't sell at the same quantity as their Photo versions. That plays a large part in the pricing. You have to account for the fact that it's a niche market. This is what happens just about everywhere in the Pro Video Market. Sure I wish we could get high quality Cine Lenses from every company for cheap, but build quality and number of units sold will have a part to play. A company like Samyang is playing in a different arena in a way. They cut costs in a lot of ways that don't effect the IQ, but it's a less robust product than high end Cine Lenses. The Cine 11-16mm Tokina may be just a bit in between the Samyangs and other high end Cine lenses and viewed in that light their pricing may make sense.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    It's my opinion and I don't care if it's made of titanium (joke). That is still taking advantage of the market. That's ok, it will backfire on them for sure. I use two Tokina lens, 11-16 and 12-24 with a nikon mount so I get a declicked iris ring already. I know how to read a EV meter so no need for the markings and strapped a gear ring on the front. Bam, cine lens, $500. When you say high quality, is that plastic or metal cause the focus ring on the front of both of those lenses looks exactly the same as mine. Sorry, I'm just not buying it. If you want to compare to Duclose, which I think is overpriced too, he rehouses them with metal, I do believe extends the focus throw and installs a PL mount. These guys take shit out of the lens, put two gears on and charge $1000 more! Once again, fuck you Tokina! And I say this with the best of intentions because I really do love my two lenses and use them alot.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    The Tokina rep said, "List, less than $2000" Are they serious? This is a $500 lens used on Ebay all day long. That is just unbelievable. Sure you'll have the guys shooting with Reds and cameras of that level waste the money just to look cool but I think they just out priced the majority of the people that would buy this lens. I'm floored that he can sit up there with a straight face and say that. You could sense some apprehension in his voice when he said the price. He knew it was crazy stupid. It doesn't even look like they lengthened the focus throw in it.

  • bwhitzbwhitz

    Yea, I really like the idea of this. But I don't like the price-gouging just because it's a "cinema" lens all the sudden. $800 seems more than reasonable for something with LESS intricate and electronic parts.

  • PsycoPsyco

    Wow, that sounds really good :-)

    (I just hope they lower the price a bit, $1000 for rehousing a $600 lens is a bit harsh.)

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