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11-16mm F2.8 and T3 Cine Tokina
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    I'm buying the Tokina 11mm - 16mm f/2.8 with the Nikon mount to use it with the GH2 and after July with the BMC for the GH2.

    Would it be any pros and cons buying the Canon mount EF instead, which will be mount native for the BMC?

    Thanks in advance.


    Available at:

    tokina.jpg
    500 x 500 - 37K
  • 122 Replies sorted by
  • to use it on the gh2 you need to use something like the red rock micro live lens, which is much more expensive than a nikon g to m43 adapter. with that said, I have heard it is annoying to use a nikon g lens on an ef mount. So I would say that the major disadvantage would be the cost and bulk (they need to be powered also) of an adapter. One thing you could do once you get the BMC is to buy a "dumb" ef to m43 adapter, set the aperture on the bmc and then remove it and put it on the gh2. there is no great way to do it without the duclos mod.

  • P_hawks, thanks for your response. My understanding is that for manual focus with the Nikon version in the GH2 the only adapter I need is nikon to 4/3 adapter, which allows manual control of the aperture, while the canon EF version doesn't. Am I missing something?

  • you need to make sure it is a nikon g to m43 adapter, it will have an aperture slider. Canon ef lens apertures can only be adjusted electronically (other than rokinon manual ones etc.)

  • p_hawks, thanks for the extra info. on the adapter.

  • there is a canon ef to m43 adapter with blades in it. You might be interested in that for your GH2?

  • if its better for you to invest in the Canon EF mount system, you can use the KIPON adapter that has build in aperture blades. It is not perfect but it works well. The adapter stopped down produces strong vignetting. The look is nice though because the vignette's gradient is very smooth. Better than a quick 8bit color grading vignette that bands like hell! If you're after the maximum technical picture quality, go with an expensive electronic adapter or the mentioned Nikon mount/adapter.

  • DirkVoorhoeve and Alex. Thanks for your replies on the subject.

    I have found the Fotodiox Lens Mount Adapter, Nikon G-type lens to MFT Micro 4/3 four thirds cameras, which work with Olympus Pen E-PL1, E-P2, E-P1, E-PL2, Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, G2, GH2, GF1, GH1 G10 http://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Adapter-cameras-Olympus-Panasonic/dp/B003Y2XN9G/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1337676584&sr=8-5

    My concern is to get one that allows me to change the aperture manually. The only one I have found at the moment of this writing is the Novoflex at the link below; but it is really pricey, around US300. I'm looking for one with similar feature but cheapest.

    Novoflex Adapter MFT/NIK for all Nikon Lenses to MicroFour Thirds Camera Bodies - Manual Aperture Control Ring for Nikkor G-Series Lenses

    http://www.amazon.com/Novoflex-Adapter-MFT-NIK-MicroFour/dp/B002MXFGJI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1337657529&sr=1-1

    Beside the KIPON, is there another alternative to the Novoflex? If there is not, I might have to go with the Novoflex.

  • I have the Fotga Nikon G to m4/3 adapter: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Lens-Mount-Adapter-FOTGA-Nikon-G-Lens-Micro-4-3-Micro-Four-thirds-M4-3-E-P1-/261020207783 Which allows you to set any aperture you wish by moving the ring between LOCK and OPEN, and although you won't know exactly what aperture you are on, you do get smooth movement for iris pulls if needed.

    Those Kipon adapters have the aperture blades in the completely wrong spot from an optical standpoint... I personally would consider it a last-resort option, especially with very wide-angle or telephoto lenses.

  • Thanks to all for the responses on this subject. Today I got the Tokina 11 - 16mm f2.8 with the Nikon mount. I found an adapter that allows manual aperture control for the lens: "Pro Optic Nikon "G" lens to Micro 4/3 Body mount for Olympus PEN E-P1, PEN E-P2, Panasonic Luxix DCM-GF1, GH1 and GH2." It works as expected. Price, US59.95. I tried it at the store first. There is no vignette at any focal lens. And the aperture control is by steps, so we know every time the aperture we are dialing.

    Adapter link: http://www.adorama.com/CZNKG43.html There are cheapest ones but without the manual aperture control.

    Once again, the purpose to buy the Nikon mount version is to be able to use it later in the BMC with the Canon EF adapter. Buying the other way around, Canon mount first, I wouldn't be able to control the aperture in the lens.

  • @willianaleman

    How do you plan on controlling aperture on the Nikon version adapted to an EF mount? I wasn't aware they made functioning adapters for lenses without aperture rings...

  • Thanks for asking.

    Maybe I'm missing something.

    This adapter is made to very precise and high standards to ensure exact infinity focus on the Canon camera. With the EOS/NIK-NT adapter automatic exposure metering via stop-down metering is possible as is aperture priority auto exposure. The new adapter features a lever on the side of the adapter to let users control the aperture on G series lenses.
    http://www.amazon.com/EOS-NIK-NT-Adapter-Lenses-Cameras/dp/B003NF1S28/ref=pd_sim_sbs_p_3

    I hope I got it right. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the Tokina with the GH2.

  • eBay is also full of cheap adapters to allow aperture control of Nikon G lenses on EOS bodies: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Nikon-G-AF-S-AI-F-Lens-Canon-EOS-EF-Mount-Adapter-600D-550D-1100D-60D-7D-5D-/190674760797

  • I'm glad we are in the same page now! Thanks for the eBay link. I have until the BMC gets out in July to research other Canon adapter options.

  • Can you post video of this lens on GH2?

  • @willianaleman Yep you have it right. I went through the same situation trying to find an adapter that worked. Non of the cheap china ones worked for me at all. The only one that worked was the Novaflex which costs a buttload. I never did try the one you bought though. Have you checked your infinity focus really good? For some reason with that lens, it's pretty hard to get it right with cheaper adapters. You prob need to go a little past infinity to get it right.

  • I returned the Tokina 11-16mm, Nikon mount two days ago. I didn't keep any footage of the test we did. It is an excellent lens but it has too much distortion at 11mm for my need. Correction start at 15mm. In addition, it doesn't have constant aperture and focussing was uneasy. Then, I bought the legacy Nikon 20-35mm f/1:2.8D, which has constant aperture in all zoom range and minimal to non distortion. It is not as wide as Tokina, but I prefer the Nikon under similar price with less image compromise. This nikon, together with the 17-35mm f/2.8D EDIF AF-S are famous for their unique sharpness. I can confirm that after several hours of testing. Subjectively, it feels more organic, less videoish than the Tokina.

  • vicharris , thanks for your commend. Because even in manual mode the internal focus (IF) motor is still working in this lens, it makes uneasy to find the exact focus. The adapter works perfectly.

  • @willianaleman "...it doesn't have constant aperture..." what do you mean?

    The Tokina 11-16 has a constant aperture of F2.8 from 11mm to 16mm.

    "...too much distortion at 11mm..." do you mean the normal "distortion" you get with such a wide field of view or the barrel distortion most wide lenses suffer? (I thought the barrel distortion of this lens is within limits).

  • "it doesn't have constant aperture..." what do you mean?

    Psyco, thanks for asking. It means that the lens aperture changes as you zoom in/out, which  becomes a nightmare in post during color grading.

    "The Tokina 11-16 has a constant aperture of F2.8 from 11mm to 16mm."

    I need a lens with constant aperture in the whole range. The Tokina  doesn't have it.

    "...too much distortion at 11mm..." do you mean the normal  "distortion" you get with such a wide field of view or the barrel  distortion most wide lenses suffer? (I thought the barrel distortion  of this lens is within limits)."

    The barrel distortion. I bought this lens because of all the wonderful  reviews it has, but the numbers on these reviews don't match my  expectation in terms of minimum distortion. In addition, none of these reviews  mentioned the variable aperture changes during zoom in/out. Then, we never know for sure until we try.

  • jasonp Do you have the Tokina with the Nikon mount or the Canon version? The Nikon does change aperture in manual mode during zoom, and it was confirmed by Adorama's seller as part of my reason and their acceptance for me to return the lens.

  • @willianaleman

    Are you saying that in full manual mode, when you zoom in the exposure changes?

  • @willianaleman, @kavadni, @jasonp. I was on set on a friend's short film shoot and he was using the Nikon version of this lens on his AF100 and it's constant aperture from 11 to 16 cuz you manually set the aperture with the adapter. I played with it on my GH2 and yes there's distortion at 11mm. I have some footage, will post later.

  • kavadni 9:55PM

    "Are you saying that in full manual mode, when you zoom in the exposure changes?"

    Yes. Exactly

  • jasonp 9:16PM "I had the Canon version, but they're the same lens, how is it possible to behave differently (I'm asking cause I don't know, all my nikon glass is manual)? So what you're saying is that it wasn't keeping the same aperture throughout the range because it was defective or was this normal? I guess you tried other samples as well in Adorama, did they behave the same way? Really strange though..."

    I don't know the Canon version. But yes, it wasn't keeping the same aperture during zoom.

  • jasonp 9:33PM "Just to clear something out, are you saying that you weren't able to have an f/2.8 at 16mm? Or was the aperture shifting while zooming and then you had to set it back?"

    The aperture was shifting during zooming.