Skip to main content

This new AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 lens shines bright, outperforms pricier competition

tokina at x 24 70mm f28
Tokina
Third-party lens manufacturer Tokina made a name for itself several years ago with the venerable 11-16mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens for APS-C cameras. The company went on to carve out a niche making high-end, low-cost, wide-angle zooms for both crop sensor and full-frame formats.

Tokina aims to recreate its earlier success with a new midrange zoom: The AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 just made it through the gauntlet of DXOMark testing with flying colors.

Available in both Canon and Nikon versions, the Tokina aims to provide professional quality optics at a fraction of the price. And unlike Tokina’s wide-angle offerings, which were often built around unique focal lengths not directly present in first-party lenses, the AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 mirrors both the zoom range and maximum aperture of lenses from both Canon and Nikon.

It’s a staple professional lens, a workhorse of photojournalists and event photographers. And according to DXO (which so far has tested only the Nikon version), the Tokina is now the best 24-70mm lens available for Nikon, beating out both the Tamron and Nikon’s own version.

Related: How National Geographic finds fake photos

Tokina-AT-X-24-70-f2.8-DXO
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This is no small achievement. The new Nikon 24-70mm costs $2,400, while the Tokina is just about $900. Yet, the Tokina posted better scores across the board: greater sharpness, higher transmission, less vignetting, and (slightly) lower distortion. The sharpness score is perhaps most surprising, but it does come with a caveat: While the Tokina performs very well at midrange apertures, it was weaker at f/2.8. Wide open, it falls behind the Nikon and Tamron.

That’s a critical note, because many photographers purchase an f/2.8 lens for the purpose of shooting at f/2.8. Sharpness at other aperture values may not be important at all, depending on the individual. The Tokina also doesn’t offer image stabilization, which is a feature found on both the Tamron and the Nikon.

As always, this shows how a lens that performs well in a technical analysis is not necessarily the right one for every photographer. That Tokina delivered such a capable lens for less than $1,000 is an admirable achievement nonetheless.

Editors' Recommendations

Daven Mathies
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Daven is a contributing writer to the photography section. He has been with Digital Trends since 2016 and has been writing…
Pentax Star Series 11-18mm F2.8 promises sharp shots for astrophotography
ricoh pentax 11 18mm f28 35mm f2 announced featured

Previous

Next

Read more
Best Camera Deals: Save on Canon, Panasonic, Nikon, and GoPro
fujifilm x t4 review set 2 dm 1

Whether you're looking for the best digital cameras or the best travel cameras, there are a ton of options out there, sometimes too many options, especially for those who aren't familiar with the photography world. Luckily, we've done a lot of legwork for you and collected a range of great camera deals across the spectrum, so even if you want something more sports-oriented, like a GoPro, there are a couple of deals for those too. So, let's jump right into it.
Today's Best Camera Deals
One of our favorite deals is the Canon EOS Rebel T7 going for $400, as it's one of the better DSLR cameras on the market, and it has a reasonably budget-friendly price on it, making it a great starter camera. Of course, if you've been in the game for a while and are looking for a powerful upgrade, the Sony Alpha 7R IV is one of the best full-frame cameras on the market, and while it still costs a hefty $3,200, that's still $300 off the usual $3,500 price tag. That said, if you're looking for something more portable and action-oriented, you can't go wrong with the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini, although if you're a professional content creator, the GoPro HERO9 Black 5K is probably the one to go for instead.

Do I Need a DSLR or a Mirrorless Camera?
Like most things, this really depends on what you're trying to do. Mirrorless cameras have fewer internal moving parts, which generally means they can capture images quicker, so if you're taking pictures of action-packed stuff like sports or animals in the wilderness, a mirrorless camera is a great option. On the other hand, DSLR cameras are great for low-light conditions and are great for anything from portraits to landscapes. DSLRs are also cheaper and have much better battery life, as well as having a decade or two worth of lenses to choose from.

Read more
How to blur a background in photos
A person photographed with iPhone 11's portrait mode.

Introducing a background blur to your photos can draw attention to a specific subject, such as an individual in a portrait or an item in a still life, while also adding a professional flair to your image. This beautiful background blur, also known as bokeh, can be achieved even after shooting your photo, thanks to advances in editing software. This guide will walk you through the process on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.

Read more