FvL Media - Tokina AT-X 107 DX Panorama-Test

Testing Tokina AT-X 107 DX f/3.5-4.5 fisheye-zoom

On these pages you find some tests on the wide angle 10-17 mm fisheye zoom-lens from Tokina. I mainly use it for 360° panorama and my test may reflect this.

Here are the Technical data from Tokina's homepage.:

Focal length:	10 to 17mm
Maximum aperture:	f/3.5-4.5
Minimum aperture:	f/22
Optical construction:	10 elements in 8 groups
SD glass:	One elements
Coatings:	Multi-layer
Angle of view:	180° to 100°
Minimum focus distance:	5.5 in. (14 cm)
Reproduction ratio:	1:2.56
Zooming system:	Rotary type
Number of diaphragm blades:	6
Filter size:	N/A
Maximum outer diameter:	2.75 in. (70mm)
Dimensions:	2.75 in. (70mm) X L 2.79 in. (71.1mm)
Weight:	12.3 oz. (350g)
Lens Hood	Built-in

This lens is very good optically and very well build but I have some minor remarks:

The focal length ring as it is rather loose so for panorama works I'd loved some kind of lock. Mostly I want it to be on 10 mm, but by accident I have sometimes moved it so I unaware was shooting at another length - and that can mean trouble if the photos for a panorama-stitch won't overlap. This have learned me to always put some tape on it when I want it locked. The same goes for the focusing ring - shooting for panoramas you'll normally use the same manual set focusing for all photos in a set. Here you often touch the ring when removing the tight rubber lens hood.

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Flemming V. Larsen