Canon FD Tokina 17mm/f3.5?

[Griffin]

My mom gave me her old Canon FTb, but none of the lenses (28/2.8, 50/1.8 & 135/3.5) interested me so it's been sitting in the corner.

Now I came across a Tokina 17/3.5 for €125. Reviews seem to be positive, but I'm hoping you fine people here can give me some good advice and tell me to spend the money on clothing for my son.

I really enjoy shooting with my D-Lux4 with 0.7 wide angle adapter, which turns it into an 18mm, so I think I'll really get down with the 17mm FOV on film.

Getting this lens will of course make my bag heavier, as I already have three different focal lengths divided over three different camera bodies (not counting the Panaleica). It just ended up being that way, as bodies are given to me/inherited and I come across the lenses I like. That's the great thing about shooting film I guess.

Perhaps the missus won't even have to find out?

Cheers,

Griffin

 

[Bob Michaels]

Backalley Joe now has my Tokina 17mm f3.5 in autofocus Nikon mount. Maybe he will chime in. I found it to be spectacular. The large size for the aperture allows for correction of optical defects.

I ever own a 35mm SLR again, I will probably own this lens for it.

 

[Griffin]

The large size for the aperture allows for correction of optical defects.

Can you elaborate on that please?

 

[Bob Michaels]

Can you elaborate on that please?

It is physically a large lens for a f3.5. As I remember, it requires a 72mm filter and has a lot of glass in it (heavy) It appears in that large number of compromises in designing a lens, the physical size took a back seat to optical quality.

 

[back alley]

it's a pretty great lens...i have used it a bit since i got it and it's a very nice handling lens, especially considering it's about the same size as 3 of my tiny cv lenses.
i have yet to put it on the d200 but the extra body weight should balance the 17 quite nicely i think.

the 17 was on my d90, a cropped sensor body.

 

[Trius]

I have not used this lens, but I had a Tokina-made zoom in OM mount, and found it an absolutely wonderful performer. I have a lot of respect for Tokina lenses. Whenever I consider a Vivitar lens I check to see if the OEM is Tokina or Kiron.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I had a Tokina 17/3.5 for my Nikon SLRs way back when and found it a very good performer.

Bob

 

[eurekaiv]

I just got an SP (manual focus) version for Nikon not long ago. I only took about 6 or 7 shots with it at the end of a roll but I was pleased with the performance. The two shots below (hit Actions > View all sizes if you want to pixel peep) were both taken with the lens wide open. While they definitely show some softness at the edges and they're not the sharpest in the center I think they look pretty darn good for any lens at full aperture. I have a pretty good feeling by f8 or so, things will be as good as could be expected of an SLR lens at this focal length.


Sunset in the alley by eurekaiv, on Flickr


Sunset in the other alley by eurekaiv, on Flickr

 

[Griffin]

Well poop. I was too slow and now it's gone. There is a Zeiss Flektogon 20mm/f4 in Exakta mount, but I don't feel confident enough to use a meterless camera just yet.

 

[venchka]

The Canon FD lenses of similar focal length should also be good performers. I don't have the list handy, but I'm sure that there were 20mm and shorter lenses around in the original FD/BL mount and the later, new FD mount. I actually prefer the older mount lenses. Sturdier construction. Fine optics.

Wayne

 

[David Murphy]

It's a nice lens and a bargain (usually)

 

[Griffin]

I managed to get one after all!

I love this lens. It's great for tight spaces:

 

[btgc]

Don't lust for it, go for it!


Exit planet Lust by mm35exp36, on Flickr

 

[angusparker]

Great lens - congratulations.

Great lens - congratulations.

Great lens. I've got the Vivitar version which is usually a bit cheaper. There are 67mm filter and 72mm filter versions and single coated versus multi-coated - all are good. For the price there are a great deal. Works fine on my FF Nikon DSLR - only have MF and LF for film but imagine it would be great. Who needs AF on such a wide lens anyway!