DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Tokina’s 24-70 vs Nikon’s – Half the price, better quality

Jul 6, 2016 by John Aldred 8 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

tokina_vs_nikon_24-70mm

I’m not one who generally tends to pay much attention to DXOMark scores, but this one quite surprised me.  Released in 2014, Tokina’s AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 Pro FX seems to do pretty well against the main competitors, and actually scored higher than Nikon’s current model 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR, released in 2015.

So, if you’re a Nikon shooter thinking of picking up a fast 24-70mm zoom, Tokina might now be a name you want to consider.

Now, the current Nikon 24-70 wasn’t off to a good start as it was, not scoring as quite highly as the previous generation Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED it replaced, but this has got to be a bit of a blow to Nikon.

tokina_vs_nikons

That is, of course, assuming Nikon even cares what DXOMark think.  I tend to forget DXOMark even exists when I’m looking to acquire a new camera or lens, and actual use in the real world is far more revealing to me than “scientific” pixel peeping, but it is still an interesting result.

Not surprisingly, as it scored the same as the current Nikon, Sony’s FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens released in February is also beat out by the Tokina.  The only other mainstream lens left is the only one that scored higher than the Tokina, and that’s the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM.

The numbers that are used to determine the scores aren’t really all that important to most people, until you add in on every vital number, and that’s the price (according to Amazon right now).

  • Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR – $2,397
  • Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM – $2,198
  • Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM – $1,999
  • Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED – $1,697
  • Tokina AT-X 24-70mm f/2.8 Pro FX – $937

It’s less than half the cost of each of the three current models, and only a little over half the cost of the previous Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G.

Of course, DXOMark scores don’t tell you about things like build quality and durability, nor the support you’ll receive from the manufacturer in the event that it dies, all of which are a big concern to f/2.8 zoom users who rely on their equipment to keep a roof over their head and food on the table.

It also doesn’t measure things like the speed of the autofocus, and subjective points (don’t make me say it) that make a photographer choose one lens over another.  It also doesn’t tell you that the Tokina is the only one of the lenses listed that doesn’t have weather sealing, also important for many types of photography.

But, if you were in the market for a more budget 24-70mm f/2.8, it looks like Tokina may be the way to go.  It also just beats out the Tamron (which scored 31), and laughs in the face of the Sigma (which scored a lowly 25).  You can read the full review, here.

Do you care what DXOMark says about a lens before you buy? Were you surprised by these findings? Will it make any difference to your next lens purchase? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

[via Phoblographer]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Nikons D4s Set for Release in March TetherTools wants some CamRanger action, launches Case Air wireless tether at half the price Samyang releases full frame 35mm f/2.8 FE lens for Sony that competes with Zeiss at half the price Silicon Power 1TB Superior microSD card – Faster than SanDisk at less than half the price

Filed Under: news Tagged With: Canon, gear comparison, Nikon, sigma, sony, Tamron, Tokina 24-70mm

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

« Ricoh’s new 4K Theta 360° VR camera announcement expected soon
Three tools to rule them all: How to fix anything in Photoshop with three basic tools »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Sony’s ZV-E1 is a cut-down FX3 in a vlogging form factor
  • Watch: How good (or bad) is an $8.50 tripod?
  • How to light and photograph Lego building interiors
  • Lighting Setup: How to light your portraits with £50 LED tubes
  • Review: Insta360 announces its first gimbal – The AI-tracking Insta360 Flow

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy