TOKINA 56mm LENS REVIEW FOR X SYSTEM CAMERAS
Tokina’s 56 mm f/1.4 lens for Fujifilm X mounts is very bright lens for portraits. It is equivalent to 85mm (84mm to be precise) on full frame cameras. It is perfect for wedding and portrait photographer thanks to it’s wide aperture (F/1.4) which results in creamy bokeh . Having wide aperture it is great to isolate the subject.
The lens is constructed using 10 elements in 9 groups. The build quality is great. Despite having so much specifications it is compact and lightweight.
SPECIFICATIONS:
X Mount Lens/ APS-C Format
Focal Length - 56mm (85 on Full Frame)
Construction - 11 Elements in 9 elements
Minimum Focus Distance - .6m
Filter Size - 52mm
Dimensions - 65*72mm
Weight - 315g
BUILD
It is build of metal and feels very sturdy while using. I really liked this lens paired with my Fuji XT-4. Absolutely the perfect combo for portrait shoots.
Aperture Ring
The lens has a dedicated Aperture ring. It is smaller than focus ring but comfortable grip.
Focus Ring
It also has dedicated focus ring which covers pretty much part of the lens. There is no focus switch on the lens. You need to change the focus settings in camera if you want to use manual focus. Luckily, my Fuji XT- 4 focus switch button on the front.
Lens Hood
It comes with a metal lens hood which is pretty big but it has many benefits like protecting your lens from scratches. It also helps to cut the glare caused by light.
Filters
It has 52mm thread size. It is compatible with circular screw on filters. Even if you bigger filters you can get step up rings. They come very cheap. You can get a pack of step rings for about 20$ on Amazon.
AUTOFOCUS
Photography
The lens has ST-M motor which is very silent. I tried to shoot in various situations and the auto focus worked really well. It has minimum focus distance of .6mm which is great.
Video
I tested it to make couple of videos. In some of them it missed focus. It was not able to track moving subjects sometimes. It’s not that bad but something to keep in mind. But in this price I think it is great.
IMAGE QUALITY
The picture quality of this lens is amazing. It is best suited for semi professionals but I myself would use it for my professional work.
Sharpness
The pictures are sharp but when shooting wide open it results in lack of sharpness. It is not a big issues unless you are a pixel peeper. This is a problem with almost every lens. Also, portrait lenses are not needed to be too sharp.
Bokeh
Because of it’s wide aperture this lens result in very creamy bokeh. It is designed to yield a shallow depth of field.
CONCLUSION
Overall, this lens is a perfect choice for amateur or even professional portrait photographers on budget. Being lightweight and small in size it is perfect when travelling. Though there are some cons like no weather sealing, etc, the benefits still overweigh them. I would definitely recommend this lens to anyone looking for a portrait lens for his/ her Fuji X system.