I own a Nikon D5000 and a 35mm 1.8 lens, and I'm planning on purchasing another lens as a Christmas gift, and I think what I need most right now is a wide-angle lens.
I don't own the kit lens, so I've been using the 35mm for a little over a year, and with the 35mm being almost 50mm on my crop body, I've found it to be difficult to photograph group family photos or some things indoors.
I was looking at many lenses and was considering a 20mm prime, but on my camera it would be 30mm, and that's not wide enough, so I've almost decided on the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 because of how wide it is and how relatively fast it is (for indoor shots), except for the fact that I'll have to manually focus this lens. It's around $600, and I won't be able to buy anything that's more expensive, so does anyone have experience with manually focusing it, or would anyone like to recommend anything else?
I'll also eventually need something with more reach than the 35mm for the telephoto end, and I was considering getting the 85mm 1.8 perhaps next year since it's relatively inexpensive, but I'd also have to manually focus it as well.
The only experience I have manually focusing is with my 35mm 1.8 when I switch the lens to Manual, and for me it's almost impossible to get the focus right. I just can't tell when the subject is in focus, and I was wondering if every other lens would give me the same experience.
I don't own the kit lens, so I've been using the 35mm for a little over a year, and with the 35mm being almost 50mm on my crop body, I've found it to be difficult to photograph group family photos or some things indoors.
I was looking at many lenses and was considering a 20mm prime, but on my camera it would be 30mm, and that's not wide enough, so I've almost decided on the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 because of how wide it is and how relatively fast it is (for indoor shots), except for the fact that I'll have to manually focus this lens. It's around $600, and I won't be able to buy anything that's more expensive, so does anyone have experience with manually focusing it, or would anyone like to recommend anything else?
I'll also eventually need something with more reach than the 35mm for the telephoto end, and I was considering getting the 85mm 1.8 perhaps next year since it's relatively inexpensive, but I'd also have to manually focus it as well.
The only experience I have manually focusing is with my 35mm 1.8 when I switch the lens to Manual, and for me it's almost impossible to get the focus right. I just can't tell when the subject is in focus, and I was wondering if every other lens would give me the same experience.
In any case, this is a great lens, is fast AF, sturdy build, great colors, and has the fast aperture for low light / interior conditions, and times when you can't / don't want to use a flash. Seriously, it all depends on what you want to use the lens for... portraits, landscapes, nature, macros, architecture, etc., there are lens that best fit each and some of these styles. Just depends on you. And the Tokina 116 is excellent for some of these. Its biggest negative is that it doesn't have the range of the 12-24... but then the 12-24 doesn't have the fast aperture. Trade-off. So, which is more important to you? As said, I've the 11-16, and also a Canon 70-200 f4 IS, 55-250 (macro), and 28-135, the latter two being kit lens, but honestly quite good ones. But nevertheless, I'm acquiring a Canon 17-55, so will have range from 11 - 200 covered with quality glass,,, plus a true macro [Sigma 135 soon to be released] and a true portrait [50 f/1.4]. Sorry about that, I digress a bit, but to give a bit of background as to why for me, the 116 is a great fit, and why I'd recommend it.