Doris asked
> I'm looking for a tiny zoom in this range, and was wondering if
> anyone here has used the Tokina 70-210 SZX ?
Yes, I bought one new in 1986 and used it fairly heavily up
until last year.
Resolution: equal to or slightly less than my newly-acquired
65-200 f/4 Zuiko, softer than the Tamron SP 70-210 f/3.5-4,
and *much* softer than the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.5 macro that
I now normally carry instead of it. IOW nothing to be ashamed
of. Assessed by comparing, under the microscope, tripod shots of
a piece of wood. As well, I compared, under the microscope, in-camera
dupes of a landscape shot done first with the Tokina and
then with the Tamron. All shots OM-4 with self-timer, films were
Elitechrome 100 (formal test) and Velvia (dupes).
Handling: It pulls out instead of in to go longer; this
is less stable. The zoom action is noisy. It parks at the
short length, so is unhandy for when an extinct Tasmanian tiger
pokes its head out of the shrubbery. The click-stops on the
aperture ring are a mad mixture of full and half stops, but the
action is nicer than on Zuikos. Mine developed a bad dose of zoom
creep. The filter ring is 52mm, but no vignetting occurs with a
step-up ring to 55mm and a normal Hoya circular polarizer.
When working the DOF preview, your finger fouls the
aperture ring. All in all, this is the weakest area, as with
many third-party lenses. One very big plus is that, on the
camera, it fits in a Lowe Topload Zoom.
Speed: it's a variable aperture f/4-f/5.6 without correction
tricks in the diaphragm. IMO only a problem on the OM-4.
Close focussing: 1.1m at all focal lengths. Works
well with tubes at centre (e.g., OK with flowers if
you don't use the whole frame). Because the lens is
so light, a tripod collar isn't needed, but zoom creep
can be a problem.
Flare resistance: good. Comes with a hopeless hood -
use a collapsible rubber one instead.
Contrast and colour: not quite a Zuiko or Tamron SP.
In its early life this was the best lens I owned (no Zuikos) and it
produced some crowd-pleasing shots. Later on, it developed severe
aberration - mainly chromatic - and lash in the mechanism. After
replacement of the runners early last year, it was back to its old
self, without the zoom creep too. So I would say the lens is good,
but not for the amount of use I gave it and the extreme places I
took it.
P.S. I am considering selling mine.
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