Im here

[leonardobarreto.com]

Hi, I have not posted lately -I know my friendship with Asher is ok even if I don't post, he said so- because my life is going through a huge change with the move to Bolivia and all. Today I turned in my last assignment for a gallery and I am going for a week vacation to Nicaragua before coming back, pack and go to La Paz in July.

I got three Elinchrom flash compacts, two new 400BX and one new 750 MINI and there are some comments in general about Elnichrom as opposed to what I had before that is AB's and not all is good for the Swiss because believe it or not the Alien Bees sting really hard compared to the respectable Eurobrand. On the other side, the new lights seam to have better color, consistency, efficiency than the first. I only need a studio to run test, and that is the plan for La Paz.

I also got a D300 some weeks ago and I was looking for good DX optics but was not completely in love with what I saw from Nikon or Sigma ... until I discover something called TOKINA and I must say that it was love at first sight ... --almost, since I have yet to see the lenses--, but for the research so far it seams that this is the glass to colect.

There are two lenses that I, now, must have:

http://www.tokinalens.com/products/tokina/atx116prodx-a.html

and

http://www.tokinalens.com/products/tokina/atx535prodx-a.html


Tokina seams to be the tree of the fruits from the DX revolution. In the times of one million X zooms when cameras come with 18mm-200mm things, they have a different proposal: zoom less, but zoom better.

11 to 16 is nothing compared to 18 - 200, but, first of all it is a 2.8, second, it is a small lens, you are not pointing your subject with a subway train, but with a lens that is like a two sitter, sport, fast and that goes to wide 24mm (35mm equivalent) to 16.5mm (35mm eq.)

So, it is almost like a prime, almost like a zoom.

The reward comes also in quality for what I have seen in my research to the point of living some Nikon wide zooms (the ones that want to give you a bit more X zoom) in the dust in term of sharpness in the corners.

Then there is price: they are cheap

Then, they are built like old lenses,

The AT-X 535 PRO DX is the same thing, basically your old 80mm 210mm f2.8, built like a tank, internal focusing but miniaturized and at affordable price.

I went today to see this zoom at Adorama but they had shipped the only one they had in the store to a client.

I don't know what I will exactly be doing in Bolivia, but my idea is to do general commercial photography and maybe stock. The main system will be my Mamiya/Phase One, but I want to live that in the studio and use the D300 outside, so this two lenses would be the perfect thing to have, light compact fast, robust...

what do you think?

The also have a 35mm DX macro and other beauties...

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

no reply?? good, so I won't feel so guilty for not having time to answer to the comments to my thread.

I must be out of practice in posting, not even Asher has dropped by... I guess it most be the summer and people are out shooting...

Any way, I saw the

Tokina 50-135mm f/2.8 Pro DX AF at B&H. They said that none are available of this or the 11-16mm f2.8 models, so I could only see the 135. It is a heavy lens, but not a hugely heavy lens as a 80-200mm2.8 would be. I am bidding on eBay as we speak and I hope to get it at $500 or I will let it go since it is about $600 new !

I think that maybe I should post somewhere else in the forum, no?

Ok, I will not bore you more... hasta la vista

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Leonardo,

I did not miss your post. I even looked up the lenses. Tokina has a varied past. Recently the quality of some of the lenses, has had good reports. So it seems like a good choice. did you find any reviews?

I have been very busy with all sorts of responsibilities. However, I was convinced that there would be plenty of interest in the new line of Tokina lenses. I was hoping that there would be reports of people's experiences.

Asher

 

[Kathy Rappaport]

Leonardo,

it's very possible that there was no one who could answer your post here. Most of us shoot with Canon and Canon Lenses. I know that I have not shot with a Nikon for about 8 years now and never used or considered a Tokina. I have one Sigma lense and one Tamron lens and the others I have are all Canon.

Lots of times on the boards - here and elsewhere - people can only respond when they have experience with something and no offense if intended. Sometimes people post when there is a flurry of information and a post will get lost in the middle. It's just the way of these chat boards.

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

Ok, guys, I was just kidding. But is nice to get your attention. I also, have to say, that Will called me from California to talk a bit about lenses, diffraction and a bit about his 10 8x10 cameras...

Responding to Asher and Kathy, I have not used Nikon for years, as a matter of fact, my last Nikon was one that you had to open the back and insert a cassette with a winded strip of cellulose embedded with a chemical coating ... you know... film.

I was part of the "mine is better than yours" debate in dpreview.com when I defended the Fujifilm S-2 as the camera with the best IQ, and then I went to Mamiya P25.

The D300 is a very matured DSLR and I even like the fact that it is a DX.

A 35mm reasonably light, fast to shoot and review, with a huge display and a reliable battery (the Fuji was awful) is a very attractive back up system for the Mamiya since, as Will would say: "we did a test with Asher" and diffraction IS a real factor limiting the resolution of a Mark 3 type of camera (or that is what I understood he said).

12mp, then is a nice place to settle down and DX is convenient because it makes the system more compact. Not so much the bodies but the lenses.

This is where Nikon is not getting it. I saw that they are now happily coming up with a 24mm PC with Tilt and Shift for the now flag ship FX body. A flip flop since they declared that DX is all what you needed and they where going to sell.

That is where TOKINA comes alone. The used to have a big line of lenses and now they seam to be consolidating and targeting pros and prosumers (hate the term, sorry) with lenses that look like old nikon but are completely modern and committed to the DX format.

My research shows that the TOKINAS have very good barrel distortion properties --or absence of-- and that some reviewers are calling them superior to Nikon lenses.

Now, I have a choice to make since Adorama and B&H don't have the okina AF 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX since it seams to be a lens that is just coming out of develpment, but there is this other wone

Tokina AT-X 124 AF Pro DX 12-24mm f/4

The two lenses look almost the same and have advantages and disadvantages.

LENS A) -- Wide side is 12 a bit less wide but a bit less barrel at the widest/ goes to 24mm a bit more / f 1:4
LENS B) -- Wide side is 11 one point more but a bit more dist./zooms only to 16mm / f 1:2.8

LENS B) is available in stores and cheaper $500 as opposed to $ 570 for LENS A)

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

I lost the bid for the 50mm-135mm f 1:2.8
my bid was $506 and they got if for $516, but new is $600, so, maybe I get the wide first ... after you tell me wich one ... A or B ...

 

[Asher Kelman]

Look at the new wide ultra wide angle zoom from Nikon. Reports suggest it is remarkable! You can get it with a focus confirm adapter Nikon to Eos. Worth looking into!

Asher

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

Asher, I don't know which Nikon new wide angle you are referring to, but there were some new ones for FX announced that are relevant to my search only so that I can be so happy to have a DX camera and not have to need one of those super expensive and massive zooms.

In DX Nikon does not have anything that competes with the TOKINA, the one that comes close is

a 12-24mm f/4 (16.4onz) comparable to that of an 18-36mm lens on 35mm size sensor format.

Internal focusing

Exclusive Silent Wave Motor (SWM) enables ultra-high-speed auto focusing with exceptional accuracy and powerful super-quiet operation.

TOKINA has the two lenses that I'm talking about, 12-24mm f/4 is one, a bit more heavy at 20.1 onz, so probably more metal and/or glass was used on the TOKINA than the Nikon...

Then TOKINA is just adding the other one, a 11mm to 16mm f/ 2.8 that is much more attractive or professional since the high speed. As a matter of fact, I think that that -- the f 1:2.8 -- is the one that I should get so far.

Now, one more thing, if I had a 3D the (11 to 16 in DX is like 16 to 24 in FX terms), so lets use the AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8 ED for comparison just because it is the one that almost equates the TOKINA in speed and coverage.

TOKINA LENS WIGHT 560g lens length 89.2mm
NIKON LENS .... WEIGHT 35.3 ONZ OR (1000g) 3.8 x 5.2 inches (diameter times lenght) 98x 131.5mm

It means that the DX is almost half the weight of the FX and the length of the TOKINA is shorter than the diameter of the Nikon.

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

I am going to CC a message I received as Private Message, not much comment but to thank James for the link to images and the input.

I canniot post in the pro forum so I thought I would at least drop you a message about the Tokina thread. I have the 12-24mm DX lens that I use on my D200. I really like it a lot and am very glad I bought it. Now however, I recently purchased the new full frame Nikon D3 and cannot use it on that body. I can but only in DX mode. So now I am about to have to shell out even more money and get the 14-24mm f/2.8. Oh well. The Tokina is a great lens if you decide to get it. If you have never seen it, you can go to pbase and see sample imagaes from a number of different lenses. Here is the link to the Tokina 12-24mm sample images.
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/tokina/at_x_124_af_pro_dx
James Newman​

I think I will get the f 2.8, the question is how to get it before I live to Bolivia in July... I think that if I put an order in Adorama?

 

[Kathy Rappaport]

In NYC?

Go to B&H Photo if you are in NYC! That is photographer's paradise!

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

They dont have it, I went to B&H

 

[Michael Fontana]

Yep, the Nikon 14-24 seems to be amazing!
I've gotten some RAWs taken with a 5D...

Good luck in La Paz, Leonardo!

Kathy,
I might buy that 14 -24 from H&B, as well; very much cheaper than here!! How is that store reputation?

I'd go for the US = international warranty....

 

[Asher Kelman]

Yep, the Nikon 14-24 seems to be amazing!
I've gotten some RAWs taken with a 5D...

Could you post some images and 100% cutouts?

Good luck in La Paz, Leonardo!

When you are settled in, let me know! I'd love a United Nations job so I could visit!

Kathy,
I might buy that 14 -24 from H&B, as well; very much cheaper than here!! How is that store reputation?

You do mean B&H? If so, its reputation is stellar. Besides if you have an issue, let me know. So where did you get the Nikon lens for testing yo thought was "amazing"? Or perhaps you're referring to two different lenses, one Nikon and the other Tokina?

Asher

 

[Michael Fontana]

Asher
you can have a look here here

You can see the entire image as well as some 100% crops, taken by Joe.
I've got these (and some more RAWs) from him - and I can confirm the Nikon's 14-24 corner-sharpness, which I never seen before on UW's.

Ok, I never had the legendary distagon 21, but I'm using daily the distagon's 25, 28, 35, on the 1 Ds-2, some very reputated lens. Still, I hold my breath, when I saw the Nikon' s 14 - 24....
it blows the Sigma 12- 24 away, no doubt.

Not having that lens right now, but will get one, as I got a interesting job ; therefore my B&H-question. It will fit my needs in the UltraWide range perfectly, and higher up, I'm fine with the distagons.

Not liking the UW's to much , therefore rarely in use, its perfect for these occasions.
(I'd never buy the fix 14mm, and BTW I doubt that its better than the 14-24!) )

Just waiting the adapters vers 2 to appear, the one with the lever...

 

[Georg R. Baumann]

As for the Nikon 14-24, yeah, I would also think it is on the same level like the Zuiko Digital 7-14 mm, both are the best you can get in UW Zooms.

Leonardo, What brings you to such a place? How comes you decided to live there?

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

My wife will be the Resident Coordinator of UN in Bolivia, or the head of United Nations. We have lived in Tokyo, Managua, Guatemala City, Quito, Mexico DF, and New York (3 times) in the last 19 years we have been together. I have to re-tool my practice to every new destination, for example: I had to learn japanese to work for the magazin AERA published by newspaper Asahi in Japan, one time they said to me that "is good to see handicaped people working here" meaning that just for being a foreighner ... in Guatemala and Ecuador I worked for advertising agencies and is what I want to do in Bolivia with my Mamiya/P25...

By the way, anyone in the NY area that wants me to refer my clients to?

Back to the wide angle topic, my point was that the DX size permits you to have a much smaller lens than with a 5D type camera or a FX like the D3 from Nikon. Anyone agrees?

I would like to get the TOKINA but don't know if Adorama/B&H will have one available before I go...

 

[Georg R. Baumann]

Thanks for sharing that Leonardo, fascinating!

I would like to suggest, if you would want to refer clients to a fellow OPF member, it might be an idea to make that a dedicated post in the Pro Business Forum.

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

Georg:

I think it is a long shot to find someone interested. I also don't have too many clients since just arrived 2 years ago.

The interesting part is that there seams to be hard for galleries here in New York to find photographers that could document their art shows at a reasonable price (my rate is $30 per image), but I may probably be looking at a small corner of a large woods since there are more than 500 galleries in Manhattan...

The only photographer I know works under a $1,800 day rate and told me that I should be charging at least $50 per image.

Just as context anecdotal information, the other day I visited the studio of a photographer who's kids are in the same school as mine (PS3, Hudson & Prince) who is latino (originally from Lima) and is a cinematographer but adopted table top photography as a "day job'. His day rate is $3,500 and told me that this is the standard regular rate for studio photography.

He has no portfolio because he told me that has worked on a string of referrals and that his knowledge of movie production and computer literacy gave him the momentum necessary to get to the point where he is at the moment. He got a lease on a permanent studio, a Hasselblad H1, Leaf DB, Profoto system and that's it.

That is where I want to point my practice to: studio work in commercial/advertising.

I apologize for the way this post is going from one topic to the next. May be it could be used as a brain storming for sub-posts on other topics like how to steer ones carrier from a practice -- such as art documentation -- to a different one -- commercial -- or moving from one city/country to another with it...

The other topic could be for all the pro photographers that have a spouse with a more lucrative carrier and have to adapt their practice accordingly.

 

[Michael Fontana]

leonardo

>my rate is $30 per image<

wow, incl. post and with your MFback?

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

I process as I shoot and transfer the images before leaving, just the minimum adjustment. I have no over heads, no car, assistant and pay no rent since I have no studio, just the desk at home and a storage in West Chelsea.

It is the problem of having to move from one place to another and start cold start with no clients. What I did here was to basically work to pay for the DB, MacPro Quad, carbon tripod 300D and other things and apply that to commercial later.... at least I'm out of editorial where day rates are $300/$400...

leonardo

>my rate is $30 per image<

wow, incl. post and with your MFback?

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

I placed the order for the

at Adorama and hope that I can get to take it with me.

It is interesting to see that Nikon is releasing a second FX body that is basically a full frame sensor version of the D300.

Does it mean that DX will be left as a less-than-pro "format" ?

Anyway, I am happy that there is the choice and I can combine DX with my DB...

I will post images when I get the lens. Thanks for the advice.

 

[leonardobarreto.com]

I realize now that this thread is out of topic for the Pro forum, I think I should open one at the Nikon corner, -- I now have the TOKINA lens but got the f / 1:4 12~24mm instead since they told me that it would be "few weeks" before the other could be in my hands...

so, I will see you there?

thanks to Asher's patience and the fact that he didn't move this thread as he sometimes does : ) ...

 

[Georg R. Baumann]

so, I will see you there?

....but of course!

 

[nicolas claris]

so, I will see you there?
...

i Leonardo

Everywhere you'll post!

You change of place, but OPF stays well anchored… we'll be glad to hear from you from anywher in he World…;-)