Lens

[MiniChris]

I have a Nikon AF Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5.6 lens I use on a FM2 film camera...just for giggles, I mounted it to my Nikon D40 and it gave me the message to lock the lens at f:22 and I did and shot and it came out quite nicely.
Does anyone out there in radio-tv land know if it will work on my Nikon D7000?

[pwnage101]

Most high-end nikons are known to work better with older non-CPU lenses. For example, the D300 (and all the other FX cameras) allows for around 7 lens profiles so you can shoot and maintain exif data. The way I see it, you should be more concerned about lenses not working on the D40 rather than the D7000

[MiniChris]

I notice you use the Tokina 11-16...I am going to assume you know the relationship between Nikkor and Tokina but want to ask you your opinion of it as a good landscape lens and if the optics hold all the way to the end. I find a lot of Nikkor lenses tend to get a bit soft at higher f/stops. I am in the market for such a lens, but would love to get a good bit if solid feedback before taking the plunge.

[Donald]

Chris

I have a Tokina 11-16 (albeit a Canon Fit version) and I think it's a superb lens.

This is a copy of the review I put up on the suppliers website:

"After reading everything I could find, I was still slightly cautious about whether it would live up to the very positive reviews I'd read elsewhere. Was also concerned about the few reports I read about 'bad ones', but also noted a number of informed commentators saying that a lot of the 'bad ones' are down to poor use, not a poor lens.

The Chromatic Aberration (CA) is certainly there, but if you've done your research on this lens, you'll know about the issue. Is it something to stop you buying if this is the sort of lens you want/need? No! You just have to manage it.

Others have criticised the small telephoto range. Well, if you want an ultra wide-angle, this is one. If you need a longer range, then that's what you need to go for.

In terms of what this lens produces, I think it's outstanding. I find the build is excellent (I'm not the most gentle person in handling equipment). AF (although I tend to be tripod mounted, using LiveView and on Manual Focus)) is always fast and accurate. Overall image quality certainly pleases me (and seems to have pleased others who have looked at my images.

I haven't used another ultra WA, so cannot make comparisons. But, I think this is a gem. I love it."

[MiniChris]

I think that just about convinces me. I've just read several reviews on the Tamron and Sigma versions but they seem to be too plastic-y to suit my tastes. I like the feel of a solid built lens, and like yourself, I am not a brute, but I tend to sling my stuff about when I am on the move. Thanks for the good review.

[PopsPhotos]

Here are a couple of places to get information on lenses for various Nikons:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikkor.htm

It appears that the D7000 will take anything except the invasive fisheyes and the pre-AI lenses.

Pops

[pwnage101]

Gosh, regarding build quality my Tokina is a tie for best lens, matching my 50mm f1.8D (but the Tokina wins for effort because the 50 is very simple and probably much cheaper for Nikon to build ). The plastic shell on my other lenses bend if you hold them in the right spot. Both the focusing and zooming rings on the Tokina are extremely smooth and easy to grip.

With such a small circle of confusion at f2.8 (due to short focal length) my camera almost always misses focus, but thanks to the awesome (and legible) distance meter I am able to hit perfect focus in less time using MF. But I am sure that, coming from the film era, you are used to lenses with focus meters (unless I am mistaken...I've never used a film camera that was not disposable).

The supplied hood makes it look very stylish and I admit to using it just to look like a professional, but there really has not ever been a situation when flare was so severe that I could not clip blacks in photoshop . This leaves the only purpose of the hood to be protection, in my opinion.

My understanding is that quite a bunch of CiC members have this lens too