Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro

Available to fit Canon and Nikon DSLR cameras with an APS-C sized sensor, this 35mm f/2.8 Macro lens from Tokina is currently unique as neither manufacturer produces a macro lens at this focal length.

Priced at £370, this lens offers a compact and lightweight solution for those looking for an introduction to macro photography.

Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens: Handling and features
At only 60mm long when focused to infinity, this lens is small enough to stow away in the bottom of a kit bag until it is needed, and weighing only 340g, it is very lightweight too. Despite the light weight, it feels very sturdy and the front element is deeply recessed inside the lens, protecting it from any bumps and scrapes. The textured black finish gives the lens a very high quality appearance, which compliments the Nikon D300 used for testing perfectly.

Pulling the manual focus ring towards the camera instantly switches from auto focus to manual focusing, which although not as elegant a solution as full time manual over ride, it still works well. In use the manual focus ring is nicely damped, making it easy to make fine adjustments quickly. A standard built in motor powers the auto focus mechanism and at normal distances, focus speeds are adequate. A focus limiter switch is provided to prevent the lens from tracking through the entire focus range, which can help to speed up focusing in difficult situations.

Focus isn't performed internally, and the lens extends by a couple of centimetres at minimum focus. Due to the short 35mm focal length, working distances can be tight, and it can be difficult to get enough light on your subject, especially at maximum magnification. The lens accepts 52mm filters and the lens barrel does not rotate during focusing, making it straightforward to use polarising and graduated filters.

Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens: Performance
Shooting wide open the performance across the frame is already excellent. Stopping the lens down to f/4 increases the sharpness in the centre to outstanding levels and the quality towards the edges remains close to excellent. Stopping the lens down any further reduces sharpness due to diffraction, but sharpness levels remain very good right down to f/16.

Resolution at 35mm		How to read our graphs The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. Averaging them out gives the red weighted column. The scale on the left side is an indication of actual image resolution. The taller the column, the better the lens performance. Simple. For this review, the lens was tested on an Nikon D300 using Imatest.

Levels of chromatic aberrations towards the edges of the frame are higher than I would normally expect from a macro lens, and this phenomenon appears to get worse as the lens is stopped down. At f/22 coloured fringing towards the edge of the frame exceeds 2.5 pixel widths, which may pose issues along high contrast edges, especially at large print sizes.

Chromatic Aberrations at 35mm		How to read our charts Chromatic aberration is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software. Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more. For this review, the lens was tested on an Nikon D300 using Imatest.

Falloff of illumination towards the corners of the frame is very well controlled. At f/2.8 the corners are only 0.85stops darker than the image centre, and stopping down to f.4 results in visually uniform illumination.

Slightly more barrel distortion than I'd normally expect from a fixed macro lens is present. Imatest detected 1.1% barrel distortion, which shouldn't pose too many issues. If straight lines are paramount, the distortion should be easy enough to correct in image editing software as the pattern is uniform across the frame.

The recessed front element is already well protected from extraneous light that may cause flare or loss of contrast, but for a little extra protection, a round metal lens hood can be screwed into the front filter thread. When shooting into the light, I did not notice any flare, but contrast can drop dramatically, especially if the light source is very strong.

Out of focus areas are rendered smoothly – ISO200, 1/640. f/5.6, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)		A short macro lens allows more of the background to be captured in the frame – ISO200, 1/320, f/8, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)
The short focal length can make working distances a little tight - ISO200, 1/60. f/11, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)		Life size magnification allows frame filling shots of very small objects - ISO200, 1/60. f/11, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)
A 35mm lens used on an APS-C camera provides a natural perspective - ISO200, 1/800. f/8, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)		Very fine details are rendered clearly - ISO200, 1/60. f/8, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)
Shooting into the light can sometimes result in a loss on contrast, especially when shooting wide open - ISO200, 1/2500. f/2.8, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)		Under more favourable conditions, images are sharp and contrasty from edge to edge - ISO200, 1/60 f/16, 35mm (35mm equiv: 52.5mm)

Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens: Verdict
Overall this Tokina makes for a compelling choice, especially for those looking for a lightweight macro optic on a budget, for applications where the short working distance won't be an issue.

Optically, this lens is a superb performer, yielding sharp, contrasty images, even when shooting with the aperture wide open. Its only weaknesses are the levels of chromatic fringing towards the edges of the frame, and its tendency to lose contrast when shooting into the light. Saying that, for the price, the performance is still superb.

Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens: Pros
Excellent sharpness across the frame
Good build quality
Compact
Lightweight
Keenly priced

Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens: Cons
Chromatic aberrations towards the edge of the frame when stopped down
Loss of contrast when shooting into the light

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
OVERALL

Tokina AT-X M35 Pro DX 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens: Specification

Price	£370.00
Contact	www.kenro.co.uk
Filter size	52mm
Format	APS-C
Construction	9 elements in 9 groups
Angle-of-view	43°
35mm equivalent focal length (on APS-C body)	52.5mm
Internal focusing	No
Image stabilisation	No
Minimum focus	14cm
Maximum aperture	f/2.8
Minimum aperture	f/22
Weight	340g
Size (lxw)	73.2mm x 60.4mm
In the box	Metal lens hood

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