As some of you know, I recently purchased a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. The first copy seemed to give fantastic results when you were using the center focus point. However, if you used one of the outer focus points to gain focus, the image would be terribly out of focus. So, I sent that copy back in order to exchange it with another copy.


The second copy arrived yesterday and I immediately started testing it. The second copy did virtually the same thing (although didn't seem to focus quite as well even with the center point). I tried using the Microfocus adjustment on the 50D to dial it in. Using a MF adjustment of +19, I could get the lens to accurately focus using the upper-right (and far right) focus points. However, using the same MF of +19 threw the entire image out of focus when using the center focus point. It's as if each focus point needed its own MF adjustment.


In other words, it was completely useless to me. On paper, it was the perfect lens to round out my collection. In reality, it simply didn't work for me. The one good image I got from it was a self portrait in which I used manual focus. I simply cannot recommend the lens. I've sent back my second copy for a refund of my purchase price, but I'm still out the cost of shipping the lens 3 different times (they shipped it once for free). I considered giving THK a call to find out if there was anything that could be done to remedy the situation, but in the end I decided I wasn't going to trust a company whose product failed so miserably to meet my expectations.


The rep at Roberts Imaging told me he's never had a complaint about this lens from a Canon customer. There's a possibility that I received two lenses from an especially bad batch they had. Else there might have been an adverse and unforeseen affect of the most recent 50D firmware update. Heck, there might even be an odd combination of (seemingly unrelated) camera settings that caused the focusing anomaly to occur. But when it comes down to it, this lens on my 50D didn't work.


Just in case you were curious...