Tokina 11-16

Is anyone using the Tokina 11-16 underwater. I would like to find out what your experiences are..how it is optically and focusing.

THanks

Rick Decker

Do a site search - there's a lot of posts on this lens!

It's not such a fashionable lens as the 10-17 FE but I use it often in preference.

Focus is quick and optically sharp, maybe a little softer at the corners.

Good for wrecks and other subjects where you want to avoid the barrel distortion.

I also prefer my 12-24mm Tokina over a fisheye as it's distorsions are very low and i personally don't ike the "bent truth" of fisheye lenses.

Another advantage of this lenses are that they make great landscape lenses for topside photography.

The backdraw is that you need very big domes (at least 8'') to have sharp corners while using a fisheye you may use a minidome.

I have the Ikelite 6'' Dome specially made for the Tokina 12-24 and still get soft corners with a +3 diopter... Grrrrr

Chis

BTW: Beautiful pictures Balrog!

Thanks...how much port extension do you have. I have an 8 inch ikelite that I could use. Or could you get away with a 6 inch? Also I think the minimum focusing distance is about 9 inches. Are you using a diopter?

Can you email me rickdecker@hawaii.rr.com. I am traveling the next few weeks and will be getting email but not spending a lot of time surfing.

Nice shots - especially the last one. IQ looks good in the corners.

Rick

According to the Ikelite website http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/2port_tamtok.html#tokina they say:

Modular - 8" Dome

Requires:

— 5510.45 dome assembly

— 5510.22 port body

+2 close-up lens not required but may improve corner sharpness. Use large diameter 5509.28 zoom set.

As far as i understand you can use this modular dome without extension, only the dome assembly and the port body.

As i wrote, the 6'' standard dome is too small and will produce strong soft corners and even with a +3 diopter it has still soft corners.

The 8'' modular dome should produce less soft corner due his bigger size, but you should may get also +2 diopter, just in case that

the soft corners are still visible with your 8'' dome.

You may ask Ikelite directly, they are helpful for such questions.

Chris

Yes, I use the 8" dome with 5510.22 for the 11-16. I think the above shots were taken with a +2 dioptre but sometimes I use it without.