The Eye Of A Fish - Tokina

I have not reviewed many fish-eye lenses in this column over the years - not for any sinister reason, mind, but really because I am at a loss as to what images will be best captured with them.

I do not swim underwater with the fish and rarely go to pop concerts or inaugurations that might have tens of thousands of people attending them. I rarely go into caverns or cathedrals, and generally do not take the wide view of the place. So for me, the fish-eye view is a novelty.

For others, it can be the exact way they see the world...and I am not talking about haddock and tuna...some people see a wider view than I do. Not surprising, really, as I was fitted with spectacles at the age of eight and have seen the world through frames for the last 60 years.

For those who do see more, the Tokina AT-X 10-17mm f:3.5-4.5 DX Fisheye lens is a wonderful device. It is avaiable for Canon and Nikon mounts - this one is the Nikon version - and is built in the old-school material - metal. Note the slightly bulging front element that is characteristic of a fisheye lens and the fixed compact lens hood.

As we said with the other Tokina lens reviewed recently, the focus and zoom ring action is smooth and well damped and the operation very quick indeed.

A worthy optic for experimenters, interior shooters, landscapists, and environmental shooters. Not exactly a portrait lens, unless your taste in portraiture differs markedly from that of the rest of the world...and from that of the clients. Mind you if your clientele are haddock or you do schools portraits for herring and you can sell  the images, by all means come in and buy one!

As with all Tokina: made in Japan