Availability of WA lenses

Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to photograph
a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough lens to do it
right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and
Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the Tokina factory ever going
to get caught up, or should I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews
I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had
good results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't been
universally shared.

Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself on
B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of how long
that waiting list currently is?

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first announced, I
could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews started coming
out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.

Indecisive Bob

Robert Coe wrote:
Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to
photograph a building the other day because I don't have a wide
enough lens to do it right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina
11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and Adorama have had it back-ordered for
months. Is the Tokina factory ever going to get caught up, or should
I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews I've read seem to
favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had good
results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't
been universally shared.

Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put
myself on B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a
sense of how long that waiting list currently is?

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first
announced, I could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the
reviews started coming out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started
thinking about the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.

If you're blowing assignments because you don't have the right lens then go
with one that you can get.

On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:35:35 -0500, Robert Coe wrote:

Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to
photograph a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough
lens to do it right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8,
but both B&H and Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the
Tokina factory ever going to get caught up, or should I settle for the
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a
noticeable margin; and while I've had good results with my Sigma lenses,
I realize that my experience hasn't been universally shared.

Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself
on B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of
how long that waiting list currently is?

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first
announced, I could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews
started coming out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about
the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.

When you decide to buy Sigma, you're better off getting the f/4-5.6
version, which is better in terms of sharpness and CA.

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...uct/171/cat/31

I've had the Sigma myself for about a year now, and am very pleased with
the results. Here are some examples:

http://www.arumes.com/temp/ninglinspo (shots 1, 2, 8, 9, and 10)
http://www.arumes.com/temp/photo/fullsize/CRW_2840.jpg
http://www.arumes.com/temp/photo/fullsize/CRW_2888.jpg
http://www.arumes.com/temp/photo/fullsize/CRW_3639.jpg
http://www.arumes.com/temp/CRW_4521+4525.jpg

--
Regards, Robert http://www.arumes.com

"Robert Coe" wrote in message news
Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to photograph
a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough lens to do it
right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and
Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the Tokina factory ever going
to get caught up, or should I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews
I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had
good results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't been
universally shared.

Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself on
B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of how long
that waiting list currently is?

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first announced, I
could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews started coming
out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.

Indecisive Bob

I compared one sample of a Sigma 10-20mm (same model?) and
a sample of a Nikkor 12-24mm. Neither showed obvious optical
misalignment problems. I didn't like either but for different reasons,
and considered them "equal-but-different". Neither had really good
corner sharpness at infinity, the Sigma showed more illumination
fall-off, and one showed better corner resolution but more chromatic
problems than the other (I don't remember which - but I would not
have been happy with either for critical work). If you can wait, I'd
go for the Tokina from B&H based on early reviews, since B&H
so "cheerfully" accepts returns for replacement or refund if you
don't like what you get. As always, test for alignment problems
immediately upon receipt. These may be useful, although they were
developed primarily for use with Nikon pro full-frame film bodies --
http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/lens-testing.htm
http://www.donferrario.com/ruether/c..._alignment.htm
--DR

On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:35:35 -0500, Robert Coe wrote:

Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to photograph
a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough lens to do it
right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and
Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the Tokina factory ever going
to get caught up, or should I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews
I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had
good results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't been
universally shared.

Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself on
B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of how long
that waiting list currently is?

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first announced, I
could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews started coming
out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.

FWIW, since you don't mantion for what camera, 17th St Photo has the
Tokina for Nikon in stock.

Robert Coe wrote:
Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to photograph
a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough lens to do it
right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and
Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the Tokina factory ever going
to get caught up, or should I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews
I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had
good results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't been
universally shared.

Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself on
B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of how long
that waiting list currently is?

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first announced, I
could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews started coming
out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.

Use a full frame camera and WA "35mm" lenses instead?

On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:56:06 -0500, me wrote:
: On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:35:35 -0500, Robert Coe wrote:
:
: Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to photograph
: a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough lens to do it
: right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and
: Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the Tokina factory ever going
: to get caught up, or should I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews
: I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had
: good results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't been
: universally shared.
:
: Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself on
: B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of how long
: that waiting list currently is?
:
: Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first announced, I
: could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews started coming
: out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about the Tokina instead.
:
: All advice gratefully received.
:
: FWIW, since you don't mantion for what camera, 17th St Photo has the
: Tokina for Nikon in stock.

I guess that's an encouraging data point, but my cameras are Canons.

Bob

On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:13:20 +0000, Bruce wrote:

Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first
announced, I could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews
started coming out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about
the Tokina instead.

All advice gratefully received.


If I knew the Tokina was the lens I wanted, I would buy the Sigma and
use it until the Tokina because available, then buy the Tokina and sell
the Sigma on eBay.

But if you really were a professional you wouldn't need to ask for this
advice, you would just do it. ;-)

Also, is there no more suitable option within your camera brand? Nikon
offers two truly excellent 12-24mm lenses, an f/2.8 FX and a cheaper,
variable aperture DX.

According to slrgear.com, the Nikon and Sigma are fairly equal.

--
Regards, Robert http://www.arumes.com

On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:44:10 -0500, Robert Coe wrote:


I guess that's an encouraging data point, but my cameras are Canons.

photo4less.com have an "imported" version in stock and would appear to
have a decent rating on resellerratings.com.

On Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:13:37 -0500, Alan Browne
wrote:
: Robert Coe wrote:
: Well, it finally happened. I did a mediocre job on an assignment to photograph
: a building the other day because I don't have a wide enough lens to do it
: right. I've been hoping to get the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, but both B&H and
: Adorama have had it back-ordered for months. Is the Tokina factory ever going
: to get caught up, or should I settle for the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5? The reviews
: I've read seem to favor the Tokina by a noticeable margin; and while I've had
: good results with my Sigma lenses, I realize that my experience hasn't been
: universally shared.
:
: Since I hadn't completely made up my mind, I didn't actually put myself on
: B&H's waiting list until recently. Does anyone here have a sense of how long
: that waiting list currently is?
:
: Or am I being silly not to just buy the Sigma? When it was first announced, I
: could hardly wait to get my order in. Then when the reviews started coming
: out, they seemed lukewarm, so I started thinking about the Tokina instead.
:
: All advice gratefully received.
:
: Use a full frame camera and WA "35mm" lenses instead?

Yeah, if I had a 5D, I'd click in my 28-105mm Canon lens and have at it. But I
don't, so that's not an option.

Bob