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I've read heaps of the past post but can't find anything yet from you guys on the Tokina 80-400mm ATX zoom lens. I really
want the 80-400mm VR nikkor lens but the price is out of reach for now. So my question - Is the 80-400mm Tokina
a good lens for $500.00 used , i've tried and very much like the Nikkor but its to expensive.

I was lucky enough to use an example of this lens at Origin III last year and have to admit that although the extra reach is nice I cannot recommend this lens. I found that it was clearly inferior to the Nikkor AF-S 70-300mm ED VR that I used at Origin I with poorer colour rendition and resolution (I was able to crop tighter using the Nikkor than with the Tokina.

This is my experience with this lens and only reflects about 2hrs of use. Although the price and build of this lens is tempting I would not bother with this lens.

Hope other people can help you with more opinions on this matter.

Thanks Aim54x that is what i wanted to hear, a honest and experienced review. it was hard to get a none manufacturers review on the Tokina 80-400mm.
thanks mate!

Most times, when people look at an alternative to the Nikkor 80-400 VR, they look at the Bigma. Most times, when they do, they will do one of two things. I'll leave it to you to work out which of these courses is the most economical ....

1: They buy the Nikkor 80-400VR first up. They are satisfied with that purchase.

Or ....

2: They buy the Bigma. Within a few weeks to months, they buy the Nikkor 80-400VR, because they find the Bigma deficient in some way.

And putting that into some sort of perspective, I know of only one person who is satisfied with the Bigma.

No worries, I only wish that there was someone else to share their experience with this lens.

Gary, although I have not had a chance to mount a Bigma on the end of any of my Nikons I have had a brief play on a Canon and having seen the results that people have posted on the forum with this lens I am pretty impressed by it. I can only see the lack of stabilisation as a possible niggle I would have with this lens.

Make that vote #2 for a Nikkor 80-400mm VR

aim54x wrote:having seen the results that people have posted on the forum with this lens I am pretty impressed by it.

The results that I have seen have been less than impressive, with a lack of acuity being a primary issue.

As I said, I know of only one person who has been happy with his, and against that, there's probably been something like fifteen or twenty members over time here who have purchased one after considering both, only to swiftly move to the Nikkor.

Vote #3 for the Nikkor. (Just keep saving, and waiting, maybe you can pickup a great 2nd hand one like I did too).