Tokina 50mm f/1.4

Full-Frame "Opera"

Zero Distortion

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 (72mm filters, 32.5 oz./921 g, 1.3'/0.4m close focus, $849. Comes for Canon EF as shown and also for Nikon F). bigger. I'd get mine at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

June 2020   Better Pictures   Tokina   Sigma   Tamron   Irix   Canon   Nikon   Sony   Fuji   LEICA   Zeiss   All Reviews

Why Fixed Lenses Take Better PicturesPlease help KenRockwell.com

Sample Images       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

These are just snapshots and there are many more throughout the review; my real work is in my Gallery.

These are shot hand-held as NORMAL JPGs; no tripods, FINE JPGs or RAW CR3 files were used or needed.

 

Sharp Wide-Open at f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Cactus, 4:15 PM, 18 June 2020. Canon Rebel T8i, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 wide-open at f/1.4 at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 9.6), Perfectly Clear. bigger or 24 MP camera-original © 4.4 MB JPG file.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Water Meter Cover, 8:22 AM, 16 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, square crop, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 at 1/4,000 at ISO 50, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 14.0), exactly as shot. bigger or 50 MP camera-original © 14 MB JPG file.

 

Sharp Stopped Down

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Red Trapezoid against Green, 8:18 AM, 16 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/5.6 at 1/320 at ISO 50, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 14.4), as shot. bigger or 50 MP camera-original © 19 MB JPG file.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Palm Drive, 8:02 AM, 16 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/7.1 at 1/320 Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 14.0), exactly as shot. bigger or 50 MP camera-original © 19 MB JPG file.

 

Introduction       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

New   Good   Bad   Missing

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

The Tokina Opera 50mm is Tokina's version of the monster 50mm f/1.4 super-performance lenses popular today.

The Opera 50/1.4 excels at super sharpness wide-open at f/1.4, where it's much better than Canon's ancient 1993-era EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. At normal daytime apertures Canon's $125 EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is at least as sharp and the EF 50mm f/1.2L is faster; the whole point of this giant Tokina lens is if you're shooting a lot wide-open and need super sharpness at every focussing distance.

In fact, at f/1.4 it's not quite as sharp in the corners as Canon's $125 EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens is at f/1.8, but it is sharper at f/1.4 than Canon's 1993-era EF 50mm f/1.4 USM and the Opera is sharper in the corners than the EF 50mm f/1.2L at f/1.2. I sort all this out at compared.

Yes, it's pretty sharp wide-open at f/1.4, but at normal apertures it's no more or less sharp than any other 50mm lens — and it does have slight lateral color fringes that won't correct on Canon, giving poorer performance than Canon's own lenses stopped-down.

While desktop photographers (those who spend more time researching than shooting) get excited about manufacturer promises of "super sharp," this lens isn't any sharper than other 50mm lenses in most actual use. Its real optical claim-to-fame is a complete lack of distortion, making it ideal for scientific and survey purposes where distortion otherwise would have to be corrected later. The opera's total lack of distortion is much, much better than most other 50mm lenses.

Due to a lack of any electronic correction, it has more lateral color fringes than other lenses when shot on Canon, which needs a lens profile that doesn't exist. (Nikon cameras correct this without profiles, so this should go away on Nikon.)

Just turn the focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

New       intro       top

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Tokina's first oversized "high performance" 50mm lens (actually all 50mm lenses are high performance, and usually are the sharpest lenses under $5,000 made by any camera maker).

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Electronic diaphragm in both the Canon and Nikon versions, which limits compatibility in Nikon.

 

Good       intro       top

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Sharp, but no sharper than every other 50mm lens.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Fast, quiet autofocusing.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Slightly closer focussing than other 50mm lenses, and extremely sharp even at f/1.4 at the closest focus distance.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Instant mechanical manual-focus override: just turn the big ring at any time.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Manual focus ring turns in the same direction as the camera-maker's own lenses.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com No distortion and thus no need to correct it.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Great bokeh.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Claimed dust & weather resistance.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Big included hood works much better than others and has a cut-out for rotating filters.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Focus distance is embedded in EXIF data in my Canon 5DS/R, for instance.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Electronic diaphragm lets it work much more quietly on most Nikon cameras (all lenses for Canon already have electronic diaphragms).

 

Bad       intro       top

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Offshored to Vietnam; not made domestically in Japan.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com No in-camera camera corrections to improve performance.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Big; weighs over a pound.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Heavy.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Expensive.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Electronic diaphragm lets it work much more quietly on most Nikon cameras, but also limits the compatibility of the Nikon version.

 

Missing       intro       top

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Image Stabilization.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No aperture ring.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No infinity focus stop.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No depth-of-field scale.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No infra-red focus index.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No case or pouch included.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 for Canon EF (also comes for Nikon F). bigger.

 

Compatibility       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

 

WARNING: As an off-brand lens, there is NO guarantee that this will work with your camera, especially new cameras you may get in the future. Be sure ONLY to get yours from an approved source (Adorama, Amazon or B&H) so you can return it for a full cash refund if for any reason it doesn't work great on your camera.

 

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Canon

This lens should work flawlessly on every Canon DSLR and SLR made since 1987.

It should work flawlessly on every Canon full-frame and every Canon APS-C DSLR.

It also should work flawlessly on every 35mm EOS camera, like my Canon EOS 1V, introduced in 2000, and original 1987 Canon EOS 620.

This isn't Nikon; with Canon, everything should just work, even if the camera is over thirty years old.

Use an EF to RF adapter to use this on Canon's Full-Frame mirrorless cameras.

 

Nikon

It should work on all FX DSLRs, and should work on DX Nikons introduced since about 2007.

For use on Z mirrorless cameras, use the FTZ Adapter.

It has a new electronic diaphragm; that's the "E" designation, so it won't work properly on older (pre-2007) DSLRs or on any Nikon 35mm camera; they won't be able to work with the electronic diaphragm and will only shoot wide-open at f/1.4, which may or may not be a problem.

It won't work with any of the Nikon 1 series (even with the FT1 Mount Adapter) or Pronea cameras — but who cares?

See Nikon "E" Lens Compatibility for more about diaphragm compatibility. Every camera that works with the diaphragm also works with autofocus.

If you want to use an older camera and only shoot at f/1.4, see Nikon Lens Compatibility and look in the AF-S column to be sure your old camera will autofocus with this lens.

If you don't mind shooting only at f/1.4, go ahead and shoot it on older cameras if you like. Even on a 1959 Nikon F you can focus manually and shoot wide open.

 

Specifications       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

 

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Optics       specifications       top

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Internal Optical Construction

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 internal optical construction. SD and Aspherical elements. bigger.

15 elements in 9 groups.

3 SD super-low dispersion elements, which help reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

1 aspherical element

Rear focussing.

Multicoated, branded "ELR" by Tokina.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Big, fat front element. bigger.

 

Filters       specifications       top

Plastic 72 mm filter thread.

 

Coverage       specifications       top

Nikon: FX, 35mm and DX.

Canon: Full-Frame, 35mm and APS-C.

 

Diaphragm       specifications       top

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 (diaphragm not visible). bigger.

9 rounded blades.

Electronically actuated.

Stops down to f/16.

 

Focal Length       specifications       top

50 mm.

When used on an APS-C camera, it sees the same angle of view as a 75 mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or 35mm camera. (See Crop Factor.)

 

Angle of View       specifications       top

47.4º diagonal on full-frame.

 

Autofocus       specifications       top

Rear focussing.

No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in.

 

Focus Scale       specifications       top

Yes.

 

Infinity Focus Stop       specifications       top

No.

 

Depth of Field Scale       specifications       top

No.

 

Infrared Focus Index       specifications       top

No.

 

Close Focus       specifications       top

1.3 feet (0.4 meters).

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio       specifications       top

1:5.6 (0.18 ×).

 

Reproduction Ratio Scale       specifications       top

No.

 

Caps       specifications       top

72mm front and camera-specific reap caps included.

 

Hood       specifications       top

Tokina BH-726 hood for Opera 50mm f/1.4

Included BH-726 hood. bigger.

The included BH-726 hood has a little section that pulls-out if you need to have access to rotating polarizers and gradiated filters.

Be careful; the little BH-726c piece isn't connected to anything, so it's easy to loose if you pull it out to make a hole. It's not a captive sliding door as in better designs.

 

Case       specifications       top

None.

 

Size       specifications       top

3.15" ø maximum diameter × 4.23" extension from flange.

80 mm ø maximum diameter × 107.5 mm extension from flange.

 

Weight       specifications       top

32.489 oz. (921.0 g) actual measured weight.

Rated 33.5 oz. (950g) for the lens and 1.6 oz. (45 g) for the hood.

 

Quality       specifications       top

Made in Vietnam.

 

Announced       specifications       top

Fall 2018.

 

Included       specifications       top

Lens.

Hood.

72mm Tokina front cap.

Tokina rear cap.

Instruction sheet.

 

Packaging       specifications       top

It ships in a very sturdy corrugated cardboard box, protected inside dense closed-cell black foam just like the LEICA Q2.

I'll bet you can drop this off a truck and the foam will protect it — but only get yours only at Adorama, Amazon or B&H so you don't have to worry that anyone dropped or played with your new lens before you bought it; Adorama, Amazon or B&H ship from secure warehouses nowhere near customers or salespeople.

Box for Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Box, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 for Canon EF (also comes for Nikon F). bigger.

 

Tokina's Model Numbers       specifications       top

Tokina calls this the "opera 50mm F1.4 FF" with model numbers:

OPR-AF50FXN (Nikon F).

OPR-AF50FXC (Canon EF).

 

Price,U. S. A.       specifications       top

$849, June 2020.

 

Performance       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

 

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Breathing   Bokeh

Color Rendition   Distortion   Ergonomics   Falloff

Filters   Flare & Ghosts   Lateral Color Fringes

Lens Corrections   Macro   Mechanics

Sharpness   Spherochromatism   Sunstars

 

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Overall       performance       top

The Opera 50mm f/1.4 works great, but not that much better or worse than much smaller and less expensive 50mm lenses.

 

Autofocus       performance       top

Autofocus is fast and quiet, no problems here.

 

Manual Focus       performance       top

performance          top

Manual focus is perfect!

Just grab the direct-coupled mechanical focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

 

Focus Breathing       performance       top

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

The image from this Opera 50mm grows larger as focussed more closely.

 

Bokeh       performance       top

Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is excellent.

Here are photos of my Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6250 weather station from headshot distance wide-open. Click any for the camera-original © JPG file:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Bokeh

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Bokeh

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Bokeh

Click any for the camera-original © JPG file.

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at f/1.4 and get as close as possible.

 

Color Rendition       performance       top

I find this Tokina is a little bit warmer (more orange) than my Canon EF lenses.

Auto White Balance may not work as well on your camera with off-brand lenses like this, as there's a lot more lens-camera communication going on than you realize to get the great pictures we take for granted with camera-brand lenses.

 

Distortion       performance       top

I can't measure any distortion, either at 10' (3m) or 30' (10m). This means it's below a level that would need a correction factor of ±0.1 Photoshop's lens distortion filter.

This is superb performance.

 

Ergonomics       performance       top

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4. bigger.
Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4. bigger.

Other than being too big and heavy, half this lens is a big focus ring and focus scale, which is great.

It's got a real, mechanical focus ring that always works anytime you turn it.

There are visible red mounting index dots both on the barrel and inside the mount.

Bravo!

 

Falloff       performance       top

Falloff on full frame is visible at f/1.4, and is gone by f/2, which is excellent considering that there is no electronic correction for this lens.

The falloff at f/1.4 is smooth and looks great to be used for artistic effect.

I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:

 

Falloff on Full Frame, no correction.

f/1.4
f/2
Nikon MMmm f/FF falloff
Nikon MMmm f/FF falloff
Nikon MMmm f/FF falloff
Nikon MMmm f/FF falloff
f/2.8
f/4

© 2020 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Filters, use with       performance       top

There's no need for thin filters. I can stack quite a few 72mm filters and get no vignetting on full frame.

Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.

It's odd that Tokina warns against using more than one filter for vignetting in its instructions; it must have been boiler-plate copied from other manuals. This is especially odd coming from Tokina, which is part of Hoya, the world's largest maker of optical glass and filters!

 

Flare & Ghosts       performance       top

Ghosts aren't a problem, which is especially great seeing how complex a design this is compared to most 50mm lenses.

See examples at Sunstars.

 

Lateral Color Fringes       performance       top

Here's the bad part: there are some very minor lateral color fringes if you really go out of your way to look for them with an ultra-resolution camera like the 50 megapixel Canon 5DS/R. We see these vestiges of optics past because Canon cameras have no lens profile to use to correct this lens, and no, Canon isn't going to create one for this off-brand lens.

I haven't tried this lens on Nikon, but the good news is that Nikon uses a different method to correct this electronically which doesn't require a profile, so these probably go away on Nikon.

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Golf Cart Crossing, 7:24 AM, 16 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/7.1 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.6), exactly as shot. bigger or 50 MP camera-original © 9.5 MB JPG file.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

600 × 450 pixel crop from top left. bigger or 50 MP camera-original © 19 MB JPG file.

If this is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same high magnification would be about 29 × 43" (2.4 × 3.6 feet or 0.75 × 1.1 meters).

If this is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 58 × 87" (4.8 × 7.2 feet or 1.5 × 2.2 meters).

If this is are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insane level of magnification would be about 116  × 174" (9.7 × 14.5 feet or 2.2 × 4.4 meters).

There is also moderately strong spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.

 

Lens Corrections       performance       top

Neither Nikon nor Canon have any lens profiles with which to perform any automatic lens corrections.

The good news is that there is no distortion to correct, which results in even sharper images because there's no need for sharpness-robbing resampling used in correcting distortion.

The bad news is that there can be visible lateral color fringes, which aren't corrected in Canon, but may be corrected in Nikon because Nikon can correct lateral color with no need for a lens profile.

 

Macro Performance       performance       top

Macro gets a little closer than most 50mm lenses, and more good news is that it's ultra sharp, even at f/1.4.

There is no depth-of-field at f/1.4, as with all lenses shot this close. Therefore the hands and case are both out-of-focus and color-fringed due to spherochromatism; this isn't anything wrong with the macro performance.

This is superb; I can't recall ever seeing a 50mm f/1.4 lens this sharp at f/1.4 this close:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Macro Performance

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at f/1.4 at close-focus distance, 14 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 at 1/8,000 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.0), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Macro Performance

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 15 × 22" (1.2 × 1.8 feet or 38 × 55 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 29 × 43" (2.4 × 3.6 feet or 0.75 × 1.1 meters).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 58 × 87" (4.8 × 7.2 feet or 1.5 × 2.2 meters).

 

Mechanical Quality       performance       top

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 for Canon EF (also comes for Nikon F). bigger.

This is a typical mix of plastic and metal.

 

Finish

Black plastic.

 

Hood

Plastic bayonet.

 

Front Bumper

None.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Hood Bayonet Mount

Plastic.

 

Front Barrel Exterior

Plastic.

 

Focus Ring

Rubber-covered metal at front, rubber-covered plastic at the rear.

 

Mid Barrel Exterior

Section with plastic focus window: plastic.

 

Slide Switch

Plastic.

 

Rear Barrel Middlin'

Tapered section between focus window and rearmost section: metal.

 

Rear Barrel Rear

Section nearest mount: plastic.

 

Identity

Silvery plastic plate around focus distance window.

 

Internals

Seem like plenty of metal!

 

Dust Gasket at Mount

Yes.

 

Mount

Metal.

 

Markings

Paint.

 

Serial Number

LASER engraved into recessed area of lens mount:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 for Canon EF (also comes for Nikon F). bigger.

Tokina is keeping their options open: there is a recess on the bottom of the barrel into which an otherwise blank sticker reading "MADE IN VIETNAM" is placed. This is exactly where other makers put serial numbers, so if Tokina wants to make it elsewhere or get cheap and not LASER engrave the mount, they're covered.

 

Noises When Shaken

Very mild clicking.

This is a very solid hunk of lens.

 

Made in

Made in Vietnam.

 

Sharpness       performance       top

Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.

If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 at ISO 1,600 at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.

This all said, the Opera 50/1.4 is excellent in the center at f/1.4, and usually very good even in the full-frame corners at f/1.4.

It can get softer in the corners at f/1.4, and show red/blue color fringes as well.

Here are some samples at f/1.4, where this and all lenses are at their softest:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Golf Cart Crossing, 7:24 AM, 16 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 at 1/2,500 at ISO 50 (LV 13.4), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 15 × 22" (1.2 × 1.8 feet or 38 × 55 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 29 × 43" (2.4 × 3.6 feet or 0.75 × 1.1 meters).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 58 × 87" (4.8 × 7.2 feet or 1.5 × 2.2 meters).

 

This shot, also at f/1.4, makes the falloff obvious:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

Golf Course, 7:57 AM, 16 June 2020. Canon 5DS/R, Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 at 1/4,000 at ISO 50 (LV 14.0), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from right edge. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 15 × 22" (1.2 × 1.8 feet or 38 × 55 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 29 × 43" (2.4 × 3.6 feet or 0.75 × 1.1 meters).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 58 × 87" (4.8 × 7.2 feet or 1.5 × 2.2 meters).

As you can see, even enlarged to ridiculous sizes, it's sharp even at f/1.4.

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 MTF

Tokina Opera MTF.

 

Spherochromatism       performance       top

Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration or "color bokeh," is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration. It happens in fast lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the color spectrum are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum. Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.

This Opera 50mm has a moderately strong spherochromatism:

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Shperochromatism

Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at close-focus distance at f/1.4, June 2020. bigger or camera-original © file.

 

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Shperochromatism

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 15 × 22" (1.2 × 1.8 feet or 38 × 55 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 29 × 43" (2.4 × 3.6 feet or 0.75 × 1.1 meters).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 58 × 87" (4.8 × 7.2 feet or 1.5 × 2.2 meters).

 

Sunstars       performance       top

With a 9-bladed rounded diaphragm, I get 18-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light mostly at the smallest apertures.

Ignore the magenta fringes in the top left at f/1.4; this is spherochromatism appearing on the out-of-focus foreground. (The green fringes on the out-of-focus background disappear against the green fronds.)

Ignore the crazy rainbow effects at small apertures; these are sensor artifacts caused by taking a picture directly of the sun and exposing for the dark underside of the palm tree.

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 Sunstars

 

Compared       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

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I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

The Opera lens has minor lateral color fringes which aren't seen with Canon's own lenses.

All are as sharp as each other at normal apertures.

All are about as sharp in the center wide-open, while they vary in the corners wide-open.

 

Versus the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Comparing both lenses wide-open, the $125 Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is about as sharp wide-open in the center, and sharper in the corners (but less contrasty) than the Opera.

Stopped down to normal apertures, they are equally sharp, and the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM has none of the lateral color fringes of the Opera.

The 50mm f/1.8 STM has a little bit of barrel distortion while the Opera has none.

The 50mm f/1.8 STM is much smaller and much less expensive than the Opera, but a little slower.

 

Versus the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4

I haven't included the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 in any of these comparison because it's a dinosaur unchanged since it was introduced in 1993. Its optics are inferior at f/1.4 due to spherical aberration.

Stopped down it's the same.

The EF 50mm f/1.4 is much smaller, much lighter and much less expensive, but does also have more distortion than the Opera. They are just as sharp at normal apertures.

 

Versus the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L

Comparing both lenses wide-open, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L is about as sharp in the center at f/1.2 as the Opera is at f/1.4, however the 50/1.2L is much softer in the corners wide-open compared to the Opera.

Stopped down to normal apertures, they are equally sharp, and the EF 50mm f/1.2L has none of the lateral color fringes of the Opera.

The EF 50mm f/1.2L has a little bit of barrel distortion while the Opera has none.

The EF 50mm f/1.2L is smaller, lighter and faster than the Opera, but more expensive.

 

Versus the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L

Comparing both lenses wide-open, the mirrorless Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L is sharper than anything here. It's a little sharper in the center where all are pretty good, and the RF 50mm f/1.2L is much sharper in the corners at f/1.2 than the Opera is at f/1.4.

Stopped down to normal apertures, they are equally sharp, and the RF 50mm f/1.2L has none of the lateral color fringes of the Opera.

Neither the RF 50mm f/1.2L nor the Opera have any distortion.

Both are about the same size and weight. The RF lens is faster and costs more than the Opera.

 

Versus the Sigma ART 50mm f/1.4

I didn't compare them directly as I did the others. I last used the ART 50mm f/1.4 back in 2014 on a lower-resolution Nikon that corrects for lateral color. Other 50mm lenses today have gotten better, so don't take my comparisons at the Sigma page at face value today.

This Opera has a the same close focus, costs less and weighs more. Optics are probably about the same.

 

Recommendations       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This is a special-purpose lens that excels at sharpness wide-open at f/1.4 and has no distortion. It's much better than Canon's ancient 1993-era EF 50mm f/1.4 USM still sold new today.

At normal daytime apertures all 50mm lenses are just as sharp, and Canon's own lenses perform even better because they are corrected even further electronically which doesn't happen with third-party lenses like this Opera.

If you don't mind this lens' size, weight and expense — and don't mind its very minor lateral color fringes — and do want a lens that's especially sharp wide-open at every focus distance and has no distortion, here you go.

For normal photography, I prefer the smaller and lighter Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM or Nikon's own lenses. If it's dark, I grab my faster Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L.

Nikon's and Canon's lenses are all just as sharp most of the time and much smaller, lighter and less expensive. If I need a super sharp normal lens with no distortion on Nikon, I opt for the $130 Nikon 50mm f/1.8D or any of Nikon's 55mm or 65mm MICRO lenses.

For mirrorless, get Canon's state-of-the-art RF 50mm f/1.2L, which is even sharper than this Opera and also has no distortion. I wouldn't waste my time adapting this lens to Canon mirrorless if I was serious about state-of-the-art.

I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.

The very best protective filter is the 72mm Hoya multicoated HD3 UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.

For less money, the B+W 72mm 010 is an excellent filter, as are the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.

Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.

All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece.

For color slides like Velvia 50, I use a 72mm Nikon A2 filter outdoors.

For B&W film outdoors, I'd use a 72mm Hoya HMC Yellow K2.

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Tokina does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken, Mrs. Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

 

More Information       top

Sample Images   Intro   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

Recommendations   More

 

I'd get my Opera at Adorama for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at Amazon for Canon EF or for Nikon F, at B&H for Canon EF or for Nikon F, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Tokina's 50mm Opera page.

 

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16 June 2020