In the mid-1990s, the Tokina AT-X Pro was part of Tokina's professional lens lineup. Featuring a constant f/2.8 aperture and a robust all-metal construction, it was designed as an alternative to the considerably more expensive standard zooms offered by the major camera manufacturers and also found its way into professional use.

When the Tokina AT-X Pro 28–70 mm f/2.8 was introduced in 1994, Nikon's professional standard zoom was still the AF Nikkor 35–70 mm f/2.8D. At that time, Nikon did not yet offer a professional 28–70 mm zoom with a constant f/2.8 aperture. It was not until five years later, in 1999, that Nikon introduced the AF-S Nikkor 28–70 mm f/2.8D IF-ED.

Compared to the Tokina, Nikon's new lens featured several technological advances, including the then-new AF-S Silent Wave Motor and Internal Focusing (IF).

The Tokina AT-X Pro 28–70 mm f/2.8 that I use belongs to the second generation, produced from 1994 to 1997. It is particularly interesting because its optical design is generally traced back to the French Angénieux AF 28–70 mm f/2.6.

Angénieux was best known for its high-quality cinema and motion-picture lenses. Introduced in the early 1990s, the AF 28–70 mm f/2.6 was exceptionally fast for a standard zoom. After Angénieux withdrew from the market for 35 mm still-photography lenses, Tokina introduced a closely related design at a considerably lower price.

Both the Angénieux and this Tokina feature 16 elements in 12 groups, a 77 mm filter thread and a minimum focusing distance of 70 centimetres. The Tokina, however, was not simply an Angénieux lens with a different name on the barrel. Its mechanics, body design and handling were developed as a distinct AT-X Pro lens.

The optical concept associated with Angénieux was not limited to this second generation. It also formed the basis of the later, externally very similar Tokina 28–70 mm versions. Tokina developed the lens gradually without completely redesigning the underlying optical concept.

With the AT-X Pro II, Tokina further revised the exterior design. The smooth finish was replaced by a textured coating, while the screw-on lens hood gave way to a bayonet-mounted version.

The earlier model, the AT-X Pro I, can be identified by its broad focusing ring with a sliding AF/MF clutch, the narrower zoom ring, the smooth barrel finish and the screw thread for the lens hood. Depending on the market, the same model was labelled either f/2.6–2.8 or, more simply, f/2.8.

The Tokina 28-70 AT-X Pro uses an optical design of 16 elements in 12 groups.

At maximum aperture, the lens delivers good sharpness across the zoom range, although f/2.8 is not where it shows its full potential. Wide open, there is a certain softness, which can be quite appealing with subjects such as portraits, giving the image a slightly gentler character.

Where fine detail and maximum definition are important, stopping down is clearly preferable. At f/4, sharpness improves noticeably, while from f/5.6 onward the overall impression is very good, with fine detail rendered cleanly and consistently.

This behaviour remains fairly consistent from 28mm to 70mm, making the lens predictable in practical use. Distortion remains moderate for a fast standard zoom, and vignetting is generally unobtrusive in practical use.

For a professional zoom lens from the film era, the Tokina offers an interesting balance: a slightly softer rendering at maximum aperture when desired, combined with very good sharpness once stopped down.

A crowded market is one of those situations in which a 28–70 mm zoom can offer a very practical advantage over a fixed focal length. The photographer often has little freedom to move forward or backward. People are constantly passing by, stalls restrict the available space, and stepping back to adjust the framing may simply not be possible.

In such an environment, the Tokina AT-X Pro 28–70 mm f/2.8 allows the composition to be adjusted without changing the shooting position. At the wider end, it can include more of the surrounding scene and establish a sense of place. Towards 70 mm, it becomes possible to isolate a person or a detail without having to move closer.

This photograph of a bread seller in Morocco is a good example. The subject is clearly separated from his surroundings, while enough of the market environment remains visible to give the image its context. The bicycle, the stall and the loaves of bread all contribute to the scene rather than becoming incidental background.

For travel photography, this is where the 28–70 mm range proves particularly useful: not because it replaces the deliberate choice of a fixed focal length, but because it provides compositional freedom when the photographer’s own movement is restricted.

One of the distinctive mechanical features of the second-generation Tokina AT-X Pro 28–70 mm f/2.8 is its AF/MF focus clutch.

Instead of using a conventional switch on the lens barrel, the broad focusing ring itself is part of the changeover mechanism. For manual focusing, the ring is pulled back towards the camera body; for autofocus, it is pushed forward again.

On this early version, the mechanism is slightly less straightforward than on later Tokina lenses. The clutch does not engage at every focusing position, so the ring may have to be turned slightly while being pushed or pulled until the mechanism locks into place.

When used on the Nikon F4, the mechanical changeover on the lens does not replace the AF/MF selector on the camera body. Since the Tokina relies on Nikon’s body-driven screw-drive autofocus, the camera itself must also be switched to manual focus when MF is required. The same applies to other Nikon bodies with a mechanical AF drive, including the F5 and many consumer and enthusiast SLR models.

In autofocus mode, the focusing ring is mechanically disengaged and does not rotate while the camera drives the lens. This reduces unnecessary movement and makes the lens more comfortable to handle.

The second-generation 28–70 mm was the first version of Tokina’s 28–70 series to use this clutch system. Later AT-X Pro lenses refined the mechanism further, making the transition between AF and MF simpler and more direct.

Optical construction: 16 elements in 12 groups

Maximum aperture: f/2.8 (some versions marketed as f/2.6–2.8)

Minimum aperture: f/22

Aperture blades: 8

Closest focusing distance: 0.7 m

Maximum magnification: 1:9.06

Dimensions: 80 ×10 mm

Weight: 760 g

Filter size: 77 mm

Focusing: Internal focusing with AF/MF focus-clutch mechanism

Lens length does not change during zooming

Lens hood: Tokina MH-773 (screw-in type)