Allen Huang Photography Journal

Well, I was quite skeptical about this lens at first, especially after reading the MTF graphs.
They stated that this lens was softer at all apertures (that were comparable) than my beloved Tank Beast Tokina 28-70/2.8

When I received it, I was in utter frustration as I had thought the seller didn't include the lens hood which he said he would. After looking around the box, I found it rapped in paper! (Lol)

It was a well cared for lens, I would not be surprised if he said it was new! No marks, scratches, signs of use Whatsoever!

When I attached it to my a200 with vertical grip, it looked very strange (very small). I wasn't used to small zooms anymore, and anything that wasn't bigger than 72mm (filter diameter) looked strange. But I got over it after I started using it. (I don't think I'll use my Tokina again, other than for portraits).

So I heard this lens performs really well on FF, lets see on APS-C.

These tests were performed on a tripod, SSS-off, Autometer, Apeture Priority and 0EV compensation
Sony DSLR-a200

Minolta 3.5


Tokina 3.5







Minolta 5


Tokina 5







Minolta 6.3


Tokina 6.3







Minolta 8


Tokina 8







Minolta 16


Tokina 16



What is evident is that the Minolta outperforms Tokina from f3.5 to about f5.6, the image for f5 seems to be a bit blurred, will check up on that.

The Tokina then takes over from f6.3 onwards.
Minolta shows steady maintaining of quality up to f8.

This is evident that Minolta is a better lens wide-open, while Tokina owns afterwards.
If only it were vice-versa, I'd resell the Minolta.

(these were both set at 28mm, it may be a weak spot for Tokina)

The brokeh from the Minolta is MUCH better than the Tokina, something that I've always liked about Minolta lenses.


Hope this has helped you decide, if you EVER come across these 2 (quite unlikely nowadays).
Enjoy.
A.

I watched a movie on my parents' Taiwanese (please, not Chinese) channel - MacTV, sponsored by the government for fellow compatriots!

Anyway, It depicted children in junior school who all come from different backgrounds.
The main actor's parents were lunch/take away owners and were quite lean. including himself.
They were friendly and didn't really care about the kid's schoolwork - therefore he didn't excel and came last for every test. They called him "Small Fat"

Then there was the kid who came 1st in the grade, he comes from quite a wealthy family with his father doing business in Mainland China. He stays with his mom and she is addicted to Mahjong. She doesn't care much about him and only gives him money.

Then the last boy I'll mention, who is quite an entrepreneur, is wacky and loves adventure comes from a family where his mother has passed away. His father is still in a state of great depression and cannot find a job since the company liquidated. He is middle aged and companies do not like hiring people like him.

In the end, a tragic story but not so tragic ending, he resorts to stealing.
He steals his son's classmates' parents' purses, cellphones jewellery etc. It was a shame because throughout the whole movie, his son prayed and cried that his father told him: "No matter how poor one is, they should not take others' belongings". He had made his own money to buy health lunch at school.

In the end he confessed and broke down. This was a very emotional climax and he told everyone how he was struggling and wishing it would just end - attempting to suicide.
But one of the parents said that his electronics company is short of someone like him. He was the father of the to be supermodel Jolin Lin

It made me realize that we're living a good life. An excellent life. And we should treasure our DSLRs and other things too, because in life, there's nothing more important that happiness and success. One cannot fathom another's failures so let's pray and wish these guys well.

Hope that they make it through their difficult times.