Tokina’s 11-18mm F2.8 X is its first super-wide zoom designed for mirrorless

Tokina’s had quite the range of wide lenses over the years, from the classic 11-16mm and 11-20mm f/2.8s to the wide aperture 14-20mm f/2. But they’ve all been made primarily for DSLRs. Today, though, Tokina’s announced its new 11-18mm f/2.8 X, designed exclusively for mirrorless cameras.

As the “X” in the name might suggest, this is an APS-C lens for the Fuji X mirrorless system. In full-frame terms, it offers a field of view equivalent to a 16.5-27mm lens, in a compact, lightweight body for hybrid photo and video shooters.

Wide f/2.8 aperture

The lens offers a fast f/2.8 constant aperture throughout its focal length range. At 74.4mm long, it’s not the smallest lens out there, but it’s still quite compact for a zoom lens of this focal length range. It weighs 320g, which is quite a bit less than many of its predecessors.

The compact design lends itself well to handheld shooting for photography, such as landscapes, events and even street photography. Its low weight, combined with its very wide field of view, also makes it ideal for vlogging and video work – especially if using a gimbal.

Tokina says that it offers lower distortion than the competition, with minimal vignetting and light falloff. The elements are multi-coated with the company’s “original blend formula” to minimise ghosting and lens flare. This brings clarity and contrast, which can sometimes be a downfall of wide zooms.

Silent for video and quiet environments

It has a silent ST-M motor, so if you’re using it for video, your on-camera microphone won’t pick up its noise as it finds and tracks your target. And it’s fully compatible with Fuji’s image stabilisation, AF+MF, MF Assist and Eye Detection modes.

The base of the lens features a USB-C socket. It’s nice to see USB-C becoming more common on lenses. It seems that with some manufacturers, at least, gone are the days of docks or having to connect it to a camera just to update the firmware or tweak settings.

Tokina 11-18mm F2.8 X Specs

Price and Availability

The Tokina 11-18mm F2.8 X will be available to pre-order soon for for $699. Shipping is slated to begin on March 14th. There’s no word yet on if or when we’ll see this lens come to other APS-C mirrorless mounts, but I hope so.