Tokina's flat-field portrait and landscape optic launches this week for $599/£579
Sony shooters seeking a new option for portraits and macro now have a new option, with the announcement of the Tokina FiRIN 100mm F2.8 FE Macro (or "FíRIN", as the company lists it) for Sony E-mount cameras.
This versatile mid-range optic will challenge the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS as the best Sony lens for macro photography, but its fast f/2.8 aperture also makes it a solid option for portrait shots, with nine aperture blades producing soft beautiful bokeh and great background separation.
The Tokina FiRIN 100mm f/2.8 Macro FE lens enables you to close focus at 114.3mm / 4.5 inches
Its real strengths, though, lie in its macro capabilities. It reaches 1:1 life-size reproduction with a working distance of 114.3mm / 4.5 inches between the subject and the front of the lens.
Shown originally at Photokina last year, the lens comprises of nine elements in eight groups, the FiRIN's 'flat-field' optics have been engineered to eradicate field of view curvature, delivering superior edge-to-edge sharpness across the focal and aperture ranges.
Marvelous for macro
It has also been constructed to make maximum use of the powerful macro aids in Sony cameras such as focus peaking, auto image enlargement, electronic distance bar, manual focus assist and image stabilization.
Tokina is also confident enough to claim "perfectly controlled chromatic aberration, flare and ghosting" thanks to the optic's multi-coatings, which render images with a natural color and "extremely low" light falloff.
The Tokina FiRIN 100mm f/2.8 Macro FE barrel includes a helpful distance and ratio scale
The lens boasts a large manual focus ring when you want to take over from its autofocus ability, with the extending barrel taking the lens length from 123 to 163mm. It weighs in at 589.7g / 1.3 lbs, with a 55mm filter size.
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The first two lenses in the Firin series were the Fírin 20mm F2 FE MF and Fírin 20mm F2 FE AF – manual-focus-only and autofocus Sony-mount lenses of the same prime design.
The word Fírin is apparently a variation of Fírinne, the gaelic word for "truth". Tokina explains this 'represents a promise from Tokina to photographers to help them capture the truth in their images'.
The Tokina FiRIN 100mm F2.8 FE Macro will be available from 26 April at a cost of $599 / £579 and should provide an all-in-one solution for both portrait photographers and macro shooters.
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
