Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF lens review

Tokina is making big claims about its new fast prime, but can the Opera 50mm cut it in this cut-throat sector?

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 FF is big and heavy for a 50mm prime lens, but it packs optics of the highest calibre and is built to last. Factor the fast, accurate autofocus and you've got one of the finest fifties you can buy for a Canon or Nikon DSLR.

Pros

  • +

    Great sharpness

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    No distortion

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    Negligible fringing

Cons

  • -

    No stabilisation

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    Pricey

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    Currently only Canon EF and Nikon F mounts

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Tokina is back with this new fast standard prime designed to be the start of a high-end Opera series, positioned above the company's AT-X lens line to rival Sigma and Tamron’s latest premium offerings.

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Ben Andrews

Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.