Tokina have introduced the full-frame 20mm f/2.0 FE MF prime as part of its FiRIN series, a new mirrorless lens range. The lens is compatible with Sony E-mount cameras.
This first FiRIN (pronounced ‘fee-rin’) in the series has a lens construction of 13 elements in 11 groups. It has a minimum aperture of f/22 and features a wide focus ring for manual control and an aperture ring that can be “clicked” and “de-clicked” when switching between photo and video capture. The manual aperture control is able to transmit distance and aperture information to the lens, allowing the camera to utilize a 5-axis image stabilization system and manual focus assist.
“This is an exciting first step into the mirrorless market for Tokina,” commented Kenko Tokina USA President, Yasu Suga in their press release. “The all-new design delivers a sharp edge-to-edge image and greatly reduces exposure fall-off for a crisp, clear image.”
The launch of the FiRIN line is an interesting, and long overdue move from Tokina. In their 65-year history they have built up a reputation as a reliable, and relatively affordable producer of consumer lenses and are strongly associated with wide angle lenses like the ATX-116 PRO DX.
This new line is a demonstration of how traditional players in the photography market are being forced to adapt to the popularity of mirrorless cameras. The uncomfortable truth is that actually Tokina is remarkably late to the game, and Sigma and smaller Chinese manufacturers have surged into the void left by the equally slug-paced Tamron. Only a decade ago Tokina, Tamron, and Sigma were vying for dominance in the crowded third-party lens landscape.
Just today, Laowa introduced a full-frame 15mm f/2.0 FE MF prime, providing an instantly wider and equally fast alternative, This is without mentioning that the FiRIN line is completely manual focus, signalling a backwards step from the auto focus lenses Tokina used to make.