Tokina RMC 80-200mm f4 Nikon Nikkor

Tokina RMC 80-200mm f4 Nikon Nikkor

This is one of the common and popular lenses of the wonderful Tokina RMC line. Single-ring zoom with constant aperture Tokina RMC 80-200 / 4 was produced in versions for almost all SLR cameras: Pentax, Contax, Minolta, Nikon, Canon FD in the 1980s.

Features:
Lens type – varifocal (zoom)
Optical design – not found
Range of focal lengths – 80-200 mm
Relative bore – F / 4, constant
Filter thread – 55 mm
MDF – 1.9 m
Weight ~ 600 g
Case material – aluminum.

Tokina RMC 80-200mm f4 Nikon Nikkor

Features of the construct

Tokina 80-200 / 4 RMC belongs to the class of pump-action zoom lenses: focal length and focusing distance are controlled by one wide ring. This solution makes the use of the lens especially convenient.

When you change the focal length, the rear lens unit remains stationary, which eliminates the effect of a vacuum cleaner and saves the camera matrix from dust. Two internal lens blocks are movable. When focusing, the lens lengthens slightly (since focusing is carried out by the movement of internal lenses), while the front lens block rotates.

The lens has a six-petal aperture. The petals are dull, blackened and rounded, although the usual nuts appear one way or another on the covered apertures. The option with Contact-Yashik mount allows you to work with the diaphragm in full manual mode, while absolutely no additional actions are required (blocking any leash or something else). The diaphragm switches with clicks, in whole steps.

The lens barrel is made entirely of metal and the focusing ring is rubberized. At the same time, the lens is very light – for example, the zoom Vivitar Series 1 70-210 / 3.5 (Kiron) of a similar class is much heavier and has large dimensions. On the other hand, the lens does not have any macro mode (which the Kironov Vivitar had), while the MDF is almost 2 m – which is very inconvenient when working at short focal lengths. Despite this disadvantage, Tokina 80-200 / 4 left a very pleasant impression – its design is simple and straightforward, its use does not cause trouble, and its weight allows you to always take it with you.

Optical properties

The most important characteristic of a zoom lens is parfocal. This lens does not have it – the focal point shifts when the focal length changes. This is generally characteristic of pump-action zoom lenses and is logical: when the pump moves, it is easy to lose focus even if parfocalism is achieved. You can only try to align the lens so that the infinity mark exactly matches the focus at infinity by 200 mm. If you perform this adjustment for smaller DFs, then for 200 mm infinity will be unattainable. The alignment procedure consists of thin translational movements of the front lens unit, which is then countered by the title ring.

The picture quality can be assessed as good – Tokina RMC 80-200 / 4 forms a sharp, very contrast (Rainbow Multi-Coating helps) image with the correct color reproduction. Although 200 mm sharpness is low on an open aperture: it is reduced by software and longitudinal chromatism. The lens behaves very well at 135 mm – in this case, the FR pattern is quite pleasant, and the sharpness is still high at the open aperture. Due to the slight vignetting at the long end, the lens can twist the background in full frame. I was not able to note when using noticeable distortion.

Photos taken with the lens practically did not require processing when developing from RAW – which indicates the high optical quality of this inexpensive modest lens.

Tokina RMC 80-200mm f4 Nikon Nikkor

Conclusions

Tokina 80-200 / 4 RMC is another successful Tokina RMC lens. Excellent balance of cost and optical quality.