A Defective Tokina AT-X 116 PRO 11-16mm Lens
Posted by KhoKing on Sunday Mar 16, 2008 Under PhotographyI ordered a Tokina AT-X 116 PRO 11-16mm Lens for my customer few days ago.
As usual, I check every unit of lens before sending out to my customer. To my dismay, I found the Tokina AT-X 116 PRO 11-16mm Lens that I received on 13th March 2008 (Thursday) is defective. There are some defect or weird pattern on the front element coating. I showed it to my wife and she agreed on the “butterfly” pattern.
The defect is actually quite hard to notice, unless you put it under the correct light angle.
The photo below is under a slightly different angle (see the lens hood angle is different), and you can’t really see or detect the “butterfly” defect:
Here’s a closeup of the butterfly:
For me, it is NOT acceptable, though unlikely the defect is going to be shown on the final image.
Since my customer trusted on me on getting a good copy of Tokina lens, so I always put myself in my customer’s shoe. If I have to pay $$$ for a lens, I would expect it to be “perfect” or “near perfect”. Since I can’t accept this kind of defect myself, so I rejected the lens and returned it to my supplier. I shall receive a replacement on Tuesday or Wednesday.
My apologize to my customer for the delay of delivery by extra few days… 
Yes, I sell the lens at ShaShinKi.com. The Tokina AT-X 116 PRO 11-16mm Lens can be ordered at:
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
How does that affect the final image? Unless you have images that have been distorted or damaged by that ‘defect’, you are very much libelling a product of Tokina’s without proof.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Hi squodge,
For me, that is a defect in coating. Isn’t the picture clearly shown the defect? Without proof? What proof do you want?
Final image?
Go take out one of your most expensive lens, get a knife and scratch across it. Will that scratch be shown in the final image? I doubt. Still, if you are paying $$$ for a brand new lens, will you want to it to have that kind of defect on it?
Maybe you do, but personally I will not compromise for such defect and I will not want my customers to compromise for such defect.
April 26th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Khoking,
Thanks for customer oriented professionalism.
Could you please let us know what kind of filter you are using in Tokina AT-X 116 PRO 11-16mm Lens. We will be glad to know filter type recommendation specially for this lens.
Thanks,
Have a good one.
SKV
May 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
[...] comes with a solid plastic butterfly snap-in lens hood. Speaking of butterflies: Someone reported a butterfly pattern on his AT-X 116. I had a close look at my lens and was unable to detect any pattern on it. Most [...]
May 15th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Excellent customer focus attitude Koh. Keep it up!!
July 28th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Can you get this lens in a Sony fit?
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
sony sucks
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:39 pm
How I wish all sellers had the same concern to give the best to their customers as you have!