Tokina Lenses

Est. 1950 · Tokyo, Japan · 1 lens

Tokina traces its origins to 1950 in Tokyo, with the Tokina lens brand emerging as a specialist third-party alternative for SLR photographers. The company built its reputation around solid mechanical construction and independent optical designs for the major 35 mm SLR mounts rather than around a proprietary camera system. That position made Tokina one of the classic third-party lens makers alongside Sigma, Tamron, Vivitar, and later Cosina-branded lines.

The AT-X series became Tokina's best-known photographic identity. Tokina often emphasized wide-angle and ultra-wide zooms, where lenses such as the AT-X 11-16 mm f/2.8, 12-24 mm f/4, 16-28 mm f/2.8, and 17 mm and 20 mm primes filled gaps in first-party lineups or offered more accessible alternatives. The 90 mm f/2.5 macro, nicknamed the Bokina by enthusiasts, became one of the company's cult lenses for its sharpness and rendering.

Kenko took over Tokina's sales operation in 1994, and Kenko and Tokina merged as Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd. in 2011. The modern Tokina line spans DSLR lenses, cinema lenses, surveillance and industrial optics, and mirrorless-native atx-m and FiRIN designs for Sony E, Fujifilm X, and other systems.

Notable designs: AT-X 90mm f/2.5 Macro, AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8, AT-X 12-24mm f/4, AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8, FiRIN 20mm f/2 FE, atx-m mirrorless primes