The camera and lens industry has evolved rapidly and many firms have had to adjust in order to survive. Some leave traditional photography to the wayside and go purely digital, some specialize, and some brands provide the kinds of supplementary tools and products that make photography and videography more successful. The Tokina brand is one such group, and though it has been making lenses since the 1950s, it has since become a major name in both photographic lenses and CCTV equipment.
It began in Tokyo in 1950 when the Tokyo Optical Equipment Manufacturing firm was started. At that time, it was similar to other firms of this kind, making binoculars, microscopes and specialized optics for export. However, the 1950s were also an era in which photography became a far more affordable and popular past time. To accommodate the consumer and professional demands, the firm began to also product a full range of photographic and optical products, including filters.
Today, the firm reigns as the #1 producer of camera products and telescopes in Japan. However, the original company is now a subsidiary. What was the Tokyo Optical Equipment Manufacturing became Kenko Tokina Co. LTD, and Tokina is actually a division of this group.
Partnered with Pentax (which is itself a division of Ricoh), the companies collaborated to craft some of the highest quality lenses for modern DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras. According to Tokina, they are noted particularly for their "fast glass" which allows models like their ATX-116 PRO DX to operate with an 11-16mm lens with an aperture capability of f/2.8.
Lenses crafted within this partnership have the Pentax brand name and use the universally preferred Pentax K mount. When they are branded Tokina, they use all other lens mounts.
Currently, the firm has a list of high quality lenses available. They are:
With a motto like "where imagination finds focus," and so much experience and history in the world of optics, the Tokina lenses are a must have for the savvy photographer. Using premium design and adaptable to the very best brands of digital cameras, they are high performance lenses that can help even a beginner to greatly enhance their control and results in camera work. When you need a lens for a modern camera, trust the Tokina brand.
TokinaLense.com. Products. http://www.tokinalens.com/tokina/products