Zuiko 90mm f/2 macro vs Tokina AT-X 90mm f/2.5 macro

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2921 Location: The Netherlands

To avoid human error, I took each image 5 times while focusing in between. I used only the best images for this test.
Magnification factor is 1:10.

First, the Zuiko wide open (center)

Zuikocenterf2 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Very sharp.

Center comparison @ f/2.8 (& f/2.5)

Center28 by devoscasper, on Flickr
Detail is very good from both lenses. The Olympus shows a bit more detail and contrast. Look at the letters in the left star.

Center comparison stopped down to f/5.6:

Center56 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Almost no difference. I would say the Olympus shows a tiny bit more detail, but nothing significant.

Then the corners. First the Zuiko wide open:

ZuikoCornerf2 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Not quite as good as the center of course, but lots of detail already.

Comparison corners @ f/2.8 (& f/2.5):

Cornerf28 by devoscasper, on Flickr

At this aperture, the Zuiko is clearly superior. Also, the Zuiko has better corners at f/2 then the Tokina @f/2.5.
But what if we stop down to f/5.6?

Corner56 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Almost no difference here, but the Zuiko is slightly superior.

Quick bokeh comparison:

BokehComparison by devoscasper, on Flickr

Bokeh of both lenses is pleasant. With the Zuiko you're able to isolate your subject slightly more from the background. Unfortunately this image doesn't clearly show bokeh balls. The Tokina has 8 blades, the Oly 9 blades. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. The Tokina CAN show a bit of jigsaw pattern in bokeh balls at f/4, but usually they don't show up or it is very hard to see.

Purple fringing:

FringingA by devoscasper, on Flickr

Both lenses suffer from purple fringing wide open. @ f/2.8, the Zuiko's fringing is as good as gone. The Tokina displays fringing at f/2.5, but at f/4 this is gone.

Infinity test follow later.

Conclusion for now: both lenses are very sharp. In the center the differences are minimal, but the Zuiko is slightly better. In the corners the Zuiko is a significanlty better at wider apertures. When stopped down, these differences become very small though.

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Thanks! I think the zuiko has just a little bit more contrast. The zuiko is probably more expensive but will probably retain most of that value. Is it worth the price difference? The Tokina might retain its value, but who knows? Full disclosure: I just bought a very nice copy of the zuiko.

lumens pixel · Expire: 2021-06-25

Interesting test. Like 1

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2921 Location: The Netherlands

cbass · Joined: 27 Jul 2019 Posts: 441

And a new king is crowned.

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

for test and sharing results! (I'd like to see where Tamron SP 1:2.5 / 90mm fits, though)

cbass · Joined: 27 Jul 2019 Posts: 441

I can't tell you if the Tamron is better than the Tokina, but I have a Tamron 90 f/2.5 52BB and it's optical excellence but mechanical crap.
I have gone through several copies and all of them were the same. They wouldn't stop down all the way to f/32. They would get at far as f/4 or f/5.6 and stop working. I found out that putting a piece of copper tape on the adapter around the cam allowed me to stop down to f/11 or f/16 and that was good enough. It seems that over time that cam sags a bit and you can't stop down completely. I tried a few different adapters so it wasn't the adapter.

hasenbein · Joined: 15 May 2020 Posts: 93

In a macro corners wide open are totally irrelevant.

You don't shoot macro wide open anyway. Macro is a (at least) f8-f11 business.

Paragon19 · Joined: 26 Dec 2021 Posts: 45

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Tokina may be more bang for the buck, but I'd buy the Zuiko as it looks a clear winner to me.

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2921 Location: The Netherlands

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2921 Location: The Netherlands

OK here's the infinity test. For privacy reasons, I masked the building in front. Left center crops, right far corner crops.

First the Zuiko wide open:

ZuikoInfinityF2 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Then the comparisons:

Infinityf28 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Infinityf4 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Infinityf56 by devoscasper, on Flickr

I would conclude that the Tokina does a good job, but is outperformed by the Zuiko.

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2491

Ray Parkhurst · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:03 am Post subject:

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Paragon19 · Joined: 26 Dec 2021 Posts: 45

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2921 Location: The Netherlands

Good close focus corner performance can increase creative possibilities. For instance super thin DOF where the subject of interest is in a corner. For classical macro shots (insects for instance) this may be not important. But as this lens is quite fast, it is IMO not made for classical macro only.

RokkorDoctor · Joined: 27 Nov 2021 Posts: 1267 Location: Kent, UK

caspert79 · Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Posts: 2921 Location: The Netherlands

Some more images of today with the Zuiko 90mm:

Zuiko902macroDSC09413 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Zuiko902macroDSC09396 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Zuiko902macroDSC09385 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Zuiko902macroDSC09394 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Zuiko902macroDSC09397 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Zuiko902macroDSC09391 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Ray Parkhurst · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2022 4:35 pm Post subject:

The data at PhotonsToPhotos shows the lens moves the 3 rear-most lenses in a group for focusing. It also shows that the lens is optimized for 1:2 "macro" operation, not for infinity. It appears that the max aperture available at the corners is ~f4 at infinity, and around ~f2.5 at 1:2 (EA3.7).

https://www.photonstophotos.net//GeneralTopics/Lenses/OpticalBench/OpticalBench.htm

Unfortunately PTP does not have data (that I can find) on the Bokina to compare. Maybe someone else can find it.

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 760 Location: USA