Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 Mark II Cinema Zoom Lens Announced

by Jakub HanSeptember 24^th, 2019

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Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 Mark II lens has been one of the new lenses at Tokina’s IBC booth. It features a compact design, covers super35 sensors, and offers the same 95mm diameter and same gear rings position as Tokina 11-20mm T2.9 cinema zoom lens. The new 50-135mm lens will cost around $3,500 and should start shipping in early 2020.

Tokina cinema lenses portfolio includes the original Vista prime series, the Vista One prime lenses (announced earlier this year), 100mm macro lens, and few zoom lenses. At IBC 2019, Tokina showed its new 50-135mm T2.9 MKII cinema zoom lens and the Tokina 135mm T1.5 Vista prime. If you are interested in the new 135mm T1.5 Vista prime lens, check our other article. In this article, we only focus on the new super35 50-135mm T2.9 cinema zoom lens.

Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 Mark II Cinema Zoom Lens

The new Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 Mark II cinema zoom lens features a compact design. It is an update to the original 50-135mm T3 cinema zoom lens from Tokina. It features an all-metal mechanical housing with industry standard 0.8 MOD cinema gears, 300 degree focus throw, updated T2.9 iris, and 95mm front diameter for common cinema accessories.

Its optical structure produces a 31.2mm image circle, which is enough for super35 (APS-C) sensors. The position of focus and iris rings as well as 95mm diameter matches the Tokina 11-20mm T2.9 cinema lens. Both lenses in the series feature an interchangeable mount between PL, EF, Sony E, MFT, and Nikon F mounts.

The 50-135mm lens is parfocal to retain focus while zooming, it has dramatically reduced focus breathing and image shift, and low distortion. There is a de-clicked, 9-bladed, curved iris for round bokeh and precise exposure control. Close focus is available from 3.3 feet distance. There is an 86mm front filter thread.

Future Tokina Cinema Zoom lens – The 25-75mm T2.9

At the end of our interview with Chris from Tokina, we got a little sneak peek at the future of Tokina cinema zoom lenses. Tokina is now offering two super35 cinema zoom lenses – the 11-20mm T2.9 and the new 50-135 T2.9 Mark II. To fill the focal length gap between these two lenses, Tokina will introduce a 25-75mm T2.9 cinema lens next year. It is going to have the same 95mm diameter and same gear rings positions as existing cinema zooms to complement the lineup.

Price and Availability

The price of the new Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 MKII cinema zoom lens will be around $3,500. Tokina plans to start sending the lens to its distributors at the end of this year, so it should ship to first customers in January or February 2020.

What do you think of the new Tokina 50-135mm T2.9 cinema zoom lens? Do you have experience with the first generation of this lens or with the 11-20mm T2.9 cinema zoom? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.