Rokinon Tilt-Shift TSL24M-N 24mm
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
What Buyers Say
Rokinon Tilt-Shift TSL24M-N 24mm
The Rokinon 24mm f/3.5 tilt-shift lens receives mixed reviews. Many users praise its sharpness and value for money, especially for architectural and product photography, noting it's a great budget alternative to Canon or Nikon equivalents. However, a significant number of users report severe optical issues like flaring, ghosting, softness, and a mysterious light ring, with some calling it unusable. Build quality is generally seen as solid, but there are complaints about small knobs and drifting controls.
Pros
- Sharp optics
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Effective for architecture
- Good for product photography
Cons
- Severe flaring and ghosting
- Soft images at some apertures
- Mysterious light ring
- Small knobs
- Controls drift
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
The Nikon 16-85mm VR is widely praised as an excellent all-around zoom for DX cameras, delivering sharp images across the focal range with effective VR. Users note it outperforms kit lenses like the 18-105mm and even rivals the pricier 17-55mm in sharpness, though it is heavy and somewhat slow (f/3.5-5.6). Build quality is solid with a metal barrel, and the 16mm wide end is a key advantage for landscapes. Some caution about vignetting with thick filters and barrel distortion at 16mm, but overall it is considered a worthy investment for enthusiasts.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness across focal range
- Effective VR II image stabilization
- Solid build with metal barrel
- Useful 16-85mm zoom range
- Great for landscapes and travel
Cons
- Heavy weight (3.1 lb with D90)
- Slow aperture (f/3.5-5.6)
- Expensive for an f/3.5-5.6 lens
- Barrel distortion at 16mm
- Vignetting with thick filters at 16mm
Scores
Specifications
| Rokinon Tilt-Shift TSL24M-N 24mm | Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | tilt-shift | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 24 mm | 16 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 24 mm | 85 mm |
| Elements | 16 | — |
| Groups | 11 | — |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 | 3★ |
| ED Elements | 2 | 2 |
| Coating | UMC | Super Integrated Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/3.5 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | — | 7★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon F | Nikon F |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | — |
| Weight | 0.68 kg | 0.48 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 82 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | AF-S |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 4 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 200 mm★ | 380 mm |
Pros & Cons
Rokinon Tilt-Shift TSL24M-N 24mm
- Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong macro (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (4th percentile)4th %ile
- Below average bokeh (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm
- Strong versatility (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
Pricing
Nikon NIKKOR 2178 16-85mm offers 5.9x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.
