The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX and the Samyang 14mm F2.8 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Samyang 14mm F2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 96mm. The Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX with a length of 89mm, is 7mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 14mm F2.8 also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX's 84mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Samyang 14mm F2.8 weighs 552g, 1% (8g) lighter than the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX's weight of 560g.
Lens Mounts
Both the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX and the Samyang 14mm F2.8 has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58.
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX is also available in Canon EF and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Samyang 14mm F2.8 is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Four Thirds, Pentax KAF, Sony E and Samsung NX mounts.
Focal Range
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 DX has a focal range of 11-16mm and
1.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
16.5-24mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Samyang 14mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 14mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 21mm.