[You can climb to the summit by car! 】I took a photo of the sea of clouds from the summit of Kamoi-dake, using "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E."

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024

Written by Saito Titoce

I like the mountains that allow you to approach the summit by car. However, there are not many mountains that can be reached by car. However, I tried out the ultra-wide-angle lens "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" at Mt. Kamoi, which allows you to drive to the summit and even enjoy the sea of clouds, so I'd like to show you what it was like.

table of contents

What is "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E"
"Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" and the reason why I went to Mt. Kamui in spring
Summary: The summit of Mt. Kamuidake, which you will surely encounter in the morning sun of the sea of clouds, is a spectacular spot that you can easily visit.
Details and purchase of "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E"

What is "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E"

The "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" has a maximum diameter of approximately 74.4mm, total length of approximately 74.1mm, and weighs approximately 335g, making it a wide-angle zoom lens equivalent to 16.5mm, making it a small and lightweight product.

Bright APS-C lenses covering 16.5mm to 27mm equivalent

Do you have a wide-angle zoom lens? Many people buy a standard zoom lens that they can get a camera, but it seems that many people don't actually own a wide-angle zoom lens.

When taking photos in an outdoor field, wide-angle zoom is a standard lens category, which specializes in photographing vast landscapes. Also, campers, tents, and mountain huts are quite narrow, so the angle of view with a standard zoom lens can be difficult to take pictures.

Therefore, I would like a wide-angle zoom from around 16mm wide-angle end, but when I'm shooting outdoors, the shooting scene is surprisingly dark, except for outdoors in the daytime, and I would like a bright lens (with a small number like F○.○ in the case of camera lenses). However, bright 35mm full-size lenses with an F2.8 over the entire zoom range are expensive and large, and often heavy, they don't make photography your main hobby, and it's a bit difficult for those who take photos as part of enjoying the outdoors.

However, I have been using a wide-angle zoom for APS-C recently, and it is bright yet small, and is reasonably priced, so I think it is very easy to recommend to people who don't prioritize taking photos. Incidentally, the Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E, which is compatible with the Sony E mount we will introduce today, has an actual price of around 54,000 yen. This is one of the most cost-effective lenses that has been rising in prices recently.

I like the white model of the "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E", but there is also a regular color black available.

The "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" for APS-C covers a zoom with a focal length of 11mm to 18mm, and an angle of view equivalent to 16.5mm to 27mm when converted to 35mm format. What's more, the brightness is F2.8 over the entire zoom range. The same F2.8 is common for high-end zoom lenses for professionals, so you can take photos with the same brightness as professionals and high-amateur zoom lenses.

When it comes to brightness equivalent to professional zoom lenses, it's cost-effective, but it's quite heavy and large. Some people may be worried about this, but the Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E has a maximum diameter of approximately 74.4mm, total length of approximately 74.1mm, and weighs approximately 335g, making it lightweight and compact enough to carry around with you, not only for outdoor fields but also for mountain climbing. E Lens Database, which thoroughly analyzes the performance of this "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" using a live-action chart , and it showed high performance, which is hard to believe is a lens in the low 50,000 yen range. Not only is its price, but its high performance is also the reason why many people can recommend the "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" with peace of mind.

Furthermore, the reason I like and carry the Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E is that I can choose the white white lens barrel model, which is also shown in the photo, in addition to the black standard model. I took a white model, "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E," which has a strong image of a high-performance telephoto lens, and went to photograph the sunrise and the sea of clouds from the summit of Mt. Kamoi in spring, so I'd like to introduce it to you.

Recommended points

It's a bright wide-angle zoom with an open F2.8, but it's reasonably priced
White models are available for wide-angle zoom lenses, which are rare
Wide-angle zoom from 16.5mm equivalent to photograph vast landscapes
If you narrow it down properly, it will resolve to the surrounding area quite sharply.
Properly manufactured in Japan

Points that interest me

The AF/MF switch must not be on the lens body

Main Specifications and ratings

item	Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E
Focal distance	11-18mm
Brightness	F2.8
format	APS-C
Minimum aperture	F22
Lens composition	11 groups 13 pieces
coating	Multi-coating
Angle of view	104.3°～76.7°
Focus method	Inner Focus
Filter size	67mm
Minimum shooting distance	0.19m/0.3m
Macro Maximum Scale	1:9.2/1:12.4
Number of aperture blades	9 sheets
Maximum diameter	Φ74.4mm
full length	74.1mm
weight	335g
Wide angle of view	★★★★☆
design	★★★★☆
Resolution	★★★★☆
Portability	★★★★☆
Less aberration	★★★★☆
Backlight performance	★★★★☆
Cost Performance	★★★★★

"Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" and the reason why I went to Mt. Kamui in spring

In spring in Hokkaido, bears are seriously scary, and it's cold at midwinter level in Tokyo.

I know of a few mountains that you can climb to the summit by car, but there are rare spots where you can park your car at that point at the photo shoot.

When you say you like mountains where you can approach the summit by car, how sloppy is it? Some people may think so. However, in Hokkaido, where I live, it is necessary to visit in the vast natural environment where you can view the vast landscape for photography, photogenic times, before the sun rises or when the sun sets. Also, if you want to photograph a beautiful starry sky, you need to go and enter the darkness that is so high that you can't even see your hands.

In Hokkaido, where brown bears have tripled in the last 10 years, special care must be taken early in the morning, dusk, and at night to avoid encountering brown bears. In the event of a single-person accident, the survival rate will be significantly reduced, so caution has been given to avoid acting alone. However, in order to take photos, I usually calculate the time period before dawn, dusk, or even the moonlight, and go out to take photos alone in the wilderness.

The road is not thick, but it is well paved all the way to the summit. Although it is closed in winter, if the snow melts, you can visit the peak in the middle of the night.

Furthermore, late at night and before dawn are the coldest times of the day. And it's cold in Hokkaido. As for how cold it is, Mt. Kamui, located in Utashinai City, where I went to film this time, is in the Sorachi region, but in this Sorachi region, the average lowest temperature on April days is -1.5 degrees, and even in May it is 4.6 degrees.

If you are planning to photograph the dawn scenery from near the summit, you will need to wait for the sunrise while enduring the colder level than midwinter in Tokyo, in the pitch black mountains where brown bears could appear at any time. Under these conditions, even if you are not the author, it would be normal to want to go to the shooting location if possible by car.

It would be fine if it was just one person to take a photo shoot, but in a sense it would be unrealistic if it was not a shooting location that could be reached by car with small children and family. Therefore, my favorite photo location was the summit of Mt. Kamui in Utashinai City. You can reach the summit in about an hour and 50 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport. The route is very convenient as it can be searched on Google Maps.

A 15-minute drive from the roadside station, you can enjoy the morning sun at Mt. Kamui-dake after taking a photo.

Utanai Tyrol's Yu is a roadside station located just 15 minutes' drive from the summit of Mt. Kamui. It's really nice that there is not only a parking lot, but also a toilet and a vending machine.

If you search on Google Maps, you will see the word Kamui-dake Nishiunkai Terrace, and there is a high probability that a sea of clouds will appear in spring and autumn. There is also a large parking space near the summit, and an observation deck, so you can view the sunrise directly from the car's window, so you can protect yourself from the cold, and there is no need to be too far away from the car when taking photos, so there is also a low risk of encountering wildlife. No matter how much you look, you can't find a spectacular view with such good conditions. Moreover, although it is narrow, the road to the summit is paved and free of charge.

To photograph this majestic landscape, I went out with the wide-angle zoom "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E." Even in May, the sunrise in Utashinai City is around 4am, so you should arrive at the summit an hour before sunrise. also want to check times such as " southern observable times ," such as sunrise, moonrise, and twilight, and take photos of the starry sky from earlier times. During this starry sky photography, I noticed that the "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" does not have an AF/MF switch on the lens itself. Normally I don't mind it at all, but I found it more convenient to have an AF/MF switch as a physical switch when shooting in the dark.

Another major reason why I liked Mt. Kamui when taking photos of the sea of clouds is that it is only 15 minutes by car to the roadside station Utanai Tyrol no Yu, where you can take a nap. In Hokkaido, it is not uncommon for the area to be photographed with spectacular views to the parking lot with toilets and washrooms, so it is rare that it is conveniently located just 15 minutes from the summit to the roadside station.

Whenever I take a photo of the sunrise at Mt. Kamui-dake, I always stop by the morning bath at Utashinai Onsen Tirol's Yu. It feels so good that the day begins after taking a bath.

The summit of Mt. Kamui is a very blessed place for a spectacular view, but what I am actually looking forward to is the morning bath after taking a photo of the sunrise. Utashinai Onsen Tirol's Yu, adjacent to the roadside station Utanai Tirol's Yu , is open for morning baths starting at 6am. What's more, the price is cheap, at 500 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. If you are visiting to take a photo of the Asahi sun at Mt. Kamui, be sure to check out the hot springs.

Points to photograph the sea of clouds from Mt. Kamui

Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 / Sony α7R III / Equivalent to 24mm / Aperture priority AE (F5.6, 1/13 seconds) / ISO 100 / WB: Sunny weather / Creative style: Vivid / I
firmly secure it on a tripod and finally use the Cokin NX series GND filter to control the brightness difference across the entire screen.

How do you photograph the pictures when you actually encounter a beautiful morning? Many people will immediately use a smartphone. However, here we will introduce some of the key points to take with a single-lens camera that can be used to replace the lens. Basically, I think the most dramatic times of the day are around sunrise, and as a lover of sunrise photography, I am aware of the following five things:

Use a tripod to keep your level tight
White balance is "clear weather" and "sunny"
Wide-angle zoom keeps the landscape as is
Exposure compensation to finely set brightness
Select a delicious aperture value for each lens
+α. Gradient ND filter controls brightness difference

When shooting at sunrise, you cannot set your camera slowly unless you arrive before the sunrise time, so we recommend that you arrive an hour before sunrise and start setting up the camera.

Some people may find it troublesome to use a tripod, but when taking photos in the Asahi area, it is much easier to use a tripod than holding the camera by hand until the best time.

And, as everyone thinks, the horizontality of the camera is surprisingly off. If the sun appears on the horizon, it is more noticeable than when it appears on the mountains, so we recommend using a tripod to level it horizontally. Recently, digital cameras are often equipped with electronic levels, so it is a good idea to use this as well to set up a camera so that there is no tilt from the left or right side to the right. Even if the tilt is about 0.5 degrees, you will be very concerned about the photos later, so be careful.

Color is the main point of photographing the sunrise and sunsets, which are similar to the sunrise and sunsets. Also, I think many people usually choose AWB (auto white balance) when shooting with a digital camera, but with the settings as they are, the red that is typical of the Asahi or sunset will not be reproduced. Therefore, we recommend using white balance "sunlight" and "clear weather" to take photos of the morning sun and sunset seen on site as close as possible to the impression you would have at that time. The names may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer, but simply selecting these will accentuate the redness of the sun and the sunset.

Wide-angle zoom lenses are very useful for taking pictures of the majestic scenery while still being the same outdoors, such as in a surprisingly narrow tent or in a camper van.

Naturally, the shooting location may vary slightly, but if you are taking a picture of a sunrise in the majestic nature, like the one from the summit of Mt. Kamui, we recommend a wide-angle lens. If possible, we recommend a wide-angle zoom lens, such as the Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E, which we used this time. The reason is that you want to emphasize the vastness of the film by shooting a wide area, but even if the angle of view is too wide, there may be unnecessary things you don't want to put on the screen. In such cases, a zoom lens is convenient because you can fine-tune the range of images. Also, sunrise and sunset photography are basically in complete backlight, so you can feel at ease when it's made in Japan, like the Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E, which has a solid multi-coated finish.

I recommend using a tripod for taking photos of the sun and the sunset, not only because I want to level the photos, but also because I want to use exposure compensation to take detailed photos with different brightness. Most interchangeable lens cameras have an exposure compensation function, and can be adjusted in 0.3 (EV) increments, using the dial or by pressing the "+/-" button. In the case of the morning sun and sunset, the brightness difference between the bright sun and the surrounding scenery is large, making it difficult to determine the optimum brightness, so in my case, I take multiple photos in the range of -1.0 (EV) to +1.0 (EV), and after taking a photo I check the brightness balance on my computer screen, and select the one with the best brightness.

Furthermore, I select the aperture value (F value) with the highest resolution of the lens I'm wearing at the time and take pictures. In order to check the best aperture value for the lens I use, I have taken a picture of resolution charts and compiled them in an e-book. of the "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" used this time are summarized in the Amazon Kindle's " Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E Lens Database ," but the best aperture values were F5.6 to F8.0 for both the wide-angle and telephoto ends, so I took a shooting at F5.6, which allows for a greater depth of field. For your favorite lenses, it's a good idea to find out the best aperture value.

The G (gradation) ND filter from the Cokin NX series, which I use when filming the Asahi and sunsets. I would like to explain the details in a future article.

Taking these into consideration, I have posted photos taken with a tripod firmly framing and taken with aperture priority AE, sunlight, 16mm, no exposure compensation, and F5.6 as my best. However, some people may have seen this photo and felt something strange. In fact, the photo I finally selected as the best shows that the sun at sunrise is not shining white, and the view from the foot of the sea under the sea of clouds is not shattered black. If you take a normal photo, it should not look like this. To achieve this, I use a slightly special filter called the G (gradation) ND filter from the Cokin NX series, but I would like to introduce this separately in an article on OUTDOOR GEARZINE, so I will post it as an additional one this time. Although it is a bit complicated, if you use it properly, shooting the sunrise and sunsets will become dramatically more enjoyable.

Summary: The summit of Mt. Kamuidake, which you will surely encounter in the morning sun of the sea of clouds, is a spectacular spot that you can easily visit.

"Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" lightweight, high performance and cost-effective

The summit of Mt. Kamuidake offers a spectacular view of the sea of clouds that spread out from the car's window. You don't have to leave the car when shooting, so you can take photos with confidence in many ways.

Tokina Wide Angle Zoom Lens atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E APS-C Exclusive Sony E Mount

created by Rinker

Tokina

¥51,000 (As of 2025/08/03 08:09:32, according to Amazon - details)

I recently took my favorite Sony E-mount wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C, the Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E, and went to Mt. Kamuidake, where it's cold in Tokyo, and it's not surprising that brown bears can appear anywhere, so I could climb to the summit by car in spring Hokkaido, where there's a great chance of enjoying a spectacular view of the sunrise with a sea of clouds.

I visited the shrine in the first half of May, and this time, a sea of clouds appeared again, allowing me to photograph the beautiful sea of clouds. Since I was able to meet the sea of clouds in the sea of clouds last time and the previous two times, it is safe to say that there is a great chance that the sunrise from the summit of Mt. Kamui-dake can be seen with a sea of clouds.

The "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E" has high resolution when shots at the Asahi period are reduced to F8.0, and it is clearly resistant to backlight. Personally, I'm happy to recommend the actual price of the 50,000 yen range, which is easy to recommend to friends and acquaintances.

Also, after taking a photo of the sea of clouds at Mt. Kamui, we stopped by the morning bath at Utashinai Onsen Tirol's Yu, which has become a staple in our family, and the bathing fee is 250 yen for half-price day, which made me feel very lucky from the morning. Kamui-dake, which arrives in about an hour and 50 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport and about an hour and a half from Sapporo city, is a spectacular spot where you can travel the night before if you are sleeping in a camper van or car, and when you wake up, you can start your luxurious journey with a spectacular view of the sea of clouds and a morning bath, so why not stop by once when you're traveling to Hokkaido? It is highly recommended.

Details and purchase of "Tokina atx-m 11-18mm F2.8 E"

For more information about the product, please visit the official Kenko Tokinar website

Please consider paying memberships that allow you to support the site while enjoying limited edition projects and content!

Saito Titoce

Former monthly camera magazine editor. While pursuing the spectacular views of Hokkaido and the wildlife, I was completely hooked on the outdoor life of camper vans and sleeping in my car. While traveling the entire country with his 2-year-old son and wife, he is a photographer writer who photographs and writes everything he has experienced, not only cameras and lenses, but also outdoor camping, child-rearing, PC gadgets, cooking, and dieting. OUTDOOR GEARZINE plans to write a variety of articles, focusing on the QOCL (Quality of Camping Life) Improvement Committee, which will improve the quality of life in camping and camper vans.

Rag Photo Blog