Tokina — AT-X 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 manual focus standard zoom for vintage SLR mounts
The Tokina AT-X 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 belonged to Tokina's higher-grade manual focus AT-X series of the early-to-mid 1980s, positioned above the budget SZ-X range as a standard wide-to-short-tele zoom for 35mm SLR photographers who wanted one lens for everyday work.
It uses a manual two-touch or one-touch zoom action with a click-stop aperture ring and AT-X-era multi-coating aimed at better contrast and flare control than Tokina's cheaper lines. Aperture runs from f/3.5 at 28mm to f/4.5 at 85mm, moderate for a general-purpose zoom of its generation.
Rendering is even across the frame at moderate apertures, with the AT-X coating giving cleaner contrast in mixed light than Tokina's SZ-X equivalents, though corners soften slightly at 28mm wide open. It handles as a compact, practical everyday lens rather than a specialist optic.
Used copies appear in most manual SLR mounts and remain inexpensive. Check the zoom and focus rings for smoothness, confirm aperture blades are oil-free, and look for separation or haze between the cemented elements, a known issue on decades-old multi-coated zoom groups.