In some recent and interesting news, Kenko Tokina and Carl Zeiss formed a new business alliance in which Carl Zeiss transferred product sales and repair services (in Japan) to Kenko Tokina.

The announcement, made on Tokina’s website, states the partnership starts on April 1, 2021. However, we don’t know exactly what products they’ll be handling, since some of the cine lenses and accessories from Carl Zeiss are to be excluded.

Kenko Tokina is not only responsible for the Tokina lenses and Kenko photography accessories, but they are the distributor for more than a dozen other brands including camera bags, Silk tripods, Lensbaby, Samyang, Hoya Filters, and Tamrac bags! (Kind of like how Lastolite/Manfrotto reps several other random brands.)

So, this will be an interesting partnership to keep an eye on since Tokina has always made great & affordable lenses. We’ve reached out to our local contacts with Tokina for comment and as of yet, we’re still waiting on an official response.

Our initial reaction, however, is that this bodes well for Tokina overall. Simply put, it seems to mean that their services are good enough for Zeiss to trust them with servicing some of their optics!

We have always known Tokina to make very excellent lenses, especially in terms of their wide-angle optics for both APS-C and full-frame cameras, and this news about a partnership with Zeiss only tells us that Tokina is doing something right when it comes to maintaining and servicing their optics!

[Related Reading: Tokina 85mm f/1.8 ATX-M Initial Review – Beautiful Bokeh & Impressive Sharpness]

Read the statement below:

Notice of business alliance with Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd.
Dear Sir, We would like to thank you for your continued prosperity. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support.

Carl Zeiss Co., Ltd. has entered into a business alliance with Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd. and Sightron Japan Co., Ltd. for the purpose of further strengthening the product sales and repair services of the Consumer & Professional Division. I will.

As a result of this business alliance, from April 1, 2021, the product sales and repair services (excluding commercial cine lenses and related products) provided by Carl Zeiss Co., Ltd. Consumer & Professional Division will be stocked. It has been transferred to Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd. and Sightron Japan Co., Ltd., and we will continue to meet your needs. We look forward to your continued guidance and support.

[Related Reading: Tokina Announces a New SZX 400mm F/8 Super Tele Reflex MF Lens]