Tag: artralab 11mm f1.8

It seems like 2024 has been a busy year for ArtraLab, with several lens releases, and the ArtraLab NONIKKOR 11mm f1.8 is the latest addition to their lineup. Announced in November 2024, the 11mm f1.8 is not only their newest lens but also the widest they’ve released so far. Like their previous models, this lens draws inspiration from the iconic 1980s Nikkor lens design.

Before I proceed further, I would like to thank the good guys from ArtraLab for sending me this lens for review. Having said that, ArtraLab has no influence on this review and the opinion is purely my personal view.

Design and Build Quality

Like I mentioned earlier, this lens is greatly inspired by the classic vintage aesthetic Nikkor lenses. That said, it comes with colorful aperture values and colorful markers.

Visually, the lens looks small and compact. In fact, I can feel how dense and heavy the weight of this metal build lens is when I hold it on my hand. 350 grams worth of glasses.

The aperture ring gives gentle click feedback similar to the ArtraLab 24mm f1.7 and ArtraLab 50mm f1.2. I love it. As for the manual focus ring, the rotation is smooth without any grip or feedback. Is it a bad thing? I think it is up to individual preference. For me, I do prefer some feedback as it gives me some level of sense when I do focus peaking.

The front element of the lens is protruded, so it comes with a built-in lens hood to protect it.

Image Quality

Wide-open shots result in a pleasant, soft, glowing flare from the light sources (similar to the results from obtaining a cine-blooming filter or the black-mist filter). This also results in a softer contrast. This is also consistent with the rest of the ArtraLab lenses I have tested thus far.

In terms of image quality, it is acceptable but not the best. It has good sharpness and contrast when wide open at the center. You can observe distortion at the corners and a slight drop in image quality. Vignetting is pretty strong here. Fear not, the image quality does improve when you step down by at least 2 stops. Surprisingly, this lens has a very good chromatic aberration.

As for the background blur, I think it is acceptable. The separation between the focused and non-focused subjects is good enough. The bokeh render is just fine but not the most beautiful one among the ArtraLab lenses. Do not forget that an ultrawide lens is capable of receiving flares, and a circular one, too.

For sun star lovers, this lens is just fine.

Focusing

The focus throw, from end to end, is about 170°of rotation. For reference, the Meike 12mm f2 is about 110°. In my opinion, it gives a fair amount of travel distance, which gives me a more precise focus for shooting.

For focus breathing, it has a very minimum focus breathing, which is hard to notice. if you wish to use this lens for videography purposes, I think you will like it.

Also, it is just a minor detail. The lens does extend out 1mm ish at MFD.

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

At 16.5mm (in 35mm format) focal length, it is equipped with 18cm MFD. It has pretty good MFD compared to the others, like TTArtisan 10mm f2 (MFD at 25cm). If the photographers ever need such a close MFD for creative shots, you will know which one to look out for. Luckily, the image quality remains the same and not anything else off.

Price Point

It is now selling at 386 USD on the ArtraLab website. Is it expensive as compared to the other third-party manufacturers? Yes, it is but if you are looking for a nostalgic ultrawide lens, there isn’t much choice out there just yet.

Others

For photographers who want to include a filter for this lens, it is possible to do so. The metal lens cap comes with a special element. We can remove the front piece of the lens cap by unscrewing it and then we have a filter thread of 62mm. Very similar concept from TTArtisan 7.5mm f2.8.

Also, there is a change in white balance when you shoot at the same spot with different aperture values. Please don’t be alarmed by this, there are many manual lens manufacturers that have this behavior.

Lastly, this lens omits f5.6, resulting in a jump of two full stops from f4 to f8.

Who is this for?

This lens isn’t for everyone. To be honest, if you’re looking for a similar focal length, there are plenty of more affordable options out there compared to what ArtraLab offers. However, ArtraLab does have a clear advantage: its distinctive, nostalgic lens design.

That being said, this lens is perfect for those who don’t mind spending a bit more for aesthetics. After all, a beautifully designed lens can motivate us to take it out and shoot more often.

Conclusion

The ArtraLab 11mm f1.8 features solid build quality and decent image performance, though it might not be the most affordable option. Nevertheless, it will certainly appeal to those who value craftsmanship and aesthetics in their equipment.

I’ve focused quite a bit on the lens design rather than its image quality. To be clear, the image quality isn’t bad—it’s definitely usable, in my opinion. It’s just that the lens design really stands out to me, and I can’t help but highlight that.

Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer:
1. All the shots taken here are shot by me.
2. Most of the shots are straight out of the camera with some shots edited via In-Camera Raw Processing and Capture One.
3. The opinions are based on my experience. If there is any mistake, please kindly drop me a message and I will gladly make the amendment.
4. I reserve ownership of these images, if you wish to use my images, please notify me.

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