manual lens – Page 3

We all know the function and purpose of a camera rear body cap. It is to cover and protect the sensor when it is not in use. That’s simple.

Some of us might even be aware of some interesting body caps such as Fujifilm XM-FL 24mm, 7artisans 18mm f6.3, or other pinhole body cap lenses. The purpose is to enjoy the fun of shooting and create very lomography kind of photo results.

Before I continue further, I would like to thank the good guy at FunLeader for sending this cap lens to me for review without any hesitation. I am grateful to them for supporting and believing in me. Nonetheless, this post is not biased and shared purely my experience with the cap lens.

Intro

FunLeader launched their first FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8.0 (a Kickstarter product) back in December 2019. It is still available on FunLeader’s website today! And now, FunLeader launches their upgraded cap lens and it is called FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 0.3m-∞ Pro. From the name, we can tell there must be something different from their 2019 cap lens, and of course, the name has already given out the hint.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/1250″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

This 27mm (in full-frame equivalent) wide-angle focal length is one of the popular focal lengths among street photographers. As the name suggested, f8 is its brightest aperture. In fact, f8 is the only aperture, and no other aperture options are available to choose from. So how is it going to perform as an f8 lens? Continue to scroll down.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/170″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Note: This cap lens comes with 2 mounts, E-mount and X-mount.

Design & Build Quality

It is an aluminum build cap lens. It is well constructed with unexpectedly sleek and decent built quality. It weighs 71 grams and is 17 mm thick! It seems light in number but you can feel the weight of the cap lens when you hold it in your hand.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/28″ . ISO 2500 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 500 . Nostalgic Negative

Being a cap lens also means that there is no filter thread for you to mount your filters in and does not come with a lens cap.

Focusing

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/2″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Like all cap lenses, it is a fixed aperture and non-electronic contact. The similarity stops here. FunLeader 18mm f8 pro comes with an adjustable focus dial with distances between 0.3m, 0.5m, 0.7m, 1m, 2m, and infinity. If you are aware, the usual body cap lenses do not provide such functionality.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Nostalgic Negative

The idea of having an adjustable focus distance is excellent. It allows photographers to have close to manual lens shooting experience.

And very similar to changing the aperture on some manual lenses, changing between the focus distances gives excellent clicky feedback.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/280″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/28″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

Image Quality

I do not have the first-generation cap lens from FunLeader, hence, I am not sure how much the image quality has improved in this pro version. In my opinion, the image quality is within my expectation. That doesn’t mean the image quality is excellent but acceptable for a cap lens.

I noticed that the photos look better with any focus distance except for infinity. For most focus distances, the results look good, adequately sharp with decent contrast in it.

At infinity, the shots sometimes look unexpectedly soft, lacking a certain level of sharpness, and contrast. Vignetting is pretty strong with this cap lens. On the other hand, thanks to the small aperture value, I do not observe any chromatic aberration.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/100″ . ISO 160 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/30″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 2500 . Nostalgic Negative

By the way, if you are looking to create a sunny star shot from this cap lens, you should probably look out for another lens because this cap lens does not come with any aperture blade.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/58″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/680″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/280″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/1250″ . ISO 160 . Nostalgic Negative

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

Honestly, for a cap lens to have an MFD of 30 cm is impressive. It is a tiny, extremely compact “lens” than any other lens out there in the market. For comparison, XM-FL 24mm has an MFD of 1 meter, 7artisans 18mm f6.3 is 35cm and the original cap lens is 80 cm.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/150″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/85″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

As I mentioned earlier, the results at 30 cm are pretty usable. The sharpness and contrast are pretty good here.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/420″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/180″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Other

FunLeader is a thoughtful company. Knowing that most photographers will stick the cap lens to their camera, FunLeader still includes a pouch for the cap lens when it is not in use. “Lens” protection in a way.

Something to note and maybe it is only me (user problem). I do encounter some dust trapped around the cap lens, especially the gap between the focus dial and the non-movable area. Some of the dust can be easily removed but some are just stubbornly stuck there.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/2400″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 160 . Nostalgic Negative

Secondly, due to its slim design, the focus dial is slim too. Hence, it is a little hard to grab with big fingers. But I get used to it after a little familiarization.

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/20″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative
Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/120″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/200″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Although it is not able to create a sunny star shot, it does have some flares when you are facing the sun.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/750″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/150″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Price Point

For the price of 139 USD, it is not cheap as there are many fully functional manual lenses around this price or even cheaper. But if you want it, you will get it, right?

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/6400″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Who is this for?

This wide-angle cap lens covers quite a good coverage of photography genres such as landscape, cityscape, and street.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/25″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/45″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

Like all cap lenses, this cap lens comes with one and only one aperture, f8. If you are looking for challenging yourself shooting street with a fixed aperture lens, for the “Lomographic” fun and enjoying straightforward results, then this cap lens might be suitable for you.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/210″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/400″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/56″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

Also, the holiday season is coming and I think it is a great gift to your fellow photographer friends.

Conclusion

From this Caplens 18mm f8 Pro, I can see innovation from the company. FunLeader had made some good improvements from the first-generation cap lens such as improved MFD, lighter weight, and most important of all, focus dial. This focus dial is the first of its kind and no one else actually did it, except FunLeader.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 800 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-E3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/20″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

I hope to see more interesting lenses coming out from FunLeader, especially for the APS-C world.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/160″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T3 . FunLeader Caplens 18mm f8 Pro @ 18mm . f8 . 1/80″ . ISO 2500 . Nostalgic Negative

If you are interested in getting this cap lens, the good guy at FunLeader has given me the coupon code “ALWINKOK” and you can enjoy 5% off with your purchase at checkout.

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.
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.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you have a Facebook account, feel free to join Fujifanboys FB group.

If you like my content and you want to show some support and keep this blog alive, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 – The Second Fastest Lens

November 25, 2022 Alwin Kok

TTArtisan has just announced yet another fast, bright lens. The TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 is the second lens after TTArtisan 50mm f0.95. If you are a fan of TTArtisan or somehow followed them closely, you will notice that they are slowly expanding and differentiating their product line-up. While they focus on compactness and portability lenses like the TTArtisan 25mm f2, they have another product line-up that goes “all-in” by creating the fastest, brightest lens they can. Can this lens do as good as its sibling? Let’s find out.

Before I continue with my sharing, I thank TTArtisan for sending this lens to me. To the readers passing by this blog post, you can rest assured that I give my honest opinions on this lens, similar to the rest of the TTArtisan products that I have shared.

Intro

This is TTArtisan’s second 35mm (or 50mm in full-frame equivalent focal length) lens for the APS-C sensor. This focal length is also one of my favorite focal lengths, especially for street shots and simple portraits, and I believe there are many photographers who love this focal length too.

Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/200″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/80″ . ISO 200 . Nostalgic Negative

Design & Build Quality

TTArtisan does a good job of distinguishing its lens design and this design element maintains the same as the TTArtisan 50mm f0.95. The zebra-like design, however, has received mixed opinions among photographers and some discussions are made among the groups.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 800 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/90″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

The aperture ring is as good as the rest of the TTArtisans lens lineup. It gives a very comfortable clicky experience when you rotate the aperture ring. I do enjoy changing apertures because of that even when I am just holding my camera in my hand.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 800 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/3500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

TTArtisan provides screw-in lens cap like most of their lenses. But I do miss the cap-on lens cap found in TTArtisan 23mm f1.4.

Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f8 . 1/120″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f1.4 . 1/350″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

When I have this lens, there is no information about its specification and also its weight. So I use my wife’s kitchen weighing scale to weigh. It is 243 grams (258 grams with the lens cap). It is 168 grams lighter than the sibling so it is not the heaviest manual lens.

When you hold this lens, the first thing you will feel is the weight. Secondly, you can also feel how well the full metal and glass built quality are.

Image Quality

The depth of field of f0.95 is really very shallow and thus gives me an issue nailing the shots. When I manage to hit a focused shot, this lens can give a kind of soft and glowing character which gives us a kind of dreamy feel to the photos.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/1100″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/1800″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

On the other hand, chromatic aberration and vignetting are observable, especially at wide open. This is an expected result (at least to me) but it can fix in post-processing.

In my test, nonetheless, shooting at f2 meets my minimum acceptance of a good level of sharpness and contrast. Again, this is my personal preference and yours might be different from me.

Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/20″ . ISO 3200 . Nostalgic Negative

Focusing

The manual focusing ring still gives a very smooth rotating experience with small gentle friction. Honestly speaking, I love it.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 1600 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/58″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/125″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

The focus throw is approximately 180° which gives an ample amount of “distance” for more precise and easier focus. This really helps a lot, particularly for photographers who are not getting used to manual focus.

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

Similar to most 35mm lenses out in the market, the MFD is 35 cm. In my opinion, nothing to complain about the MFD. Shooting at this MFD allows better subject-background separation but if you shoot wide open, you will get to see heavier dreamy soft shots than any other focus distance.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/9000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/3500″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome

Price Point

Given that it is one of the fastest lenses in the market, at 199 USD, I think the lens is well-priced and also slightly cheaper than its sibling. Moreover, the price is highly competitive as compared to its competitors.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/110″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/140″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2. 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Who is this for?

This lens is a lens you can consider if you are a dreamy and soft photo lover and you know what you want to achieve with this lens. It is also lighter than its sibling, making it a better option if someone wants that fast and bright lens.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/1700″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f0.95 . 1/1600″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f1.4 . 1/1500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

If you are a first-timer with manual lenses and you are unsure if you want to invest in them or are ready for the world of manual focusing lenses, then I think you can consider many other TTArtisan lenses that are an even lighter and more affordable option.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/4700″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/1800″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

if you are like me who prefers the results taken at f2, shouldn’t it make sense for me to choose the other f2 lenses instead of this one? Yes, you can consider that but photographers always say that it is always to have such a lens on standby with you. Because you never know when you will need it.

Conclusion

Both siblings share a lot of common things like image quality, built quality, and the character of the lens. Everything I expect from this lens is within my expectation, which is a good thing. If choosing between the 2 siblings, I will prefer to get this lens over the other, all because of the weight and versatility.

Left: Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/34″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-T5 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/85″ . ISO 125 . Nostalgic Negative

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/250″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

TTArtisan shows no sign of stopping here and I am sure these benefits photographers like us as we have more lens options to choose from. My guess is that they are probably going to launch the 3rd lens for this category and I hope that 23mm will be the one. I am excited and looking forward to what TTArtisan has up its sleeve in the year 2023.

Thank you for reading.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

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If you like my content and you want to show some support and keep this blog alive, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

TTArtisan 25mm f2 – A Tiny Street Lens

November 7, 2022November 24, 2022 Alwin Kok

TTArtisan focuses very much on portability and compactness and TTArtisan 25mm f2 is another product born from this idea.

Before I begin, I thank TTArtisan for their tremendous support towards me. For readers out there, you can rest assured that I am and always give my honest opinions for their products and that’s including this lens.

Intro

At 38mm full-frame equivalent focal length, it reminds me of the point-and-shoot film camera back in those days. I remember it was just a fixed focal length and I think it was quite common back then before it goes wider and wider and wider…

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/100″ . ISO 250 . Classic Negative

It is not a common focal length by today’s standards and I believe this focal length is not every photographer’s first focal length in mind.

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/100″ . ISO 400 . Classic Negative

Design & Build Quality

The design element of this TTArtisan 25mm f2 follows exactly the same as the TTArtisan 50mm f2. Modern, minimalistic, and sleek are probably the best words to describe this lens.

Left: Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/100″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/120″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

The aperture ring still comes with that enjoyable and satisfying clicky experience. As for the manual focus ring, it is still as smooth as the other TTArtisan lenses. Basically, you are assured that this lens’s quality is maintained at TTArtisan’s standard.

The lens cap is the screw-in type. It is up to individuals to love it or hate it. As for me, more like I have to get used to it.

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f8 . 1/2000″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f8 . 1/2700″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f5.6 . 1/3200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

At 167.4 grams, the weight of this lens is really good to hold. Although it is not as light as the newly announced TTArtisan AF 27mm f2.8, it is still the lightest among their manual lens lineups.

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f4 . 1/950″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

There is one thing that I have never mentioned in all my manual lens reviews. In case you wonder, the lens does protrude a little when you rotate the focus ring to the Minimum Focus Distance (MFD).

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

It has a small filter size of 43mm. If you are looking for a hood to put it on, it is still able to find one online. Please note that no hood is included.

Image Quality

The image quality from this lens is surprisingly good and I meant it. Who would expect a lens that is so affordable yet has decent image quality? Typically we expect some will cut corners somehow.

Left: Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/110″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f8 . 1/9000″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

Also, you will also observe some vignetting for wide-open shots. This is a common behavior for TTArtisan lenses and this applies to other third-party lenses too.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Focusing

From MFD to infinity, the focus throw is approximately 160°. In my view, this compact lens gives quite an ample amount of “distance” for more precise focusing.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 2000 . Classic Chrome

Like most manual lenses, the result is might not at its sharpest at the infinity marking. Rotate slightly backward on the focus ring to get a better result.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

This lens has an MFD of 25 cm which means it can do quite a close-up shot if you want to. You will also notice some softness when shooting at MFD wide-open. I think it is acceptable and pretty much-expected behavior.

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/2700″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Price Point

While I thought that the TTArtsian 50mm f2 is the cheapest lens, this 25mm has set a whole new record of 55 USD. Yes, this is how much this lens costs. It can go even lower with occasional promotion from TTArtisan.

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/2500″ . ISO 160 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/100″ . ISO 320 . Acros

Others

There are always pros and cons for all lenses. This lens is no exception. Well, it depends on how you see this negative thing. If you point the lens facing to a light source at a specific angle at f2, you will have a light-blooming effect. Some people love it, and some people don’t. As for me, I kind of love it as it gives an additional special character to the lens. The blooming effect will get reduced with a smaller aperture. But beyond the light-blooming effect, it can also introduce some unique flare. So please beware. Lens hood might be able to solve this problem. If you happened to own this lens and a compatible lens hood, please let me know if it does solve it.

Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/60″ . ISO 2000 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/90″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Who is this for?

This is easily one of the most affordable and usable lenses to consider if you want to experience what it is like using a fully manual lens. The focal length of this lens is very easy to adapt to and is very suitable for genres like street, journalist, documentaries, landscapes, cityscapes, and even portraits.

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/500″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/1400″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

For photographers who want to let their older Fujifilm cameras have their “second life”, you can consider getting one too. It might spice up your love with the cameras again.

Left: Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/850″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/1800″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/3500″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-Pro 3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/1600″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Conclusion

TTArtisan surprised me once again with this lens. At USD 55, this is the cheapest manual lens ever produced by TTArtisan yet. But they do not compromise on both build quality and image quality. In fact, I am surprised by how usable the images are at wide open and the build quality is as good as other TTArtisan lenses. This is easily a recommendation from me to a photographer wanting to experience manual lenses.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 1600 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 800 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 25mm f2 @ 25mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Chrome

I love to see more of this compact lens series with an affordable price point in the near future. Please continue to give us some surprises.

Thank you for reading.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

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Reviews

TTArtisan 50mm f2 – A Tiny Portrait lens

August 15, 2022November 24, 2022 Alwin Kok

I think TTArtisan has a soft spot for “50mm” and they released the 50mm f0.95 not too long ago. And now, TTArtisan had just released its third 50mm lens and it is the most compact 50mm lens TTArtisan ever made but it is the slowest in the lineup yet.

But there is something different about this lens from the other 50mm lenses and that is this lens is designed as a full-frame lens but can also be mounted with various APS-C lens mounts (i.e. X-mount, M-mount, E-mount, RF-mount, Z-mount and M43-mount).

Does that mean the image quality is better because the optical glass is bigger than the APS-C sensor size? Let’s find out.

Before I start, I would like to thank TTArtisan for sending me this lens for review and it is my privilege to do so. But you can rest assured that this review will be based on the lens I received and it is purely on my own opinion.

Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/4700″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/1500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome .

Design & Build Quality

The design is different from that of 50mm f0.95 and 23mm f1.4. You will not see the zebra-like design in this lens. Having said that, it gives a minimalistic and more modern-look design.

Left: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/7500″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f11 . 1/280″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

The aperture ring and the manual focus ring are still the same quality as any other TTArtisan lenses. The enjoyable clicky feedback on the aperture ring is one of my favourites among other 3rd party manufacturers while the manual focus ring is giving a satisfying smooth experience.

Left: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/7500″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/320″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

Speaking about the lens cap, it is also the common screw-in type, similar to most TTArtisan lenses. Love it or hate it. It depends on the individual.

Left: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/6800″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative
Right: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Nostalgic Negative

The weight is 189 grams and that is without both front and rear lens caps. For comparison, XF27mm f2.8 WR is only 84 grams.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/2200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Another thing to note: the filter thread is 43mm.

Image Quality

In my opinion, the sharpness is decently sharp at wide open. Speaking of shallow depth of field, f2 gives a considerably good separation between subject and background. Of course, it is not as shallow as other faster prime lenses can give. Shooting at f2.8 or smaller apertures gives a better rendering of sharpness and contrast. However, I am pretty satisfied with the image quality at f2.

Left: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/170″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/1400″ . ISO 200 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/1400″ . ISO 200 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/1400″ . ISO 200 . Classic Chrome

In my testing, chromatic aberration and vignetting are surprisingly better (based on my past experiences with other TTArtisan lenses). Although they are slightly observed especially when you are shooting wide open. Nonetheless, they can be fixed in post-processing, so this is the last I should worry about.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/160″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/220″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 2000 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

The sunny star shot is not the sharpest I have seen, but it is okay. Do note the rainbow flare if you want to avoid it.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f16 . 1/80″ . ISO 1600 . Classic Chrome

Focusing

From MFD to infinity, the focus throw is approximately 160°. In my view, this compact lens gives quite an ample amount of “distance” for more precise focusing.

Left: Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/1600″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/1000″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/3200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/300″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Like most manual lenses, the result is might not at its sharpest at the infinity marking. Rotate slightly backwards on the focus ring to get a better result.

Left: Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/1500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

At 75mm (in full-frame equivalent), the 50cm MFD is no different from other 50mm lenses. I was expecting that the MFD will be further because of the compactness of the lens but I was wrong. At least this is something I think is quite a remarkable achievement from the TTArtisan engineers.

Fuji X-H2S . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 400 . Nostalgic Negative

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/3200″ . ISO 320 . Classci Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/600″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/14000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/5000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

When shooting at MFD, I do notice a little softness in the image. From my standpoint, I think it is totally acceptable.

Price Point

At 69 USD, this is one of the most affordable lenses TTArtisan offers. There is another 69 USD lens (at least at this moment in writing this review) from TTArtisan and that is 35mm f1.4.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/1800″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/1300″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/7000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Who is this for?

For 69 USD, the amount is not that painful to spend. If you are new to photography and also wish to have some hands-on with a full pledge manual lens. If you want to attempt to try some portrait shots, this is also a good lens to try. Besides that, this lens can also be used for other genres like street, documentaries, landscapes, cityscapes and product shots.

There is another group of photographers who should consider this lens too. And they are photographers who are still using the older camera models and can consider getting this lens to spice up some love with the cameras and shoot.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/150″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/1100″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/4000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f8 . 1/180″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/1600″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Conclusion

TTArtisan never fails to surprise photographers with their new lenses. They always have something to fill in those “gaps” in their lenses lineup. This makes me think about what is up on their sleeve.

Personally, I love to use this lens simply because of its compactness, nice-looking design and not compromising on the image quality that much. I think this lens is best matched with the X-E series and X-A series for achieving the most compact package.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f11 . 1/2900″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/400″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f2 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/640″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome . 65:24 cropped

Meanwhile, I am still hoping TTArtisan will release the first autofocus lens for Fujifilm.

Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer:
1. All the shots taken here are shot by me.
2. Some of the shots are slightly edited in Lightroom Classic to my preferences. Otherwise, the shots are straight out of the camera.
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.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

Laowa 10mm f4 Cookie – The Modestly Priced Compact Ultra-wide lens

August 10, 2022November 24, 2022 Alwin Kok

Usually, for the same focal length, there are basically 2 paths for making it. The first one is to make with better optic, faster, brighter and premium price tagged lens. The second one is to make a smaller, compact and wisely priced lens. And this Laowa 10mm f4 is the later one. Laowa Lenses (also known as Venus Optics) has been in this optic industry for almost 10 years. They have created many unique innovative lenses such as 24mm T14 2x PeriProbe, 4mm f2.8 fisheye and fast f0.95 Argus series of lenses. And this 10mm f4 is their newest creation.

I am glad that I have a few days of opportunity to try this lens before it was sent back to its headquarters in China.

On a side note: this lens comes with various mounts too (i.e. RF, Z, E and L mounts).

Design and Build Quality

The lens is compact, hence, the name “Cookie”. Probably Laowa is trying to come up with a new term rather than using “pancake”. Nonetheless, I can’t help to compare it with the XF27mm f2.8 WR and the overall size is somewhere close to each other. Laowa 10mm is about Ø59.8mm X 25mm while XF27mm is Ø62mm x 23mm. However, the weight of the Laowa 10mm is heavier (130 grams against 84 grams).

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f5.6 . 1/110″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/75″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative

This 15mm (in full-frame equivalent) lens comes with solid and good-built quality. Everything in this lens body makes of metal, including the rear bayonet. This Ø37mm filter threaded lens comes with a clickable aperture ring and a smooth focus ring. Anyway, it does not come with a lens hood.

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/80″ . ISO 400 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/75″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative

The lens cap is of the traditional “squeeze to release” type. Nothing special to shout about. Not forgetting that this lens comes in 2 colours, black and silver.

Image Quality

This cookie lens offers an impressive 109.3° angle of view. But I have to say that it is not the best image quality I have ever seen. I mean when I first know of this product and its price tag, I set my expectation lower

Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/80″ . ISO 1600 . Classic Negative

At wide open, you will be greeted by a very heavy vignetting result. You can correct it in post-edit or set it to a lower aperture like f5.6 or f8. Also, I felt that the image is better and sharper if you step down the aperture to f5.6 or f8. At f4, the image seems to be softer and with less contrast.

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/38″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/40″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative

Distortion is also noticeable at the corners and this is an expected result for such an ultra-wide angle. Hence, I can only suggest you take note of the distortion unless it is intended that way.

Fuji X-E4 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/52″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f8 . 1/200″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

The flare is totally noticeable if you shoot directly toward the sun’s direction. That said, the sunny star is sharp at f22.

Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f22 . 1/1800″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Minimum Focus Distance

Another remarkable thing about this lens is its minimum focus distance, 10cm. Basically, I am shooting very close to the subject and the shadow of the lens is probably in the photo as well (if you shoot facing downward).

Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/680″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/640″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Something to take note of

This lens is a manual lens. That said, it does not come with any electronic contact and hence no aperture data is recorded in the EXIF.

Left: Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/350″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/2700″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

If you shoot at infinity, the result is actually not sharp at the infinity marking. You have to rotate the focus zoom slightly backwards to get the right infinity shot. I can’t tell you how exactly backwards it is as I am afraid that the lens I am tested with may have a different “right” infinity spot than the copy you have. But you can also explore it yourself and you will get it.

Left: Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/18″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f5.6 . 1/170″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

Another thing to note is the thin focus ring and aperture ring. I have a pair of huge hands and fingers which is a little challenging for me to rotate the rings. My personal uneducated guess is that to achieve a compact size, making the width of both rings thinner might be a decision made by the company.

Left: Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f22 . 1/200″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-E3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f16 . 1/550″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

Who is this for?

A new photographer who does not wish to spend a fortune and does not mind having a manual lens to have an ultra-wide angle shooting experience.

Conclusion

During my test, I do miss quite a fair bit of shots and it is likely due to my incapability to nail the focus well. Nevertheless, I have mixed feelings about this lens. The photos sometimes turn out to be better than I have expected but sometimes it turns out to be soft.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/1000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/1700″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/1100″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/80″ . ISO 800 . Classic Chrome

At f4, it is not the brightest ultra-wide lens I have ever used and it is obviously meant for outdoor day use, such as architecture, landscape, creativity, abstract, and maybe a little bit of street. You can do some indoor/night shots if there is sufficient strong light to accompany you.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f4 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . Laowa 10mm f4 @ 10mm . f8 . 1/7500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

This cookie lens has a few competitors (Rokinon 10mm f2.8 and Samyang 12mm f2.0) in this price bucket. If you like something compact and do not mind the slower aperture, then this should be your choice. Because none of them beat the compactness of this cookie lens. Alternatively, Laowa also offers a more premium ultra-wide lens, Laowa 9mm f2.8, with 200 USD more.

Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer:
1. The lens is from Laowa Optic and I have returned it by the time this article is available online.
2. Most of the shots are straight out of the camera with some shots edited via In-Camera Raw Processing.
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. All the shots taken here are shot by me. I reserve ownership of these images, if you wish to use my images, please notify me.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 – The Fastest Lens Again

May 26, 2022November 24, 2022 Alwin Kok

Before anything else, I would like to thank TTArtisan for sending this lens for my review. I appreciate their support to make this post a reality.

Intro

While I am still waiting for the TTArtisan first-ever autofocus lens available for X-mount, TTArtisan decided to surprise everyone with the first-ever f0.95 extreme fast lens.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/80″ . ISO 800 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/160″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

I wrote about TTArtisan 50mm f1.2 a few months back and mentioned that it was the fastest lens back then. Not anymore. It has been replaced by another newcomer from the same family and now the f0.95 is the fastest lens ever built. But how does this lens perform and how is the photo usability wide open? Let’s find out.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f1.4 . 1/3200″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Design & Build Quality

First thing you will notice the design element of this lens is adapted from the TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 and the TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 with a little twist. Some do not like the look of it, and some like the design character of it. I am the latter. This zebra-like design helps itself to get distinguished from the rest.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f0.95 . 1/340″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/75″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

The aperture click is as good as the rest of the TTArtisans lenses I have used before it. The same comfortable and gentle feedback when you change the aperture values. The manual focusing ring is too provides a smooth focusing experience.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/2900″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

A little disappointment here, this lens does not inherit one thing from the 23mm design and it is the lens cover design. Instead of using the cap-on lens cap, it goes back to the screw-in type. Though it is still a metal one.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/400″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/8500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

At 411 grams, this is probably the heaviest manual lens that I have. This is kind of expected because of the large and heavy glass elements inside the lens. In comparison, XF56mm f1.2 weights 405 grams only. Having said that, the full metal constructed lens is very well built and dense. And I am pretty sure that someone will get injured if I throw it at him.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/2400″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/320″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Image Quality

At a maximum aperture of f0.95, I have a problem nailing the shots because of how shallow the depth of field is. When the focus is a hit, this lens can give a kind of soft and glowing effect which gives us a kind of dreamy feel to the photos. The result is more obvious when shooting under strong light. However, the blur-off transition from in-focus to out of focus is pretty smooth.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/680″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f0.95 . 1/2000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

In my testing period, I prefer to shoot at f2 and f2.8 as they give a good render of sharpness and contrast and they suit my own shooting preference. Of course, shooting at a lower aperture such as f5.6 gives better overall image quality which in return does not give a stronger depth of field.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f1.4 . 1/13000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Both chromatic aberration and vignetting are pretty obvious especially when you are shooting at wide open. I am expecting such behaviour but nevertheless, they can be fixed in post-processing.

Focusing

Focusing is manual. But what I want to share is the experience of rotating the focus ring. It is smooth but not loose. The focus throw is 180° which gives an ample amount of “distance” for more precise focusing. TTArtsian has been maintaining this experience for their photographers since the first lens and I think this is a good one.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/1400″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/480″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/350″ . ISO 320 . Post-edited

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

The MFD is 50 cm and very similar to most of the lenses in this focal length. When I shoot wide open at this close, a more dreamy and softer shot as a result. In my opinion, this is even more drastic than any focus distance can achieve.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f0.95 . 1/120″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f0.95 . 1/3200″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f0.95 . 1/200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Price Point

At 218 USD, this lens is pretty close to one of their direct competitors. Is it considered expensive from your perspective? I reckon this is a reasonable price point for a manual, non-electric contact equipped extremely fast lens.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/1700″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/420″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Who is this for?

This lens is not meant for everyone. Also, compared to other TTArtsian compact manual lenses, this lens is a heavy one. It might not be as enjoyable as the others in the long run. On this account, I think it’s targeted a very specific group of photographers who understand the pro and cons of owning this unique lens and knowing what they can achieve from this lens.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/400″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2 . 1/680″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

If you are a newcomer to the world of manual lenses, I will recommend you try out their other lenses and if you want this focal length, there is an alternative one such as TTArtisan 50mm f1.2.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/1500″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/1900″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Side note

This heavy lens does not balance well with any compact X-mount cameras such as X-E series and X-A series photographers. For this reason, I do not recommend any X-E and X-A series photographer to pair with this lens because it makes the overall camera balance lead forward and hence makes your wrist more tired and it is not going to be a fun shooting experience. I will suggest including a hand grip from any sources available if you want to pair it with the lens.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f2.8 . 1/80″ . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/3200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f8 . 1/300″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/1250″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Conclusion

This is my first extreme fast lens and my first ever hands-on with it. The image quality is what I have expected from this lens. While the optic quality is a little disappointing as compared to the TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, I think I can still forgive it because it gives me the thrill of shooting at an ultra-fast aperture experience.

As I mentioned earlier, I prefer the image results from f2 and f2.8, which makes me think if I ever need this lens in my arsenal. I can’t give you the right answer right now but I think it is always good to have one because you never know when you will need it someday.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f5.6 . 1/400″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 @ 50mm . f4 . 1/850″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Last by not least…

Dear TTArtisan, if you are reading this post, please give us the 32mm f2.8 autofocus lens!

Thank you for reading.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 – Hello To The Premium Manual Lens

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 Alwin Kok

Thanks to my friend Ivan Wong for giving me the opportunity to play with his latest lens, the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2, for a week. Unfortunately due to my unforeseen workload, I only get to try this lens for 4 days before I have to return the lens to him. So this is a pretty short hands-on experience compared to the usual one.

Voigtländer has been a long time manufacturer in the market, they have been manufacturing beautifully crafted lenses for M mount, E mount, Z-mount and m43 mount. Now they have extended their portfolio to craft lenses for the X-mount. Their first lens in the X-mount portfolio is nothing but one of the popular focal lengths among the photographers, 35mm (50mm in full frame equivalent).

Design & Build Quality

We do see some manufacturers having the same lens design but different mount. However, Voigtländer completely designs a new lens design for Fujifilm X-mount. Some might say it’s a pity that it does not have similar design elements like other Voigtländer lenses or missing out on the design language that Voigtländer has. Personally, I think it is okay. After all, the design is still beautifully designed.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

This 196 grams lens has a solid metal constructed body and I can actually feel how dense the weight of this lens is when I hold it in my hand for the first time. The aperture ring clicks give me very satisfying feedback and the manual ring rotates smoothly with a bit of friction without much force needed.

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f5.6 . 1/600″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f4 . 1/170″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

It comes with a pretty small 46mm filter size and comes with a metal screw-in hood. But I believe that, for a reason, the photographers who purchase this lens do not wish to put on the lens hood.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f4 . 1/850″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

By the way, in case you wonder, the lens is not weather resistant.

Focusing

Well, unfortunately, the speed of focusing depends on the accuracy of your eyes and the speed of your fingers. Because it’s manual focusing.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/160″ . ISO 400 . Classic Negative

Image Quality

At wide open, this lens gives you a kind of glowing and soft look where the blur falls off quite beautifully and is comfy to my eyes. It also provides a characteristic flare if you face the sun or strong light directly. Unfortunately, I fails to create one that is as beautiful as I saw on the web.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2.8 . 1/680″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.2 . 1/14000″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.2 . 1/5400″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

If you want to have a decent sharpness in the image, I recommend shooting from f2 onwards. The results are pretty good and usable at f2. Besides sharpness, contrast is decent too.

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/160″ . ISO 640 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.2 . 1/160″ . ISO 400 . Classic Negative

I have a high expectation (later on this) with this lens when it comes to chromatic aberration and vignetting. Luckily, I am not disappointed. They are very well controlled as I did not observe them from my shots.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2.8 . 1/160″ . ISO 1250 . Classic Negative

Minimum Focus Distance (MFD)

This lens comes with a 30 cm MFD which is the same as the XF33mm f1.4 and Sigma 30mm f1.4. At this distance, you can get stronger glowing and softer results. Not forgetting that the depth of field is very shallow when you shoot wide open.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.2 . 1/680″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.2 . 1/3200″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.2 . 1/550″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Price Point

I mentioned about me having high expectations about this lens. Allow me tell you why. According to the official suggested retail price, it costs USD 649. It is rather expensive for a manual lens. For reference, XF33mm is selling at USD 799 and Sigma 30mm f1.4 is at USD 339. If you want to justify the high price, what I can think of is the brand itself, fast aperture, compact, made in Japan and unlike other manual lens manufacturers, it does equip with electronic contact. I think it should suffice to justify, I guess?

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/160″ . ISO 1600 . Classic Negative

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/160″ . ISO 250 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/420″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Who is this for?

If you are a photographer who wishes to gain some experience with pure manual lenses and you do not mind not knowing your aperture setting, there are many other manual lenses for your consideration. The price between Voigtländer and other manufacturers is a huge gap. From a money perspective, I personally do not recommend you to buy this lens unless you know what you are doing.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/240″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2.8 . 1/140″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f5 . 1/9950″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Assuming you want to buy this lens, but you have no idea what genres is it suitable for. I think you do not need to worry about this. Because this focal length is very versatile and it covers generally most genres such as documentary, journalism, street and portrait.

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2.8 . 1/2500″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/350″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Conclusion

Thanks to the electronic contact, this lens gives me a very good manual lens experience. It allows me to know what is my aperture setting like the other autofocus lenses. But the price of this lens position itself clearly from the rest of the manual lens manufacturers. The image quality is indeed better than the other manual lens manufacturers but the result isn’t too far off by a mile.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2 . 1/160″ . ISO 800 . Classic Negative

Left: Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2.8 . 1/210″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative
Right: Fuji XE4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f4 . 1/640″ . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Having said that, I am still glad that Voigtländer is joining the Fujifilm community and not forgetting that the 23mm f1.2 is launching soon. All in all, I hope to see more lenses from them and benefit the photographers.

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f2.8 . 1/160″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-E4 . Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f1.2 @ 35mm . f1.6 . 1/160″ . ISO 1600 . Classic Negative

Thank you for reading.

Disclaimer:
1. The lens is from a friend of mine and I have returned it to him by the time this article is available online.
2. Most of the shots are straight out of the camera with some shots edited via In-Camera Raw Processing.
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. All the shots taken here are shot by me. I reserve ownership of these images, if you wish to use my images, please notify me.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Discussion

My Top 12 Most Favorite Photos in 2021

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 Alwin Kok

2021 comes and goes. In this pandemic year, I have gained quite fruitful experiences. In this year, I have a total of 22 posts, 11 of them are reviews of camera gears and lenses. All thanks to the opportunities given by Mr. Keitaro So, Divisional Head of Fujifilm, and Cles Distribution of Tamron Singapore and Sony, Singapore. Without them, I won’t be able to share my opinions and having these opportunities to wander around Singapore to capture some of the photos that have become to be my favorite. And these are my 12 most favorite photos in 2021. (They are not listed in order.)

#12

Fuji X-S10 . Fuji XF18mm F1.4 R LM WR @27mm . f1.4 . 1/60” . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome

#11

Fuji X-T3 . XF70-300mm @ 127.1mm . F5.6 . 1/125″ . ISO 500 . Post-edit

#10

Fuji X-T3 . Fuji XF50mm F1 R WR @50mm . f1 . 1/550” . ISO 160 . Pos-edit.

Fuji X-E4 . Fuji XF70-300mm F4-5.6 R LM OIS WR @300mm . f6.4 . 1/500” . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-Pro 1 . XF70-300mm F4-5.6 @300mm . f5.6 . 1/3200” . ISO 200 . Post-edit

GFX 50SII . GF 32-64mm F4 @32mm . f8 . 1/100” . ISO 100

GFX 50S II . GF 80mm F1.7 @ 80mm . f1.7 . 1/160″ . ISO 800 . Post-edit

Fuji X-T3 . Tamron 18-300mm @ 34.5mm . f4 . 1/160″ . ISO 2500 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-Pro3 . Fuji 27mm F2.8 WR @27mm . f5.6 . 1/200” . ISO 320 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f1.4 . 1/5400 . ISO 160 . Post-edit

Fuji X-T3 . Tamron 18-300mm @ 300mm . f6.3 . 1/75″ . ISO 400 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-S10 . XF 23mm F1.4 WR @ 23mm . f1.4 . 1/160″ . ISO 320 . Classic Neg

Is there any that you like? Let me know if you have one.

Thank you for reading.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

TTArtisan 17mm f1.4: The Economical Ultra-wide Angle Lens

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021 Alwin Kok

Due to my work and other personal commitment, this short lens review takes me quite a while to write and share. Here is the review:

I win the TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 over an online photography competition early this year. Coincidentally, this lens completes the uncostly quaternity lenses of my Fujifilm camera setup. Together with the TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, 35mm f1.4, and 50mm f1.2 lens, these 4 lenses give a basic setup that covers most focal lengths for landscape and streets.

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 0.9″ . ISO 160 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/6″ . ISO 3200 . Classic Negative

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/10″ . ISO 640 . Classic Negative

Special thanks to Den Poh for lending me the X-T20 for being the model for the lens.

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

Fuji X-Pro1 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f5.6 . 1/2400″ . ISO 400 . Post-edited

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/150″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

About this lens

By looking at the name of this lens, I am sure everyone should have noticed that this is an uncommon focal length for a prime lens. It sits right between the popular focal lengths from Fujifilm 16mm and 18mm. It seems to me that TTArtisan is trying to do away with the “common” focal lengths that Fujifilm has. This approach also gives the photographers more choices to look out for.

Based on the full-frame equivalent, the focal length is 25.5mm. On paper, it is wider than 28mm but slightly narrower than 24mm. In this case, we already know that what is the purpose of this lens. But does it make a huge difference with the 1.5m? Personally, I don’t think so.

When I first hold this lens in my hand, I can feel the metal-constructed premium quality built similar to other TTArtisan lenses. It is small but slightly taller than its 35mm brother. Despite its small size, I can too feel some weight on this lens (248 grams). It has a relatively small filter size of 40.5mm. Not a common filter size if you are looking to give extra protection to the front lens element (which I do not think is necessary to do so) or doing planning to do creative works. But it is also not that difficult to look for one.

The aperture gives a nice and satisfying clicky feedback when I change the aperture value. The manual focus ring gives a comfortable rotation with a little friction to hold me back.

Like all the TTArtisan lenses, this lens also does not come with a lens hood. Hence, lens flare can be an issue when you are shooting directly towards the sun. Unless lens flares are intended for your shots, try to avoid it or try getting a third-party lens hood to overcome the lens flare.

Image Quality

The image quality is decent and sharp. However, if you are shooting wide open, vignetting is considerably strong at the corners, but it is easy to post-process to remove it.

Left: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f1.4 . 1/120″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome
Right: Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/80″ . ISO 2000 . Classic Chrome

For this lens, I prefer to use an aperture number from f2 onwards. It gives me an acceptable balance between image softness and image sharpness. At wide-open, it gives some sort of softness (or character) to the shot, and unfortunately, it is not my preferred kind of result.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/5800″ . ISO 320 . Post-edited

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f5.6 . 1/550″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

As usual, I do not have high expectations for the third-party lens’ bokeh performance. At f1.4, it gives the overall picture a softer, dreamy look. I believe there are some photographers who actually know how to appreciate this kind of result. I am still learning to appreciate this. the background blur falls off remarkably nice from the subject and it does not give a harsh background blur too.

Sunny star effects are formed easily from F5.6 and the results are more beautiful and sharper from F8 onwards. But on a side note, flares can noticeable too if the lens is facing directly at where the sun direction is.

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f8 . 30″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f8 . 1/200″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Minimum Object Distance (MOD)

The MOD is 20 cm and it is considerably close for a compact wide-angle lens like this. With this MOD, we can create different perspectives and creative shots that we cannot achieve with our common lens.

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/100″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-Pro1 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f4 . 1/2900″ . ISO 800 . Post-editd

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/900″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

To give you some sensing on how close it is as compared to the Fujifilm 16mm f1.4 and 18mm f1.4, it has the same MOD as the XF18mm f1.4.

Manual Focusing

The smooth yet gentle friction experience on this manual focusing lens is as enjoyable as the rest of the TTArtisan lenses. I can’t find any reason to complain about it.

The focus throw from MOD to infinity is about 160°. Unlike some other lenses which take a huge throw to reach from one end to the other, the TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 is considered reasonable. I suppose there are some benefits for larger focus throw but I prefer a shorter one.

Who is this for?

This focal length is not my commonly used focal length for my shutter therapy. But I will bring this lens along with my other lenses. After all, it is compact and easy to place inside my camera bag.

Fuji X-E3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f5.6 . 1/280″ . ISO 200 . Post-edited

Fuji X-R3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/60″ . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome

This lens is suitable for Landscape, architecture photographers, and probably astrography photographers who are on a limited budget and yet want a fast prime lens. I also tested this lens for portraits and I think it is a good lens to catch some environmental portraits with your loved ones.

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/25″ . ISO 320 . Post-edited

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/60″ . ISO 320 . Post-edited

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/60″ . ISO 640 . Post-edited

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f5.6 . 1/2000″ . ISO 320 . Post-edited

If you are a photographer who wants to have experience shooting with a full manual lens, you are welcome to try this lens out but I will recommend TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 to start with.

Conclusion

TTArtisan is really good at striking a balance between the price and lens quality. I cannot find any player in the market that can compete with them without sacrificing either one of them. At USD118, I think the money is worth spending if you know what you can do with this lens.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f4 . 1/80″ . ISO 320 . Post-edited

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f4 . 1/1600″ . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-S10 . TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 . @17mm . f2 . 1/30″ . ISO 1000 . Classic Chrome

This lens gives me a fun and enjoyable experience. If you are willing to accept the flaws in this piece of glass, you will enjoy what it can give you.

Thank you for reading.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Reviews

TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 – The affordable wide-angle lens

December 6, 2021August 13, 2022 Alwin Kok

First of all, I would like to thank TTArtisan for inviting me to review this lens and it is my privilege to do so. Nevertheless, you can rest assured that this review will be based on the lens I received and it is purely on my own opinion.

Special thanks to Den Poh for lending me the X-T20 for being the model to the lens.

Intro

While I am eagerly waiting for TTArtisan to release their first autofocus lens for Fujifilm, instead, they release this tiny lens in the market. I am not surprised by its arrival as TTArtisan had shared the news via Fujirumors as early as August 2021. But at that point in time, no one knows how does the lens look like.

At 23mm (35mm in full-frame equivalent), this is one of my most commonly used focal lengths. My first prime lens is a 23mm lens and my most used camera is an X100V. Thanks to the versatility of this focal length, it is easily one of the favorites among street, documentary and journalist photographers. But can this lens become part of their photography tool? Only times will tell.

Design and Build Quality

The first thing that strikes me is the lens design. Unlike its peers, this lens has this sweet concave front element with a zebra-like pattern. I actually quite like this new design language and it is also distinguishable from the other players in the market. If you do not like this silver zebra-like version or you love your lens to be low profile, you can opt for the full black version.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f2.8 . 1/420 . ISO 160 . Post-edit

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f4 . 1/450 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f5.6 . 1/160 . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

Similar to the other TTArtisan lenses, the build quality of this lens is remarkable. The metal build is fantastic and it still comes with a rear metal bayonet. And also, this 43mm filter size lens does not include a lens hood.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f5.6 . 1/420 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f8 . 1/340 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f4 . 1/58 . ISO 320 . Classic Chrome

In my opinion, this is presumably one of the good changes and it’s the lens cap. The metal lens cap is no longer a screw-in type, but rather, it is replaced by the cap-on type. This changes really saves my time from screwing and unscrewing the lens cap. Not only that, it also gives a satisfying cushion feedback whenever I cap it onto the lens. Personally, I welcome this change.

When you change the aperture, the aperture ring provides gentle and comfortable clicky feedback. The rotation of the manual focus ring from one end to the other is about 160°. It gives a buttery smooth experience when you rotate it.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f1.4 . 1/2700 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f5.6 . 1/160 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f5.6 . 1/750 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

At 224 grams (and 240 grams with the lens cap – according to my kitchen weighting scale), the weight is well distributed and I do not experience any front element heavier than the other and vice versa. Overall, I have zero complaints in this department.

Image Quality

In my fair use of TTArtisan lenses, I habitually increase 1-stop of aperture instead of using the widest aperture. Not anymore with this lens. For the first time ever, I am happy with the image quality produced with the shots taken at f1.4 wide open. The result is sharp and has good contrast. Of course, the image quality improved further from f2 onwards, especially on the corners.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f5.6 . 1/1700 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f8 . 1/550 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f2.8 . 1/160 . ISO 500 . Classic Chrome

Unless you love to pixel-peep, otherwise, the chromatic aberration is mild and it is hardly noticeable for day-to-day shoots. For a budget-friendly lens like this, I could say this lens does a good job of managing chromatic aberration.

Like most of the TTArtisan lenses, it comes with 10 diaphragm blades too. This means that this lens is also capable of producing bokehlicious results. I will share my opinion about achieving the best bokehlicious result with this lens.

Minimum Focus Distance

While Minimum Focus Distance (MFD) might not matter to some photographers, but this is one of the key things when I am looking for a lens. Understanding a lens’ MFD allows me to know what kind of shots I can achieve with it.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f1.4 . 1/420 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f2 . 1/160 . ISO 500 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f2 . 1/160 . ISO 1600 . Classic Chrome

It has a MFD of 0.2m and I am impressed with the TTArtisan design team again. It has the shortest MFD as compared to the XF23mm f1.4 (@0.28m) and XF23mm f2 (@0.22m). This also means that I can take a slightly closer shot of the subject and give a slightly different perspective of the shot.

In my opinion, in order to achieve the best bokehlicious result with this lens is to shoot at its MFD wide open and with a good amount of depth background. That is because I notice that the bokeh is not that beautiful in other focusing distances.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f8 . 15″ . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f2 . 1/20 . ISO 3200 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f4 . 1/160 . ISO 640 . Classic Chrome

Something to take note of

If you want to shoot at infinity, the result is not sharp at the infinity marking. you have to rotate the focus slightly backward to get the right infinity shot. I think this is quite a common issue as the manufacturer is designed for various mounts and different mounts have different flange focus distances.

Another observation is that I notice there is some barrel distortion and this is within my expectation for a wide-angle like this one. But it can be fixed easily in post.

Who is this for?

In this day and age, one might ask who actually wants a manual lens where an autofocus lens is much superior in every aspect? I think there is no right or wrong answer. But rather why does the photographer wants to use a manual lens? The photographer himself/herself should have the best answer. It could be the price factor for such a fast prime lens. It could also be the compact form factor of the lens and the list of possible answers go on.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f1.4 . 1/850 . ISO 160 . Post Edit

But in my opinion, if you are a new photographer who wishes to experience a fully manual focus lens; or you want to give your old camera a reason to bring it out and shoot again; or does not wish to spend a fortune for a fast prime lens, then this lens is the one to start with. It is easy to pick up and use for everyday shoots.

However, if you are a commercial photographer or commissioning a project, you know the answer.

Conclusion

I have used this lens for about 2 weeks and what TTArtisan does impress me with is its image and build quality. Its usable f1.4 gives me a taste of what it is like to have it on 23mm. This lens is totally enjoyable and easy to use. And also, this lens makes me look forward to the autofocus lens.

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f5.6 . 1/250 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f4 . 1/5 . ISO 160 . Classic Chrome

Fuji X-T3 . TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 @ 23mm . f1.4 . 1/160 . ISO 800 . Classic Chrome

Thank you for reading.

If you like my works, please follow me on either one of the 2 Instagram accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/alwinkok_

https://www.instagram.com/alwin.portraits

If you like my content and you want to show some support, you can buy me a coffee here.

Tag: manual lens

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