It’s not fairly a pancake lens, however the TTArtisan 50mm f2 lens is nearly compact sufficient to be known as one. Somewhat greater than an artisanal macaron, the lens doesn’t really feel low-cost in any technique to maintain. With a full metallic physique and clicked aperture ring, you’d be shocked to know that the lens retails for lower than $80. However can it carry out in addition to it seems to be and feels?
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After I opened up the lens bundle and noticed what was inside, my thoughts instantly thought – “hmm… is that lens absolutely manufactured from plastic?” A thought that was shortly dismissed as soon as I picked up the lens. It felt extremely properly made for one thing that, at first look, appeared like a toy. The physique was all metallic and under no circumstances felt low-cost. The TTArtisan 50mm f2 Z mount lens that was despatched to me had a tremendous chilly metallic contact. I’d even go as far as to say it felt premium in some methods. It’s an f2 aperture manual-focus lens about half the dimensions of my Nikon Z 50mm f1.8 S lens. A number of the different lenses from this model are a bit unconventional in design, however this one appears to take inspiration from Leica’s Summicron mannequin.
The Massive Image
Professionals
- Compact and light-weight
- Good construct high quality with a premium really feel to the physique
- Nice worth at simply USD $79
- Is available in a spread of lens mount choices for mirrorless cameras
- Correct shade rendition
- Clicked aperture ring
CONS
- Not too sharp under f4
- Photos don’t have a lot distinction when utilized in common to vibrant daylight
- Handbook focus and aperture rings have switched locations in comparison with conventional Nikon F-mount guide focus lenses. Seasoned Nikon guide lens customers will take a while to regulate to this
- No lens hood
- The lens cap is a screw-on mannequin that makes it cumbersome to shortly cowl or open your lens
- No digital contact factors for transferring EXIF knowledge to your digital camera
It’s a kind of lenses the place you possibly can’t complain a lot about a number of optical flaws for its fantastically low worth and compact dimension. Photos can lack distinction even when stopped down when taking pictures instantly into daylight, or if there’s intense mild from both aspect. As with all guide focus lenses, it takes some time to know the candy spot for sharpness. For those who’re a zone focus fanatic or knowledgeable, you’ll take advantage of this lens. Cease down the aperture previous f5.6, set your digital camera to Auto-ISO, and take it out to the streets for time. However in any other case, be ready to cope with tender particulars outdoors the principle focus areas.
Not so sharp but additionally not unusable at wider apertures, the lens could be enjoyable to make use of in the event you don’t count on the world from it. I’m giving the TTArtisan 50mm f2 lens three out of 5 stars.
Gear Used
I used the TTArtisan 50mm f2 Nikon Z-mount lens with a Nikon Z6 II. We’re allowed to maintain the lens and the Nikon Z6 II is a earlier buy of ours.
Improvements
None to report. Until you contemplate that poker-chip sized lens cap as modern
Ergonomics
The aperture ring has strong clicks whenever you flip it (half stops from f2 till f5.6, and from then on, full stops till f16). The main target ring isn’t stiff however doesn’t flip too quick whenever you need to go from infinity to the closest focus distance. You’ve acquired focal distance markings on there, nevertheless it’s not one thing I paid a lot consideration to whereas utilizing it. As a rule, I used to be nearly centered at infinity to get the topic in higher focus. I really feel that photographers with greater fingers than me may not get pleasure from focusing utilizing this tiny lens.
The lens cap actually shouldn’t have been a screw-on sort. I usually wish to cowl the entrance aspect of my lenses with the lens cap after I’m strolling in crowds, particularly when there’s no lens hood. With this lens, it was simply an excessive amount of of a trouble to unscrew the cap every time I needed to take a photograph. I made a decision to depart it off at some point of my out of doors exams. It’s additionally manufactured from the identical metallic high quality as the remainder of the lens exterior and has corrugated edges for straightforward gripping. It’s solely useful after I need to stow away the lens in my bag. A lens hood may need been useful for some sort of safety towards bumps whereas utilizing outside, however that might have elevated the already apparent vignetting within the photos (extra on that later).
Construct High quality
You wouldn’t count on this sort of high quality from a sub-100 USD lens, and I actually wasn’t ready for this lens’s ending high quality. I used to be anticipating it to really feel mild, nearly hole, however the density of this tiny lens was spectacular.
The lens mount felt stiff after I tried to mount it to my Z6 II, nevertheless it does click on into place fairly audibly. General, for this worth, the lens feels actually value it with regards to the standard of supplies used and the general really feel of the lens in your arms.
Ease Of Use
As a Nikon consumer, I discovered the swapped positions of the aperture and focus ring complicated to make use of. The aperture ring is closest to the physique on all my Nikon guide focus lenses. In the course of the first day of utilizing the lens, I usually turned the aperture ring after I supposed to regulate the focal distance. This took a number of hours to get used to, nevertheless it’s not one thing that I’d contemplate a deal breaker if I needed to purchase this lens.
Handbook focusing with this lens is way simpler whenever you use your digital camera’s focus peaking function. However for no matter purpose, I discovered it powerful to nail focus at f2, even when the main target peaking indicated that the topic was in focus. At f2, something even barely outdoors the realm of focus appeared tender upon shut inspection. It’s a lens that wants loads of persistence to work with to know the way to get the very best out of it.
Neither does TTArtisan’s product web page state something about climate sealing/resistance nor would I actually count on that at this worth vary. There don’t seem like apparent locations the place mud may seep in and attain your digital camera’s sensor. My sensor remained as clear after utilizing this lens because it was earlier than I first mounted it onto the digital camera.
Focusing
It seemed to be in focus, and the main target peaking indicators on my Z6 II would say that it was, however I usually noticed that the main target was off within the remaining picture. And this wasn’t simply at f2; I noticed this all the best way till f4 even. With each different guide focus lens I’ve used on this digital camera, even at f1.4, the main target peaking was correct. Even when the depth of area was shallow, it was at all times correct. If it was off, it was both as a result of the topic had moved out of the focal aircraft or I did. Now at f2, I used to be keen in charge myself for not being regular sufficient to nail the main target. However when there was adequate focal vary at apertures like f4, I used to be stumped over why the main target could be off.
It didn’t matter if the topic was near me for portraits or far-off within the distance. I noticed the main target to be off in over 1 / 4 of the pictures I took with the TTArtisan 50mm f2 lens. Whereas I’m keen to take the blame for a few of these photos, I really feel there are different contributing elements too. While you get the main target proper, it’s acceptably sharp all through the middle and solely barely drops off on the corners. However getting it proper usually wasn’t one thing I managed throughout my exams. It was so much simpler getting the deal with the tremendous shallow Laowa 45mm f0.95 lens. Possibly I simply obtained a nasty copy of the lens.
Picture High quality
For those who’re affected person with guide focusing for shallow apertures or simply cease down the aperture for extra depth, you’d get some fairly first rate photos out of this lens. Simply bear in mind to avoid rays of daylight, in any other case your pictures will lack distinction for essentially the most half. Most autofocus mirrorless lenses as of late produce photos which can be good and contrasty. I noticed none of that when utilizing the TTArtisan 50mm f2 lens outside at noon. When there’s a little bit of shade and no daylight hitting the lens, the general really feel of the pictures this lens produces is far more spectacular. However I usually needed to maintain reminding myself that it’s meant to be a funds lens, and I have to dial down my expectations from it. And after I did, I feel I used to be extra happy with what I acquired out of it.
The standard isn’t mild years away from what I get within the photos taken with my Nikon 50mm f1.8 S lens. I’ve seen worse picture high quality from dearer lenses, and TTArtisan has managed to place some good optics right into a low-priced lens that feels dearer. The heavy vignetting wasn’t one thing I used to be anticipating although. It’s fairly evident even when taking pictures at f2, and that’s odd contemplating I didn’t have a filter or a lens hood on the lens.
Bokeh
The standard of the bokeh that this lens produces is nice.
Colour Rendition
So long as you don’t overexpose and keep away from direct daylight, you’ll discover the colours produced by this lens to be correct. Do count on the often washed-out picture, such because the one under. These can simply be saved with the Dehaze function in your post-processing software program of selection. The shadows appear to retain higher colours than the highlights for many of my photos.
Lens Character
A number of flare when stopped down and pointed on the solar.
The dearth of purple fringing is phenomenal for a lens at this worth level. I used to be anticipating to see loads of this, however I hardly noticed any. No matter lens coatings they’ve utilized in listed here are controlling the fringing properly.
Picture distinction is certainly decrease than what you’d see on competing 50mm lenses within the mirrorless class. It’s simply corrected throughout enhancing however be ready to must cope with this in loads of the pictures you’d take utilizing this lens.
Vignetting is noticeably heavy on the corners, even at f2. For those who managed to get a screw-on hood for this lens, it’d in all probability be manner worse.
Sharpness
While you handle to get your focus proper, the sharpness is definitely good. The sharpness falloff can also be fairly cool whenever you search for shut. Sadly, getting the main target proper on the lens I obtained wasn’t as easy as I believed it will be. I’d usually take a shot and verify it, then discover out it wasn’t centered accurately on the topic. When repeated takes would miss the main target this fashion, I’d cease the aperture down for higher outcomes.
If pin-sharp photos are one thing you chase, keep away from this lens please. It’s not which you could’t get them utilizing it, it’s simply that you just’d spend manner an excessive amount of time making an attempt to get it with this lens.
Additional Picture Samples
From day one, The Phoblographer has been large on transparency with our viewers. Nothing from this overview is sponsored. Additional, a number of people will submit evaluations and present a number of enhancing within the pictures. The issue then turns into that anybody and everybody can do the identical factor. They’re not displaying what the lens can do. So we’ve got a bit in our Additional Picture Samples space to point out edited and unedited pictures. From this, you can also make a call for your self.
Unedited
Edited
Who Ought to Purchase It?
For those who’re contemplating getting a quick 50mm lens for his or her mirrorless digital camera and are keen to tackle the challenges of guide focusing and a little bit of picture softness at a extremely inexpensive worth, go for this. Like most guide focus lenses, the TTArtisan 50mm f2 has its personal traits. These should be wholeheartedly embraced as you get to know its flaws intimately. However getting this construct high quality at such a low worth looks as if an actual discount. And the pictures you get from this aren’t dangerous in any respect. While you actually nail the main target correctly, loads of the pictures are keepers. It’s a superb walkabout, each day out of doors images lens. Keep in mind that you’ll be correcting distinction usually and sharpness often.
tech Specs
These had been taken from the Pergear product itemizing web page:
Focal Size: 50mm
Most Aperture: f/2
Minimal Aperture: f/16
Lens Mount: X-mount
Angle of View: 45°（Full Body）; 32°(APS-C)
Minimal Focus Distance: 1.6′ / 50 cm
Optical Design: 6 Components in 5 Teams
Diaphragm Blades: 10
Focus Sort: Handbook Focus
Picture Stabilization: No
Filter Dimension: 43 mm
Dimensions (ø x L): 60mm x 35mm
Weight: 190-212g
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