This is the second TT Artisan lens you've inspired me to buy! Your test of the Chromatic Aberration is a good one. Other vloggers shoot straight into the sun to test for chromatic aberrations. I don't understand that because a photographer would almost never do that. Your test under normal lighting for CA is more real world conditions. I really love the look of the Sonnar design. This one is a classic formula in a good frame.
Thanks a lot! Yes if I had to pick my favorites out of the TT Artisan APS-C lens range, I would maybe still opt for the 35/1.4 and this 50/1.2. I do love the little 25/2 a lot as well, but its optics don't have that beautiful "modern classic" quality that the 35 and 50 shows.
Great review! I’ve had this lens for about four months and love it. It gives the look and feel of a vintage lens with a classic optical formula without the weight and nuisance of an adapter. It’s my favorite lens on my X-E3. Keep up the good reviews!
@@tomscameras yes. Already have the pergear 25mm which is super good and now i looking at your reviews about tt artisans & 7artisans 35/50 lenses to buy one... Or may be two ;) Your reviews are precious & excellent👍👏😆
Picked up this lens for my Z50 used in 10 condition from B&H for $57, lol. The fact that it’s silver instead of my preferred black doesn’t matter because it literally hasn’t left my camera since I got it two weeks ago. Amazing sharpness, zone focus makes it a perfect shy street photography lens.
Honestly, as much as I love the 50mm f1.2 I would always go for the Fuji XC35mm if you need a 35, not that much more expensive but with AF and very very sharp, also bokeh is pleasing.
I don't think the Fuji XC is really comparable to the TT Artisan lenses. It's made for a completely different purpose ! Only f/2, a lot of geometric distortion, but very sharp and super quick cause it's auto focus! It absolutely it is another great option for sure !! I used to shoot the Fujinon 23/2 and 50/2 lenses a lot and deeply love them as well. Today I am more happy with the manual focus lenses. A different style of photograpyhy ... not better or worse, just different!
The brand told those lenses are design under the Sonnar Zeiss specifications and I think they are close enough but with an awesome flare control that old Zeiss lenses haven´t. (I owned Planar, Sonnar and Distagon Zeiss lenses)
Very well done and informative video -- thanks for doing it! Based on your review I am going to get this for my Lumix S1R as it was just announced for L-Mount. Thanks for the great review!
Many thanks! But NO - you should not get it!! This is not a lens for the S1R, it only covers APS-C! The L-mount version is meant to be used with the Leica APS-C bodies such as Leica TL/TL2 and Leica CL!
@@h1pst3r88 Sure, you can use it, every FF camera will have some crop mode. I personally would not recommend it as IMO only FF lenses will make full use of the potential and characteristics of a FF body. Also both TT Artisan and 7Artisan, as well as many other manual lens manufacturers, make very interesting FF lenses! But, as always, take my words with a grain of salt. If this APS-C lens makes you happy, and you're aware of all this, then sure go for it!
I bought this lens after watching many reviews. It’s a lot of fun. I had to adjust the infinity focus stop, but that was easy. I also noticed that this lens has some very interesting similarities with the Zeiss C Sonnar 50/1.5. The aperture blades are the obvious example. The grip bumps on the aperture ring look like the Zeiss bump on the focus ring. The image strengths and weaknesses (quirks) seem similar, too. Obviously, the Zeiss should be a better lens, but it seems obvious where TT Artisans drew some of their inspiration.
Thanks for your feedback on using the TT Artisan 50/1.2! Yes I am also very sure that they were inspired by those classic lens designs. It also makes sense as I guess it is fairly easy to produce such an older lens design today that doesn’t use a huge amount of individual elements and also no special glass sorts. But many classic lens designs have great characteristics which is why many of us still love shooting them today!
Good job. The .5m min focus can perhaps be solved by a close up extension? This lens by the looks of it looks solid and stylish and is definitely a keeper. Could you review the newly released 23mm 1.4 by the same manufacturer soon. I'm curious to know your opinion about it. Ciao and cheers.
Thanks for your feedback! I already am working on the review of the 23/1.4! If you like to, then also check out my RU-vid community posts. There, I upload photos of the stuff that I am currently working on!
Love the information about the lens and make me wants to have this lens, i mostly use my X-t20 for portrait have 50mm f2 and Super Takumar 55 f1.8 but now this 50mm f1.2 need to be in my collection, again great video love it.
Many thanks for your feedback! The classic lenses like your Super Takumar are also awesome ... but the new ones like this TT Artisan are nicer to handle (no adapter) and also f/1.2 is just something different!
Hi, thank you for the review. I've seen both of your TT Artisan review videos (35mm.1.4 & this one) However I do have a question, which one would you recommend me to buy, since I already have a Fuji kit lens 15-45mm? I'm leaning towards portraits but also an overall everyday usage lens. Thanks!
For everyday use, get the 35/1.4! I have also made a video where you see the difference between a 35mm and a 50mm lens here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eeSX2jwC-eM.htmlsi=aD0Jdww4zwUTNebF
My favorite review as always😁 I bought their 35 f/1.4 and just love it, been on my camera for more than a month now. This I dont know, it really looks great but I already got a 50 f1.8 pergear, which is good but pretty vignetty up to ~f/4 🤔
Hey M M, many thanks for your feedback! Yes there is a HUGE choice of inexpensive and interesting 50mm lenses out there. I think this 50/1.2 is a definite step-up from the Pergear but then, the Pergear also should be a lot of fun and give great results!
@@tomscameras yeah, I use it around f/4 to f/8 anyway, for small products and since yesterday for scanning 120film (with a 16mm macro ring), the experiment went pretty well with grain-sharp images😁
Ich besitze auch dieses Objektiv neben dem 35mm von TT-Artisan. Es hat schon ein ordentliches Gewicht, so dass meine X-T2 mit Zusatzgriff Frontlastig wird. Ich warte noch auf das 17mm f1.4, was hoffentlich bald zu haben ist. Das 12mm Pergear, das 22mm von Zonlei, und das 55mm von 7Artisans besitze ich schon. Mir persönlich gefallen diese Objektive so gut, dass ich alle Fujinon verkauft habe. 😉 Manuelle Objektive ohne Elektronik sind halt doch die "ehrlicheren" Objektive, an denen nichts "schön" gerechnet wird... Und dafür liefern sie richtig gut ab. 😉 Gruß aus der Voreifel...
Ja, das Gewicht liegt etwas über 300 Gramm. Es ist kein Leichtgewicht. Wobei ich es sogar an der X-E3 (mit Zusatzgriff) noch handlich finde, aber das ist ja immer sehr subjektiv. Die X-T Serie ist ja auch immer schwerer geworden, an der X-T4 fällt das Gewicht sicher dann etwas weniger auf ;)
@@mwales2112 I can totally understand that. The main reason why one would want Fuji glass instead is the autofocus (if needed / preferred) … but optical quality or also mechanical finish? These TT Artisan lenses are really amazing …
I enjoy your videos because of your style so I thought I should subscribe. Now a question, in your photos you say "100% crop at 4K" what does the 4K mean? Are you editing a 4K video? I have three vintage Olympus OM lenses, a 35mm, a 50 mm f1.8 and a 135mm, each with an adapter for use on my Fuji cameras. How does the TT artisan 50mm compare with the Olympus 50mm lens?
100% crop at 4k means that if you are watching my videos in 4k resolution - then it's a 100% crop that you'll see there, as I'm showing you a 3840x2160 pixel crop. All my videos are available in 4k. Please note though that not every browser supports that, for example Apple Safari maxes out at 1080p, while Firefox gives you the 4k option also on a Mac. I very rarely use the OM Zuiko 50/1.8 on the Fuji as I have the TT Artisan. I did a direct comparison between the (even older) PEN-F Zuiko 38/1.8 and TT Artisan 35/1.4 in my video about the TT Artisan 35/1.4. Here, the TT Artisan was superior at open aperture but once stopped down to f/2.8, the PEN-F was already very good as well and sharpness-wise I wouldn't see any big differences. Only contrast tends to be always a bit lower with the old lenses. They just don't have the same modern coatings as today's glass.
Hi Tom, I'm deciding between this lens and the canon 50mm f1.8 beside I need to ad a adapter for my m50. Which you think will be a better performer and invest?
It's hard to answer that question in general. The Canon lens will have auto focus, that's a different experience in shooting. It's faster and more convenient, but some photographers actually still love the experience of shooting a manual-focus lens. On the other hand, the TT Artisan offers more background blur (it's f/1.2, not f/1.8). The Canon lens you can also use on other camera bodies in the future, if you should decide to sell Canon EOS-M and move to a different system for example (like Canon RF). In such a case, th TT Artisan lens cannot be changed from EOS-M to RF. So in the end, it's a bit the question if you want the convenience of an autofocus lens, or the manual focus experience of the TT Artisan. Also how important is the added background blur for you? And how likely is it that you'll be changing your camera system in the future?
It's OK for a budget low light lens, but it's a bit heavy and unbalanced on all except the xh series cameras. I have one but I also have fuji 56mm f1.2 and 50mm f.2, the fuji are much sharper. But the ttartisan compared to 50mm vintage lenses, the ttartisan is the better choice.
I'm okay with the weight of the lens, but I'm always using a hand grip on my X-E series cameras so they're not as super light-weight either. Actually the Fujinon 56/1.2 is even more heavy. I totally love the Fujinon 50/2, it's super-nice, and yes that one balances perfectly on the X-E series! But having said all that, there's a reason why many photographers actually love the more vintage look of classic lenses. I think that TT Artisan did a good job here with providing this look and still provide you with a lens that also can deliver technically good, clean, very sharp images when needed. I don't really enjoy using vintage lenses on mirrorless cameras as I really hate handling those adapters. :)
Hi Tom, I also have this lens since about December and I really love it as well. Really outstanding portrait lens. Do you happen to know when they are releasing the 17mm f1.4? That lens if very interesting to me!
Hello! Sadly I don’t have any more information about this. TT Artisan has an official Facebook page. When the 50/1.2 was launched, they posted it there ... I am also very curious about the 17/1.4!
Hi Jose. Choosing 50mm or 35mm is basically a matter of taste. Maybe you'd like to watch this video where I compare my 7Artisans 35/0.95 with the TT Artisan 35/1.4 and the 50/1.2: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eeSX2jwC-eM.html
That's a good question. I owned and used the Fujinon 50/2 a lot and I loved it! I would say the Fujinon is definitely sharper at the borders and edges, until the TT Artisan 50/1.2 is stopped down to f/8 at which point it also is just about perfect anyway sharpness-wise. However, it's f/1.2 and the Fujinon is only f/2 ... and that's quite a difference. If you value the speedy AF, great overall performance etc. then the Fujinon is great for you. The TT Artisan has a bit more "character" but still is capable of super-crisp and sharp, modern-looking images. The 56/1.2 I only used once very briefly. I can't really give an in-depth insight here. I found it very good but it was at the time just too expensive and also a bit big for my needs, I preferred the lighter and cheaper 50/2 over it. But I was looking for a travel setup back then when I decided for the 50/2. I wrote a bit about the 50/2 in my blog: tomscameras.wordpress.com/2017/10/18/some-sample-shots-with-the-fujinon-502-wr/
I found all the TT Artisan and 7Artisans lenses that I used so far very nice for video! If you want to shoot a lot of video, I'd also have a look into 7Artisans lenses due to their stepless aperture rings - the TT Artisan clicked aperture is so much nicer for photo, but of course less perfect in case you want to shoot video.
Hi. I have a Sony A6000 + Sony FE 50mm 1.8. I would like clear glass whether it has AF or not. I hesitate between the 7artisans 50mm f0.95 and the TTartisans 50mm f1.2. Will there be a big difference compared to the Sony 50mm 1.8 FE? The f1.2 light is already cool, is it worth paying extra 2x more to the f0.95 light? Thanks for advice. Greetings from the UK
Yes, the difference between f/1.8 and f/1.2 is pretty visible! I did not shoot the 7Artisans f/0.95 yet ... but I'm waiting for one right now. It should arrive in 1-2 weeks and them I'm doing a review & comparison! Just to get an idea about the different maximum apertures, I did a direct comparison between the TT Artisan 35/1.4 and 7Artisans 35/0.95 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eeSX2jwC-eM.html
No, this lens is much faster and gives photos with a lot of background blur. On the other hand, the Sigma is auto focus and this one is manual focus. So these are really two very different lenses!
Good point ... for „Full Frame“ Leica settled for both 75 and 90. I do like 75 more cause ... 90 can be pretty tight already. So the difference is definitely noticeable. But I think where you don’t have enough space to get the shot with a 90mm on full frame, a 75 sometimes can do it for you. The other way round, you can always shoot with the 75 and then crop a bit. Keep in mind that this ist a f/1.2 lens so there is a lot of subject separation possible as well. So I think it is very versatile overall and maybe a bit more so than a APS-C 60mm would be. But all this, as always, is also a matter of personal preference...
The Meike 50/0.95 is basically the same optical design as the 7Artisans 50/0.95. I did a comparison between that lens and the TT Artisan 50/1.2 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zY-4oI9uN14.htmlsi=q7vMmzZRx7rQMLcd I hope this helps! And yes, f/1.2 is a huge difference in dim-lit environments! However, also note that manual focus can be harder due to the super shallow depth of field when using such a super-fast lens!
I admit I never shot the 7Artisans 55/1.4. Here I find the TT Artisan more interesting because I really prefer the aperture with click-stops and the hard stop at infinity. So I didn't check out the 7Artisans f/1.4 which wouldn't offer me anything "special" compared to the TT Artisan 50 anyway. (In contrast, the 7Artisans f/0.95 does offer the special f/0.95 aperture!) But, I didn't shoot the 7Artisans 55 so I can't give you a full verdict here!
No, of course it will also arrive if I order from China. But chances are that I have to drive to the customs office to pick it up, and/or wait 2-3 weeks for it to arrive. Overall it is just more convenient to go to the local camera store and buy it there - so it's great to see that some of the stores also carry these lenses today!
Hey Patrick! If you are willing to try out manual focus glass, then I would have a close look at the TT Artisan 35mm f/1.4 - I also reviewed that lens on my channel! The advantage of 35mm over 50mm is that it is a more "versatile" focal length in my opinion. It is still very good for portraits, but it's also a good walk-around lens. Second suggestion from me: For Canon EOS M there is also the nice and very compact Canon EOS M 22mm f/2 pancake lens. It offers a bit more quality over your kit zoom and it is faster at f/2. It is not f/1.4 but it does have autofocus. So it really depends if you would like to give manual focus a try, or not :)
All my photos are shot in RAW and edited. but "editing" means: White balance, saturation & hue, contrast. All these are settings that you HAVE to decide on anyway. Either it's done in-camera ... and then every manufacturer does it differently anyway ... or you do it in the RAW converter. What I do NOT "edit" is things like: vignetting, distortion, chromatic aberrations. If I correct for any of these in any of my photos, I put in a note / some text in the video so you know it. This way, you can always see the original optical quality of the lens, especially with these manual lenses!
Honestly: I can't. I was given this strap many years ago (maybe 15 years ago?) by a photographer friend. I think it was an Blackrapid R-Strap clone but the logo that was printed on the screw, is long gone ... anyway, basically it's similar to the R-Strap: www.blackrapid.com/all/camerastraps/ There should be some more manufacturers that make straps like this.
I would say that corner sharpness is better on the 35/1.4 yes. They both need to be stopped down for perfect landscape / architecture-style shots but the 50/1.2 more so. In all other respects I find them very similar. You can easily combine shots of both these lenses and still have the same or at least a very similar look to all your photos.
They are hard to compare. The TT Artisan is f/1.2 but it is also only for APS-C cameras! The Canon 50 STM is f/1.8 but can be used on full frame as well. If you use the Canon 50 STM on APS-C, the TT Artisan will offer softer background blur because of f/1.2. This difference in bokeh is really clearly visible! Also the extra f-stop can help in dark situations. Sharpness-wise they should be pretty similar overall if you shoot them at the same apertures. I didn't do a direct comparison but I reckon the Canon STM should be a bit better at around f/5.6 in the corners and borders. Also the TT Artisan is manual focus only and Canon has AF.
I can only confirm what @Aditya Gupta says! The TT Artisan 50/1.2 is newer and a better design as the 7Artisans 55/1.4. The newest 7Artisans lens is the 35/0.95 which is very good and a big improvement over their older designs. It is also more expensive. All these Chinese brands are improving their quality fast these days! Also the 50/1.1 Kamlan Mk2 is a huge improvement over the older Mk1.
Hi Tom, I love your reviews, thanks! I have a bunch of the TTArtisan lenses and other Chinese lenses and have been testing them on our custom studio reprography rig with a 26MP Fuji. I tested the 50mm F/1.2 and here is the result at f/8 with basic LightRoom adjustments: www.digitalmasters.com.au/TTArtisans_50mm_f1,2_at_f8.jpg
Many thanks for your feedback and providing you link to that professional test shot! It's looking good to me! I think many of these lenses from the new Chinese manufacturers are very good in practice, even though they are, of course, never going to be as technically perfect as some much more expensive glass. But there's always the question of how much "technical perfection" you'll really need or want in your own photography.
