TTartisan teases its first AF lens, a 32mm F2.8 for multiple full-frame, APS-C camera systems

Many 18-55mm lenses are plastic mount. Never seen one fail.

Oct 5, 2021*permalink

jimrpdx

I put myself in a curious position when I bought and greatly liked the TTArtisan 35/1.4 - it means both this lens and the 40 macro are fighting a proven winner in my bag. No doubt I can wait a bit longer for future offerings; their 17mm was worth the wait!

Oct 2, 2021permalink

nunatak

to me, it looks like the light baffle is fixed.
wonder if it uses proprietary filters, or some proprietary filter adapter to attach circular filters?

Oct 2, 2021permalink

shutterbugnx

No love for L-Mount?

Oct 1, 2021permalink

memo90061

So sad! :( I would buy for my S5.

Oct 2, 2021permalink

Ironfilm

Yeah, I don't think there are any 3rd party AF lenses outside the L Mount Alliance yet?

Oct 7, 2021permalink

silver to silicon

Reading the old Pulitzer winner coffee table book “Moments” made me curious what full frame lens was equivalent to the 127mm or 135mm optar or raptar common on the once ubiquitous 4x5 press cameras.

If you print 8x10, it’ seems to be halfway between 28mm and 35mm = 32mm

Oct 1, 2021permalink

(unknown member)

-delete

Oct 1, 2021*permalink

(unknown member)

I like the looks of it and f/2,8 can probably keep it relatively small and cheap. 0,5m mfd doesn't seem great though.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

CQui

Nice looking hood, I'd like one for each of my existing lenses...
Or may be a barn doors one would be nicer looking...

Oct 1, 2021permalink

JasonTheBirder

I am not surprised at lenses like this. Camera manufacturers these days stopped producing a lot of lower-end stuff including APS-C cameras. Of course third-party manufacturers are going to concentrate on smaller, compact lenses with some compromises to fill out this gap. I suspect this is going to be a very cheap but capable lens that doesn't break any sharpness records. Personally, I am not interested in anything but corner to corner razor sharpness most of the time, but I can see how this extremely compact lens could be very nice in some cases.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

TwoMetreBill

What a useless lens, give us something new. How about a 12mm f/2 AF, 16-320 f/5.6, 100-400mm f/5.6 macro... Just duplicating existing lenses in a collapsing market is just plain silly.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Pixel8888

As long it is sharp into the corners for landscape photography. The fuji 35/2.0 is not.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

D135ima

It is TTartisan, not Sigma. These guys make simple primes without electronic connection to the camera. This lens is a huge step for them. And I am very happy for them.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Paul Reading

They are learning. I like the principal of the manual lenses these companies make but I wish they had electronic connectors for the cameras. They have jumped this stage and now have an AF lens. The thing is they have not learned how to coat lenses nor how to combat chromatic aberration. So I am not sure who will buy this lens. It is attractive, but realistically how many lenses can you carry you don’t need that many,

In film days I did all my photography with a 28mm F2.8, a 50mm F1.4 and a 70-210 F4. Later I bought a. I Minolta CLE with a 28, 40 and 9pm lens. We used to concentrate on the photo and not the gear. Film was expensive unless you were doing black and white.

Oct 7, 2021permalink

Ruy Penalva

Let's await its performance and price.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

IamToddNorris

Wonder how it compares to the Viltrox AF 33mm f1.8. I've seen some good and bad reviews for the Viltrox.

I love a third party budget lens . ❤️

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Staralfur

I have a Viltrox AF 33mm f1.4 and i love it ^^

Oct 1, 2021permalink

IamToddNorris

* f/1.4. Not 1.8. My bad.

Oct 2, 2021permalink

Photoman

I don't need this lens...but I want it!!!

Sep 30, 2021permalink

papajohnny

If it's true that it's an FF lens, then it's a direct competitor to Samyang 35/2.8. Samyang has some problematic areas, like flare, but overall it's a good and inexpensive lens. For TTartisan to compete the lens must be better optically, which if previous history is any indicator is not likely.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

(unknown member)

Not likely? Maybe you got a bad sample. There are a few at least for Leica M-mount which are excellent.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

This lens looks suspiciously like a Samyang with a green ring. I bet they are kissing cousins--I also bet it will be cheaper with damn similar IQ.
In other words, if you haven't bought a Samyang yet, SCORE!
But as for me, I saw the value of a pancake plus sized 30-something mm long ago and bought a gently used 35/2.8 Zeiss. I'LL NEVER SELL IT-

Oct 1, 2021*permalink

If you are implying it is a rebadged Samyang, that is unlikely. Samyang are Korean made and the Chinese can usually build stuff cheaper. They don't need to rebadge.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

I have a TTArtisans 50mm f1.2, and that lens is punching way, way above its $100 weight class. Really happy with it. So I would be interested in giving this lens a try, although it's close in FL but slower than Fuji's 35mm f2, which is WR and can be had new for under $400.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

eliehbk

I’m so getting one. I wonder when it will be out!

Sep 30, 2021permalink

David610

This lens with a nifty fifty and a small twenty would be sweet.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

@ David610, I agree, and the Samyang 18mm is close enough for government work- (concerning having a 20)

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Canon RF has a mini 16mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.8 already. This would sit nicely in the middle. Would prefer Nikon's 28mm there in the middle, but 32mm will do.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

SteveAnderson

The interesting part is that this maker has made a lens that will AF on RF, M, Z, etc....

E mount protocol licensing can be bought, but the others are closed protocols.

This is a bit of a big deal if the AF functions work excellently.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

I suspect that RF and Z mount autofocus protocols aren't really a lot different electronically than EF and Nikon F. And since both cameras in the new mounts have in-built compatibility with previous system lenses, it's not a far out guess to think that's what TTArtisans are doing-using older, more available protocols on the new physical mounts.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

hfolkertsma

F/2.8 on a fullframe camera is perfectly fine, wonderful even. It’s the equivalent of an F/1.8 lens on APS-C depth of field wise.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

trungtran

Imagine making a lens in RF and EF-M mount. Doesn't take much does it.

That 85, 50 and 15mm RF lenses would be perfect for the M cameras.

What is your long term strategy Canon?

Good job TTArtisan on giving us a choice.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

hfolkertsma

Long term and EF-M don’t match together.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

theBitterFig

@hfolkertsma - sure, but getting something like a 50/1.8 as a portrait lens would make a tonne of sense for EF-M (while it lasts).

Sep 30, 2021permalink

CQui

There's a 32/1.4 Canon and 56/1.4 Sigma for EF-M,

The sigma, with its hood already feels sometime a bit large, any RF lens that is not a supersoom would be huge for its purpose,

Oct 1, 2021permalink

theBitterFig

@CQui - For most RF lenses, sure. Not all. The RF 50/1.8 is only 40mm long, compared to the Sigma 56/1.4's 60mm, and weighs 160g vs 280g.

The upcoming RF 16/2.8 is just about the same size and weight as the RF 50, while the Sigma 16/1.4 is 90mm long and just over 400g, so the Canon would be less than half the size and weight. Two stops faster, but that's a trade-off folks would have to make for themselves.

Rehoused in EF-M style, either compact RF lens would surely be nice little additions that'd fit right in. Maybe the 16 isn't really needed, given the nice little 22 and the 11-22 zoom, but that 50/1.8 would fill a gap in the EF-M line with probably trivial additional development work on Canon's behalf.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

I've had positive experiences with TT's manual focus lenses. If this comes in around $200~250, I'm definitely getting it for Z-mount. Which again raises the question that if Viltrox and now TTartisan can make 3rd party Af lenses for the newer mounts why are Sigma and Tamron lagging behind.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

aenoether

I suspect $200-250 would be very low margine of return (or below cost) for an auto focus lens and not all manufacturers can play that game.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

I wasn't referring to the price point in my third sentence. Sigma, Tamron and SamyRoki are behind the Chinese companies in coming out with native Z-mount lenses at any price point.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

papajohnny

I didn't have good experience with that company, all their lenses are poor optically.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

badi

"are behind the Chinese companies in coming out with native Z-mount lenses at any price point"

well... Sigma and Tamron lenses do work fine with R and Z mounts (that is the DSLR variants with the adapter - using the old protocols), so it is not like thay can't have AF working. Putting the old protocol with physical new Mirrorless mount is trivial (for them).

So it is either a marketing or production decision, either a matter of deciding on how to handle the new protocol.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

deep7

I hope they put this out in L mount too! I have their 35/1.4 MF lens and it's quite wonderful, so I have reason to hope this could be good too.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

whawha

The 2.8 aperture is extremely inspiring, since without it the lens couldn’t be small and light. The fact that it’s 32mm on full frame is interesting too. This could replace my Samyang 35mm 2.8, I’d prefer a slightly wider focal length.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

TonyF64

"The F2.8 aperture isn’t exactly inspiring"

I don't think 2.8 is an issue if it is small, lightweight and the AF is quick and accurate. Could be a good option for the R6, RP, Z5, and A7-C for a walk-around setup. And probably several other I'm not thinking about.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

SteveAnderson

m6ii and x-t4 the only major ones you missed.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

TonyF64

@SteveAnderson Good Point. I wasn't thinking APS-C. 48-51mm on those. I'd probably add zfc to the list.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

PocketPixels

Green ring, square hood, 32mm equiv focal length? Takes a few cues from the DA 21mm Limited.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

unhappymeal

It's what I immediately thought of too.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

mxx

And me.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

TheBestCameraIsTheOneYouActuallyShoot

All they need to do now is release it on K-mount :)

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Samuel Lucifer

Nice, but how do you put a filter on it?
Or is that just a regular lens hood?

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Paulo Cortez

The (apparently) metal hood should be detachable, like the one from the Carl Zeiss 35mm f2.8 FE...and it will likely use a filter with a very small diameter

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Samuel Lucifer

Thanks

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Yes please! I’ll put this on my back up Zfc :)

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Discombobulated

why 32 but not 28 nor 35 mm?

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Because there are already 28 and 35mm options. 32mm is a unique option.

Or it’s APSC and 32 = about 50 equivalent

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

I love it when companies try something different. So many photographers are so conventional minded. Rule followers pfft.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

QuietOC

I've been wanting a full-frame lens in this range but not enough to buy the Pentax 31mm F1.8 Limited.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

Archlich

For us LC-A users.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Discombobulated

50 equivalent making sense. but f/4.2 is slow, almost only work under bright daylight.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Karroly

Discombobulated,
F2.8 is F2.8 in term of exposure and allows you to stay at relatively low ISOs in many situations, unless you shoot mostly indoor or at dusk.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

EXkurogane

The problem for this lens is nikon has 28/2.8 and 40/2 for $299, unless this thing is actually priced at $199 or less. But it'll definitely be attractive to Canon R users.

Given how TTartisan sells a fully metal build full frame fish eye 11mm 2.8 for only $210 (i own it), i think it's possible for this to be at the $200 price point.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

JConrad

I also have the 11mm fisheye, and have actually owned it for both Sony E and Canon RF....it's really an excellent quality fisheye, even without taking the price into account. I also just got their 50mm f/1.4, and it is a wonderful lens. Sharper than most of the 50mm lenses on the market, save for things like the Sigma Art and other $1,000+ lenses, and with a gorgeous rendering and bokeh. Reminds me very much of the Voigtlander 40 and 50mm f/1.2 Noktons in performance and drawing style, but for 1/4 the price.

Oct 1, 2021*permalink

Jonathan F/2

We're truly living in the golden age of photography. Equipment at all price points, access to both analog and digital and various methods to share photos with people around the world!

It's great to see all these lens options being released. I used to be 1st party bias, but nowadays I don't mind using some of the cheaper stuff. Especially since mirrorless has equalized AF precision making even 3rd party lenses focus accurately. Plus tuning from a USB dock was a great innovation spearheaded by Sigma!

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Might be a fun lens to mount on a A7C, but I already have the Samyang 35/2.8 which seems smaller. Anyway, fun that we get more lenses. Options are always nice!

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Wow... Are there more choices in 28-35mm in E-mount than they are in ALL of Z or RF mounts?
Sure seems like it-

Sep 30, 2021permalink

E-mount doesn't have that many 28 mm lenses but there are some. On the 35 mm side on the other hand, E-mount has 12 autofocus fullframe lenses and 17 manual focus native ones :-)

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Yes there are more. Also the mount is 5 years+ older. Makes sense.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

@ tkbslc...BUT, has any (other) mount proliferated like this in JUST 5 years? The decision to have an open protocol was genius- and will continue to be a thorn in the side of every other manufacturer for many years to come!

Oct 1, 2021*permalink

Fuji opened up their mount in 2020 and I have noted that both Viltrox and Tamron lenses have been released for instance, and the Sigma APS-C line is heavily rumored to come soon.

I am not sure how Fujis licensing deal works though. Here in an interview at DPR, they announced that they would open it so it is official but that is all I know about the background: https://www.dpreview.com/interviews/6372373001/fujifilm-interview-we-will-get-through-this-crisis-together

Oct 1, 2021permalink

According to Caldwell Optical's website, the Smart Adapter Canon EF to Sony FE adapter was made by them with zero help from Sony. That 'Open Mount' isn't as open as Sony wants you to think it is. No third party adapter vendor has ever been given access to Sony's AF protocols-and yes, Caldwell tried for years to get it. And they're not some new fly by night operation, either. Sony owns part of Tamron, Zeiss partnered with everyone including Fuji; Sigma also makes lenses for a wide variety of closed mounts. BUT ANYWAY...

Yes, great marketing stunt. There is lots of E mount glass, and most of it is good to great.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Johan Borg

Interestingly, Sigma's license didn't seem to prevent them from making an EF to FE converter, but they're not allowed to make an adapter which takes FE lenses, so their new teleconverters are L-mount only.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

The Sony license is for Lens mount only. On a TC one also needs the Body mount and that is not licensed out. Sigma doesn't want to go outside of the rules it seems so therefor no E-mount TCs. I think this is bad from Sonys part to not make an exception for TCs. Same problem long lenses from Tamron must have. Maybe they could make their lenses to work with Sonys TCs but those they don't have control over and they could be changed or withdrawn from the market and they would stand there promising TC compatibility for their products and suddenly is isn't there anymore. Also Sigma wants to use the L-mount which makes it harder to design for two different TCs.

When it comes to small adapter makers, the story I've read is that to get an E-mount license from Sony the company must be of a particular size and age. These small companies are simply to small and to young. But Sigma has been around a long time and also are rather big so they can do adapters and have the license.

Oct 1, 2021*permalink

Another potential problem for 3d party makers are that there might be a 15 fps limit on their license. No 3d party lens does more than that. If it is by their own design choice or an actual limit in the licensed protocol we on the outside don't know.

But as frame rates goes up on the bodys, it will be a growing problem for 3d partys to compete, especially on long lenses, if it indeed is a license limit.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

So.. maybe a somewhat open mount?

Oct 1, 2021permalink

I must admit that I have lost exact track of how many native fullframe autofocus lenses there is in the E-mount system right now.

And that is due to the fact that none of the lens lists we have available from Marc Alhadeff, PhillipReeve etc are fully complete. Also they count announced but not yet purchasable lenses a little different.

But we are very close to having 100 native fullframe autofocus E-mount lenses and on top of that another 100-ish manual focus fullframe native ones.

I remember when I stepped into the system in 2015, only six years ago and there were several large holes in the line up. Things have surely moved quickly since then.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Onur Otlu

I remember when the "wide angle option" was the 16 mm f/2.8. :)

Sep 30, 2021permalink

I was in m4/3 when Sony released the A7 in 2013. I was really drawn to the larger sensor but as a camera the A7 was not near what we had in m4/3 at the time, the Olympus E-M1 came almost the same month as the A7.

When Sony put the worlds first FF BSI sensor in the 42 Mpix A7RII I couldn't resist any longer. I still use it for what I originally got it for: high DR landscapes, sunsets, etc & low light images (all that m4/3 struggled with). The A7RII sensor is still at the 7th place at DXOmark for the best ever FF sensor with 98 points vs the best modern ones at 100 points.

I started with the Sony/Zeiss 35/1.4 for low light and the Sony/Zeiss 16-35/4 for nature/sunsets.

For the rest of my photography I used m4/3.

When the A9 came in 2017 with the worlds first FF BSI stacked sensor there was no reason to keep any m4/3. The lens catalogue for E-mount was also getting so large that it covered all my needs.

It will be interesting to see how the story continues for all mirrorless brands.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Ahh the good old days, when the Smart Adapter allowed Canon EF glass to fill the spaces not taken up by the first half a dozen lenses that Sony had made by 2014.. that adapter sold a lot of Sony cameras, and had to be reverse engineered because that open mount wasn't open to third party adapter vendors.

But again, yes E mount has a lot of nice glass nowadays. So does Fuji-and they sold their cameras and lenses on their own merit, working up with their own, far smaller than Sony, development budget.

Neither of them has as much as m43, and from what I can tell no one has more than Canon EF and Nikon F.

Oct 1, 2021permalink

Gesture

I'd just as soon have a more compact lens and I'll decide if I want to use a hood.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

John Bean (UK)

I doubt the hood is fixed permanently to the lens...

Sep 30, 2021permalink

SteveAnderson

It looks like its 2.5" long. Do you need to fit all your gear in your pocket?

Sep 30, 2021permalink

madeinlisboa

I don't understand how these brands can launch and sell lens almost everyday and I'm still waiting for the Nikkor 105MC since it has been released

Sep 30, 2021permalink

itaibachar

Chinese manufacturer, no constraints what so ever.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

s-trap

No worker rights? Weak intellectual property protections? Fixed exchange rates?

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

marsusf

My 105MC arrived this week, wonderful lens! Hopefully the backlog is being cleared.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Kharan

Hey, if it comes under $150 and is available soon, it could find a space in my bag. I don’t think I’ll be able to own the 28mm and 40mm Nikkors until late next year, at the rate things are going 😅

Sep 30, 2021permalink

davev8

so a brand I never heard of can make RF and Z AF lenses what's stopping Tamron and sigma?

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Waqas Ilyas

SONY

Sep 30, 2021permalink

@Waqas Ilyas

Can you please explain hos Sony hinders Tamron and Sigma from making lenses for other systems?

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Samuel Lucifer

He can't but its just the love for Sony that makes him say so.
Sony has invested in Tamron ±10% of total shares, still those people think Sony's say is so big with such small minority stake that they won't make lenses for other systems any longer.

They only forget that Tamron and Sigma have been making lenses for Canon and Nikon for years already. They also forget that they have adapted the firmwares for their existing lenses so they can be used on Z and RF. Another fact is that both Sigma and Tamron executives already said they are looking into giving support for Z and RF The only thing they did not do yet is a market introduction for the new mirrorless models. But that's only just a matter of time.

I wonder how these sad fanb0yz will feel as soon as one of these lens makers will announce their support. They must feel down because they then will be proven wrong into their own believes.

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

davev8

well it has crossed my mind...but a long time ago intel DID hinder AMD with brown envelopes

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Adam-T

I`m pretty sure that Sony still own a portion of Tamron , hence no RXD Z or RF mount lenses but Sigma are completely independant so no idea there - Tamron is the real loss as they are producing some interesting fast zooms for FE which would benefit Z and RF too . I guess Sony have put their corporate foot down there :(

Sep 30, 2021*permalink

Lan

Licensing rights? I suspect TT Artisan aren't using the mount protocols under licence from Canon or Nikon. Although I'd be happy to be proved wrong. Also, we've yet to see how well this works, that said a 32mm f2.8 isn't exactly demanding though due to the relatively wide DOF.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

There are other lenses out for Z (Viltrox for instance) and an adapter from E to Z so the Z-protocol is known out there.

As for RF, Samyang did do some lenses but pulled them. Not sure if those were true RF protocol or if they used EF and pretended to be such on adapter (R bodys talk both RF and EF).

As for E-mount, Sony has only licensed Zeiss, Cosina (Voigtländer), Tamron and Sigma. No other company has gotten a press release saying they hold an E-mount license. Some people therefor say that all others have reverse engineered the E-mount protocol. Also some say Sony only licenses companies of a certain size and age. Which at least follow the same logical line that all others that do E-mount lenses are fairly small companies and young.

As to Sony hindering the ones that have an E-mount license Sigma is also a part of the L-mount alliance so that don't seem true.

Tamron is owned by Sony (12%), if that is enough to dictate their business I can't say. Your guess is as good as mine.

Sep 30, 2021permalink

marsusf

Here's a good article on the issue: https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/when-will-the-dam-break.html

Sep 30, 2021permalink

Sony sold 1.65 million E-mount (APS-C & FF combined) in 2019 and about 1.2 in 2020. Canon sold 0.9 in 2019 and 1.1 in 2020. Nikon did about 0.25 in both 2019 and 2020. Panasonic is also around that value. Again all above is mirrorless crop + FF combined numbers (and picked from memory so the real ones might be slightly but not much off).

So Sigma can make a lens for a mount that has been going FF since 2013 and since 2010 APS-C and bodys are out in several millions or they can do something for Nikon that did from launch to 2020/21 shift around 0.5 millions, plus what they have sold so far this year.

Many users both on Z and RF are not new users at all but those that already have lenses from F and EF that just gets a mirrorless extra body and they use many of their old lenses with good working adapters which also slows down lens sales.

Sony also has good working adapters but the old A-mount was never as popular so those are not in high numbers as for Canon and Nikon.

Sep 30, 2021permalink