TTartisan releases an $80 35mm F1.4 lens for APS-C mirrorless camera systems

Another chinese lens. I tried one recently and turns out all chinese lenses lie about the f-stops. If it says F3.5 - it's around F5.6. If it says F1.4 - you can expect F2.8.

I'd like to have cheap real 35 1.4 but it's not gonna happen.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

You can measure it yourself via the exposure settings and by physically measuring the opening.

If it isn't f1.4 how are they getting that shallow DOF look?

Oct 2, 2020permalink

I have bought a few of these Chinese manual lenses (from 7 Artisans) recently and their tech spec turned out to be quite accurate - not sure what lens is his comment based on.

Oct 3, 2020permalink

I know about "7artisans" and Kaxinda/Mcoplus (same crap in different packages). At the same aperture number as normal lens, they all are noticeably darker. You need to drop shutter speed or raise ISO to compensate.
It's not "maybe". It's for sure noticeably darker.

Don't know about the bokeh blur strength, couldn't compare properly.

Oct 3, 2020permalink

You say you tried one recently. And from that you made a conclusion about ALL Chinese lenses? Even ones that have not been released to the market yet?

Oct 4, 2020permalink

AlanG, why would you expect them to change their approach to quality control? They sell this product anyway. It's china💩

Oct 4, 2020permalink

I'm no fan of China, but they do make many decent products along with vast majority of landfill quality cr*p. Also, until few decades ago most Americans used to have same view as you for Japanese products...

Anyway, it doesn't sound very intelligent to use just one lens from one company drawing conclusion about all lenses from all Chinese companies.

I never heard of Kaxinda/Mcoplus before you mentioned. Will look them up.

I din't have much hope from the first lens I bought from 7Artisans, but I was pleasantly surprised with the optical quality. Certainly it's no Zeiss, Leica or Nikon but they are really good value for money (about 90~95% optical quality for <15% money) . So I bought a couple of more lenses from the same brand and I am happy with almost all of them.

Oct 4, 2020permalink

Kanebane

Aperture f is a physical metric. f = ( focal length/ aperture diameter). If any lens manufacturer manipulates something that can be easily measured by a child, they will run into serious trouble.

Two lenses with same focal length and aperture value can have different exposures. That is where light transmission, T stop comes in. Same reason Cinema lens mentions T stops and not F stops. Usually lenses with better coatings minimizes transmission loss which these cheap lenses don't excel in, because well, they are cheap. It is unfair to pay $100 and expect $ 200 quality.

Please learn about T stops. DXO mark lens test is an excellent place to start with. You can see T variations of your favorite lenses.

Oct 8, 2020permalink

You can save a few dollars by ordering it from TTartisan on Amazon. $73 - Free shipping plus tax.

The price on the Photo Rumors site changed to $100.

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

Raziel Orlando

There are son many 35mm, 50mm, etc manual lenses for aps-c WHERE IS A 18 MM f/1.4!? I will buy it in a heartbeat.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Minas2

I just bought this lens, they haven't send me any verification email, or tracking number, does anyone know what is happening? How many days for shipping? Is Leica rumors a legit site?

Oct 1, 2020permalink

You have been taken for a ride.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

It looks like an anodized version of a WWII Voigtlander, interesting choice of design.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Brendan R

The wide array of 25mm 1.8 lenses out there are far more usable on APS-C in my opinion, but this isn't the worst option out there. With so many manufacturers making similar small wide primes for mirrorless, a breakdown and comparison of which comes out on top would be really nice.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Don't forget that chinese lie about F-stops. It says F1.8 but it's dark like F2.8.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

Sezano

fake it until you make it. those guys will make it eventually. but it isnt time yet

Oct 2, 2020permalink

concorde 1954

I was thinking about getting a adapter for MFT camera to use my Nikkor 50mm f1.8 lens with as a portrait lens but at that price its worth a dabble,like others have said I dont know how it is being produced so cheep.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

It's been said that lenses this cheap are CCTV lenses rehoused for mounting to stills cameras. I don't have any thing concrete about this lens but C mount CCTV lenses with this speed and an image circle this size can be had for ~$40-60.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

concorde 1954

I think with it having a depth of field scale on it I don't think it was a CCTV lens but I could be wrong

Oct 1, 2020permalink

QuietOC

There are new mirrorless primes with C-mount because C-mount can be very inexpensively adapted to most mirrorless mounts. So they only need to make one lens and a few adapters. Actual C-mount CCTV lenses generally won't cover most mirrorless sensors. Even the little Pentax Q sensors are larger than most CCTV sensors.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

@QuietOC
You are quite wrong, last time I checked in the price range I mentioned many short-normal primes in C mount cover at least MFT, many years ago I sold an ultrafast CCTV prime that covered Pentax Q, I took measurements and did the math. CCTV often asks for low light performance so you need a sensor that can't be too small(meaning at least 1/2.3", though I don't know why many cover APSC) and a fast lens.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

alfredo_tomato

I switch my m43 to 1:1 and got rid of vignetting on my c mount

Oct 3, 2020permalink

Zero4497

I’ve got to say I don’t really like the idea of these cheap lenses. Sure the price is great, but is it good for the industry? We have already lost a lot of manufacturers. Chinese can make these lenses because they have copied existing technology. They put nothing into R&D. It’s a fools game to move your manufacturing to China to make your products cheaper. The Chinese eventually copy your tech and outcompete you.

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

pouwj

Appreciate what you are saying but generally speaking these lenses won't compete on quality with a more 'branded' lens so it is unlikely they have much of an impact. People on a budget buy these lenses and I have no problem with that if it gets them out taking photos. As an example, I bought a 7 Artisans 50mm for my Fuji and it was good, but not great, fun but not mind blowing. I have just now bought a Nikon Z 50mm for about $1,000 and this is obviously far better. The only time I think there would be an issue is if a cheaper, Chinese manufactured lens matches its quality at 1/5 of the price, but that is not likely to happen. :)

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

I have agree with you! Chinese companies are thieves. Chinese don't care about others. They are China first!. Even more so than America first.
I can tell you endless stories about it.

BTW Chinese are the most racist nation you can think of. However, it is never talked about in public, doe to media restrictios.

I argued as lot here about Chinese practices and stopped because people don't listen. They would rather live off the dole than having work themselves.,

Oct 2, 2020permalink

Sezano

settle down guys. Listen, we like to steal us some cheap labor, they like to steal some intellectual property from us. Business is after all, percieved honor among thieves.

On a personal note, now that i can afford it, i will avoid cheap chinese everything so as to not encourage that deal with the devil. Unless it's some godamn Apple or Fuji.

Oct 2, 2020*permalink

@Sezano
There is competition and there is stealing and there is much more.
Look at the Solar industrie in Europe. Most factories had to shut down because the Chinese competitors could produce so cheap (with government funding) that local companies were forces out of business. Thanks to the tax payer who first financed China as economic aid and then being forced out of business. I need to support the jobless with my tax money now.

Further, China forces foreign companies to share technology and they need to have a Chinese Share holder. This is not right.

If I go on, I will get really mad. I am not here to argue.
We can agree that there are many things worng. Here in Europe and there. Unfortunately, it is all money drive that destroyes our souls.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

Zero4497

That is correct, if you want to manufacture in China one of the conditions is that you must fund a China based R&D department that gives the Chinese govt. access to that technology. I would imagine technology from the camera industry would be installed on Chinese missile systems and spy satellites.

Cheap labour hurts everyone. Free trade agreements with China give countries access to a massive market, but it also means that Chinese companies (which means the Chinese government, at least partially) can buy companies in your country replace your workers with Chinese nationals and ignore the labour laws of your country. This is usually done under the guise of a “skill shortage”.

Oct 2, 2020*permalink

https://www.dpreview.com/news/3644274623/meyer-optik-gorlitz-releases-trioplan-50mm-f2-8-lens-for-multiple-camera-mounts

Same thing was told about the Japanese companies until few decades ago...

Oct 3, 2020permalink

Sezano

This poor us attitude, China ducked us over - strikes me as naive. Nobody forced anyone to do business with China. Low production cost was attractive and making the almighty buck now was more important than other future considerations, such as hedging if people did not enforce contracts, or giving up some or all IP. All parties looking out for their own interest. Same as doing business with Trump. If you learned nothing from the past, you is a fool boy!

Oct 6, 2020*permalink

Zero4497

No, it’s not a poor us attitude. It’s a greedy exploitive attitude by manufacturers that in the end will not serve them well when their product is copied and produced for such a low cost that they can no longer compete.

Look how expensive mirrorless has become, despite most of this stuff being made in China. Manufacturers have gone the same way as smartphones, quick release cycles where the product must be more expensive than the one that came out a year ago. This will leave them vulnerable to cheap manufacturers, that have no development costs

Oct 10, 2020permalink

jkokich

You can’t go far wrong for $80.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

sirhawkeye64

Agreed. But at the same time, you can't expect this to perform like a $500+ 35mm 1.4 either.. (it might, and if it does, great... but if it doesn't it's only an $80 lens so people need to keep their expectations within reason given the price).

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

jkokich

Of course not, sir, and it doesn’t say it would, but as a fan of, shall we say, odd looking stuff (and film), this could produce some interesting effects, especially for video.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

sirhawkeye64

I know, I just see a lot of people who are like "Oh, but X lens is sharper..." failing to acknowledge that X lens also costs 5x as much, for example.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

jkokich

Right on, sir.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

Richard Murdey

Because, yeah, you have to wonder where the extra $940 goes.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

onlyfreeman

Let's hope it ends up in Olympus' bank account by some miracle. :)

Oct 2, 2020permalink

Photoman

Are they making any money???

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Richard Murdey

Not much, obviously. But it goes to show that a functional, all manual lens doesn't cost much to produce, either.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

The workes get exploited and need to live in the factory next to the machines.

For the price it seems impossible to me without any government funding.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

J. Michael

I wonder how the coma is?

Sep 30, 2020permalink

John Sakalis

I noticed that the EXIF indicates that device model is ILCE-7RM3. Why would samples be provided using a full frame camera if this is an APS-C lens? Am I missing something here?

Sep 30, 2020*permalink

Clicking the download button (or Show EXIF) on the first image shows the resolution is that of the a7R III's crop mode. The second image was not taken in crop mode and has peripheral vignetting as would be expected. Perhaps they did not have an APS-C camera to hand.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Peter1976

"Perhaps they did not have an APS-C camera to hand." - I doubt that TBO :)

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Maybe they want to show off the maximum image circle which could cover wider than APSC.
IIRC if you remove(as in saw off) the built in hood of the E mount 16/2.8's UWA converter, you could get the compact combo to almost cover FF with a near 18mm FoV, at f/2.8. Don't expect too much resolution or distortion control though.

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

Mike Fewster

I have a Sony FF. Love it. Small for FF but still large and heavy and expensive for some purposes. With lenses like this available the time has come to consider an APS-C camera as well with maybe a three lens set for when travelling by plane. Now to think about what the other lenses might be.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

https://www.dpreview.com/galleries/3401543788/albums/sony-a6000-samples

When Sony first came out with the Nex 7 I didn't buy it because the kit lens was too big and heavy. The Nex 6 with the 16-50 was perfect for me. I then got the A6000 with the same 16-35. I carried that on a 3 week trip through the Andes. Including a 5 day hike to Machu Pichu and barely noticed it.

I also have the 18-200, an 8mm fisheye. I occasionally use an old MF lens on this. (E.g. Canon FD 50 1.4, Nikkor 60 micro)

I have a lot of other gear but this is for great for travel. I have an A7RII and many FF lenses but never bring them on vacations. I have used the A6000 on a number of jobs too.

I'm tempted to buy this 35 1.4 but I'm not sure I'd carry it and use it very much.

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

I have stared using these small and cheap Chinese manyual lenses with a compact Fuji XT Body since last year and really enjoying it. My FF Nikon SLR with AF lenses mostly stay unused.

Oct 3, 2020permalink

rmexpress22

I already have a Sigma 35mm Art and a Sigma 30mm Art but this looks so compact that I'm tempted to get it for my EOS M bodies.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

probert500

Nice thing about sigmas is that they build your core strength LOL

Oct 1, 2020permalink

onlyfreeman

They are also useful for self-defence.

Oct 2, 2020permalink

tkbslc

7 Artisans 35mm f1.2 is my favorite in this category.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

shootrawww

yes ! it locks on so tight in the mount (sony) which is a big plus, I don' t like wobbly manual focus lenses. Also the focus ring is a charm to use and the images are sweet imperfection :)

Oct 1, 2020permalink

I find that a tight lock could scratch your mount, and I find that to be more prevalent among 3rd part MF lenses compared to a wobbly lock.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

@shootrawww I love that lens.
They changed that old school focus ring with a more usual one.

Oct 3, 2020permalink

blåland

Cool lens and nice rendering. Would get it if I had aps-c.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

MinAZ

I would literally pay double the asking price if only it was autofocus. And I'd get two copies, one for my Sony FE mount and one for Canon RF. Manual focus? Not that interested, even if it was free. My eyesight is such that I will probably just end up with blurry shots every time.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Sine_Nomine

Unfortunately another $80 wouldn't pay for autofocus.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Passereau

Use Zebras for the focus (if you have it).
A very nice feature to know where the focus plane is.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

DharmaSound

The newer Canon bodies have great imaging guides to help with MF.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Get compact M mount lenses to use with the Techart AF adapter, you'll get AF with any lens that mounts to M mount.
As an added bonus you get a much closer MFD.

Oct 1, 2020*permalink

DejayRezme

I sometimes wonder if you couldn't have a camera with an autofocus mount. So the mount moves instead of inside the lens. I know there is an AF adapter for old manual lenses.
Then you would only have to pay once for autofocus and get cheaper lenses. Unfortunately it doesn't work well like that technically and for selling lenses.

Oct 5, 2020permalink

>I sometimes wonder if you couldn't have a camera with an autofocus mount.
The easier and more reliable way is to move the sensor, and there was a camera like that.

Oct 5, 2020permalink

Mssimo

much better than the Triopan

Sep 30, 2020permalink

lnsmr

There have been many cheap manual Chinese lenses now (especially 23mm or 35mm for APS-C) under $100. Not sure why this one is news, but it would be great if DPReview can do a round up/comparison of these lenses (and explain branding/OEM labels).

Sep 30, 2020permalink

This seems like an idea for an article whose time has come.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

gfrensen

I would love such an article, see what lenses are good and not so good! DP-Review staff, this is a great opportunity!

Oct 1, 2020permalink

One issue with the such cheaply built lenses is the significant inconsistency from one sample to another. Sometime you are lucky sometime you are not - that's why I think reviews are a bit tricky.

Oct 3, 2020permalink

lnsmr

@saiko that's a good point. Lensrental has been really good in providing lens variation data (best there is, but sample size still too small). I doubt they would use cheap Chinese lenses for rental though.

Oct 4, 2020permalink

Why would you rent an $80 lens..

Oct 4, 2020permalink

marc petzold

35mm in APS-C on Nikon/Sony/Pentax means x1.52 Cropfactor - 52.5mm Focal Length, Fullframe equivalent.

A 23mm/1.4 for that Price would have been Worlds more interesting. We do have Zillions of good, great & cheap old Manual Focus Lenses from the 70 to 90's into the used Market.

Therefore, on my NEX-5, i like my Meike 28mm F2.8 (42mm) Lens, on my X-E1 Fujifilm, the PerGear 25/1.8 Lens is prefered, on another E1 the Zonlai 22mm F1.8, for a 33mm into FF-Terms Focal Length. But most of it all, it does make even Way more fun, to shoot a manual Focus Lens, together with a 35mm Film SLR, or Rangefinder.

Edit: Focus Ring is way tiny, it needs a matching, retro-styled "classic" Lens Hood. I'd suggest the Fotasy one, into 39mm. Samples looking fine to me. If only, the Lens Barrel looks like a Concrete Mixer to me.

For sure, not a Lens for especially Pixel Peepers and don't expect sharp Corners before F8, and never catch up with the Center, i would suggest, typical for that kind of Lenses.

Sep 30, 2020*permalink

It looks like my Canon 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8. 80-200mm f4 and 300mm f4 FD lenses might be coming back in vogue. I have a Canon 7ne Elan w/film to use them on.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

PocketPixels

39mm filter thread? You're killing me.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

The 7Artisans 35mm 1.2 needs 43mm filter - was very difficult for be get one for it.

Oct 3, 2020permalink

Matthias R

Oh well... they could have gone with the old Olympus 43,5mm filter thread :)

Oct 5, 2020permalink

One seller sold me the 43.5mm UV filter on Amazon saying it's a 43mm one!

Oct 6, 2020permalink

The way it renders looks a lot like what my Meike lenses do. Pretty great value for money at this price.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

(unknown member)

I like this type of stuff

Sep 30, 2020permalink

TwoMetreBill

A 12mm f/1.4 for under $100 with less than 1/4ev vignetting at f/1.4 and my check is in the mail.

Sep 30, 2020*permalink

probert500

probably only accept paypal.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

io_bg

I just had a look at the sample gallery. Honestly, I would've never expected a $80 lens to be this sharp! Especially since the samples seem to be taken at large apertures.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Alphoid

It's really something how far these things have come.

I bought a new Chinese $35 25mm f/1.8 on Fleabay. The images are perfectly usable. I was surprised too! I was expecting a throw-away lens.

The only thing they need now is AF.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

It is not just sharpness. They have a look that is similar to be old Canon FD lenses which I still have. I hesitate to use the term "non-digital", but that is the way they look.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Stujomo

Thats just great, really affordable whats not to like.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Artichoke

they will sell a ton of them
I believe Sontag wrote that photography was the most democratic of the mediums
great seeing this from ttArtisan
I am particularly appreciative of the minimum focus of 28 cm, which should make for some amazing close ups at f 1.4
too bad it is only for micro two thirds
another reason for FF jealousy
;-)

Sep 30, 2020permalink

io_bg

I was going to complain about its looks but then saw the price tag.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

AminF

Funnily enough, I actually quite like how it looks!

Sep 30, 2020permalink

@AminF -Then you would like the way my Canon FD lenses look with film.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

AminF

I had FD lenses back in the day when I shot with Canon A-1 and A-E1 cameras. Used to love that Canon gear.

I recently bought a used Canon A-1 with 50mm FD, but haven't had time to go shoot with it yet. Got some Tri-X just waiting to be run through it.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

@AminF - I still have my A-1 and AE-1 and my original Canon 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8. 80-200mm f4 and 300mm f4 FD lenses. The two cameras have cloth shutter curtains, so be sure to look at the curtain in the A-1 to be sure it is not cracked or torn. Also check for light light leaks by using a 24 frame roll of B&W film. I usually have old film cameras that have been sitting around refurbished before I use them.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

kobakokh

Very good news for many customers!!!

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Tim Zhou

like the vintage design, which reminds of Voigtlander 50mm f3.5.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

This kind of reminds me of Spiratone lenses which were cheap but decent (debatable I guess) Japanese lenses popular in the 50s and 60s.

Consider that Harbor Freight sells 10x50 binoculars for $20 and this lens looks over priced. ;-}

Sep 30, 2020*permalink

Akgbkd

No love for z mount :(

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Tim Zhou

get a sony version and an adapter ring?

Sep 30, 2020permalink

M43 is also adaptable to Z mount.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Are you saying an M43 lens could be mounted to a Z camera? The flange back distances/mount diameters would suggest it's possible, but M43 lenses couldn't come close to covering APS-C, let alone full frame.. could they?

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Here's one such adapter: https://www.amazon.com/Compatible-Micro-Thirds-Nikon-Camera/dp/B07WBYS2F2
I see they also offer a Fuji X to Nikon Z, I didn't know that existed.

Some M43 lenses will cover APS-C. I'm not sure if any cover full frame. Note that Samyang/Rokinon offer their full frame lenses in various mounts, including M43, but there might be vignetting when adapting such a lens due to difference in mount diameter.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Aren't most M43 lenses electronic? All my native M43 Olympus and Panasonic lenses are fully electronic. You can get aftermarket manual models, of course, but at that point (and esp. since many of them are eighty bucks anyway).. wouldn't it make more sense to just buy the manual lenses in Z mount, or else F and use Nikon's own FTZ adapter?

Still though, an interesting little hack :-)

Oct 1, 2020permalink

There are a few official M43 lenses which aren't electronic - https://www.four-thirds.org/en/microft/manual.html

Some manual lenses aren't available for Nikon mounts. This TTartisan lens isn't available in Z mount - and as it's designed for mirrorless cameras, it doesn't come in F mount either. Also the case with KamLan's lenses.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

sibuzaru

looks fairly good if these are wide open, I had a real fun with similar lens from Meike

Sep 30, 2020permalink

goodnitesteve

Already purchased the Pergear 35mm 1.6, but I'd buy this if the image quality is similar and it has a clickable aperture.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Superka

I wish it is not clickable. clickable are not good for video

Sep 30, 2020permalink

There often is just a spring mounted ball bearing that presses into detentes. You may be able to easily remove that.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

aidaho

I've recently returned Pergear. While the bokeh quality is indeed great and to my eye above other Chinese 35mm (even better than Zuiko 40/1.4!), the colors are truly atrocious due to constant color casts.
It's the first lens I've got rid of based solely on color.
Don't know what they did wrong to screw up that badly.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

QuietOC

There's already a dozen or so, manual APS-C 35mm mirrorless primes: Mitakon 35/0.95 (two versions), Geekster 35/1.1, Samyang 35/1.2, 7Artisans 35/1.2, Neewer 35/1.2, Meike 35/1.4, Zonlai 35/1.6, Fotasy 35/1.6 (at least two versions), Pergear 35/1.6, Wesley 35/1.6 Kaxinda 35/1.7, Brightin Star 35/1.7, SLR Magic 35/1.7, Zonlai 35/1.8, ...

Sep 30, 2020*permalink

xeriwthe

no reason for anybody to compete anymore they might as all just well pull out of the business!

Sep 30, 2020permalink

GiovanniB

Don’t copy that floppy ...

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Tom Caldwell

Of course some of these lenses are just the same lens with different retail branding.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

QuietOC

The Brightin Star might be a version of Kaxinda, but the rest are unique in the list. Many of these are available under several brands.

Oct 1, 2020permalink

Archlich

The diagram shows an Ultron design that's been ubiquitous among the older SLR 50/1.4 lenses offered by many manufacturers.

Sep 30, 2020permalink

Old Cameras

10 images each from this lens and a Leica, blind comparison.

Sep 30, 2020permalink