Review: TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 (APS-C)

Introduction

The APS-C 35mm focal length is equivalent to 52mm on a Fullframe camera, therefore it is in the ‘standard’ category and very close to the classic 50mm lenses on fullframe cameras. With an angle of view offering none of the ‘perspective distortion’ associated with wide angle or telephoto lenses. It is TTArtisan’s third autofocus lens after the 27mm f/2.8 and the 32mm f/2.8, but their first AF lens with a max aperture of f/1.8. Its focal length sits between Nikon’s own 28mm and 40mm lenses, which on an APS-C camera would be the FF equivalents of 42mm and 60mm, hence filling the gap for the missing 50mm (eqv). Let’s have a deeper look at it!

This lens will be released on Monday, November 20, 2023 and will be available on TTArtisan’s onlie store for 119 USD (right now), from 11am GMT+1 (Stockholm, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid time). The first batch will be in Fuji X mount only, Nikon Z and Sony mounts will be available later.

Sample Images

TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 APS-C review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 Sony E Fuji X test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 D7200 D750 D600 D800 D7500
Nikon Z fc | TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 | f/1.8
TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 APS-C review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 Sony E Fuji X test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 D7200 D750 D600 D800 D7500
Nikon Z fc | TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 | f/1.8
TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 APS-C review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 Sony E Fuji X test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 D7200 D750 D600 D800 D7500
Nikon Z fc | TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 | f/1.8
TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 APS-C review nikon z z-fc z30 z50 Sony E Fuji X test sharpness bokeh coma vignetting Flare 24mp nikon z6 z6ii 46mp nikon z7 z7ii Z8 Z9 D7200 D750 D600 D800 D7500
Nikon Z fc | TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 | f/1.8

Continue reading Review: TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 (APS-C)

Guide to wide-angle lenses for Sony A7/A9/A1 series

Sony A7rII | Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 | f/8.0

We summarize our experience with all the native E-mount and a few manual legacy lenses in the 20-28mm bracket to give you a compact and independent resource for choosing the right wide-angle lens for your Sony A7/A9/A1 camera. In this summary we also included some adapted lenses we think are worth mentioning. We didn’t include any zoom lenses, you can find those in our general guide to FE lenses as well as the guide to 9-18mm ultra wide angle lenses.

You may also want to check out our guides to 35mm lenses, 50mm lenses and 85-135mm portrait lenses.

Some of these lenses are manual focus only (MF) whereas others feature auto focus (AF). There is also a noticeable amount of lenses listed here that do not feature electronic contacts to communicate with the camera (no Exif).

We have no association with any manufacturer apart from occasionally loaning a lens for a review. Before any short introduction we tell you how long we have used a lens and if we have borrowed it from a manufacturer. But in most cases we have bought the lenses on the market. If you want to support our independent reviews please consider using one of the affiliate links. It doesn’t cost you anything and helps us a lot.

If we have left any question unanswered please leave a comment or contact us on social media and we will do our best to answer it.

Last update: November 2023, Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF, Viltrox 24mm 1.8 AF and Viltrox 28mm 1.8 AF added

Continue reading Guide to wide-angle lenses for Sony A7/A9/A1 series

Review: Brightin Star 9mm 5.6

Introduction

brightin star 9mm 5.6 fullframe widest lens rectilinear contrast resolution 33mp 42mp 61mp sharpness vignetting a7riv a7rv a9
Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 on Sony A7rII

This Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 and the 7Artisans 9mm 5.6 had been announced almost at the same time, so I already expected these lenses to be more or less identical. Interestingly only this Brightin Star lens features a 34 mm rear filter thread though, so I decided to have a closer look at this Brightin Star lens as well.

The optical and most of the mechanical construction of this Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 lens is identical to the 7Artisans 9mm 5.6, so I will reuse many parts of its review here.

Sample Images

brightin star 9mm 5.6 fullframe widest lens rectilinear contrast resolution 33mp 42mp 61mp sharpness vignetting a7riv a7rv a9
Sony A7III | Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 | f/16 | ND1000 rear filter
brightin star 9mm 5.6 fullframe widest lens rectilinear contrast resolution 33mp 42mp 61mp sharpness vignetting a7riv a7rv a9
Sony A7III | Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 | f/8.0
brightin star 9mm 5.6 fullframe widest lens rectilinear contrast resolution 33mp 42mp 61mp sharpness vignetting a7riv a7rv a9
Sony A7III | Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 | f/5.6
brightin star 9mm 5.6 fullframe widest lens rectilinear contrast resolution 33mp 42mp 61mp sharpness vignetting a7riv a7rv a9
Sony A7III | Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 | f/5.6
brightin star 9mm 5.6 fullframe widest lens rectilinear contrast resolution 33mp 42mp 61mp sharpness vignetting a7riv a7rv a9
Sony A7III | Brightin Star 9mm 5.6 | f/8.0

Continue reading Review: Brightin Star 9mm 5.6

Review: TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 – A modern and affordable Trioplan?

Introduction

TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 Trioplan mock bubble bokeh review sharpness bokeh come vignetting 24mp 46mp nikon z6 z7 z6ii

Meyer-Optik Görlitz produced a series of triplet lenses “Trioplan“, based on the Cook Triplet design from 1893, in different focal lengths after WWII. One of those lenses was the 100mm f/2.8 Trioplan, produced from 1956 to sometime at the end of 70s or beginning of 80s, when Meyer-Optik Görlitz was merged with Pentacon in the then East Germany because they had better 100mm lenses. It had OK center sharpness and could produce a so-called soap bubble bokeh in certain situations. This was considered an optical defect then, which in fact is what it is. With the advent of digital cameras, it became very popular though, and the prices went up in the used market, so popular that the company decided, for the first time in history, to revive the lens by a Kickstarter campaign in 2015. It was a successful campaign; the produced lenses were sold out quickly for about €1000 each. Now TTArtisan has come up with a lens very similar to it, both in look and optical design. Let’s have a closer look at it!
Update 11/23: the lens is now also available for M-mount for $210 in the official shop

Sample Images

TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 Trioplan mock bubble bokeh review sharpness bokeh come vignetting 24mp 46mp nikon z6 z7 z6ii
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f/3.3
TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 Trioplan mock bubble bokeh review sharpness bokeh come vignetting 24mp 46mp nikon z6 z7 z6ii
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f/2.8
TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 Trioplan mock bubble bokeh review sharpness bokeh come vignetting 24mp 46mp nikon z6 z7 z6ii
Nikon D7200 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f/2.8
TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 Trioplan mock bubble bokeh review sharpness bokeh come vignetting 24mp 46mp nikon z6 z7 z6ii
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f/2.8

Continue reading Review: TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 – A modern and affordable Trioplan?

Lens & Accessory Winter Sale

Many of us here at the Phillipreeve team acquire too many lenses (and sometimes also accessories) and with some of the manufacturers it also isn’t easily possible to return the review samples after we reviewed them, therefore a bunch of stuff is for sale.
Update November 28th 2023: removed sold items

I will ship to all european countries and all prices are without shipping. If you live in Germany you can add 7€ for shipping, within EU should be around 16€.
Payment is possible via Paypal or Bank Transfer.

I will only ship insured with DHL. If you want to come to Stuttgart you can also check out the lens you are interested in in person and we have a little chat.

All the items come without warranty.

If you are interested, leave a comment with your Email address (it will not be visible to the public) and I will get back to you.

PS: I might also be interested in trading in some of these things for stuff on my Lenses I would like to review list, especially a Canon 50mm 0.95 for M-mount.


The following items are former review samples:


Zhong Yi 50mm 0.95 M

This is the sample I used for my Super Fast 50mm M-mount comparison.

This lens has only been used for the comparison and is in as-new condition. Comes with caps and retail packaging.

439€ + shipping

Continue reading Lens & Accessory Winter Sale

Sony α | Leica M | Nikon Z New article every Tuesday