Introduction
TTArtisan, one of the Chinese lens manufacturers known for its consistent quality, has primarily produced full metallic, manual focus lenses. However, they have recently released a few autofocus lenses. Their latest creation is the AF 56mm f/1.8 ED, a compact APS-C portrait lens. Let’s take a closer look at it!
Sample Images
Most of the sample images in this review and many more can be found in higher resolution here.
Specifications
| Focal Length | 56mm |
| Angle of View | 28º |
| # of Aperture Blades | 9 |
| Max Aperture | F/1.8 |
| Min Aperture | F/16 |
| Min Focus Distance | 0.5 m |
| Filter Size | 52 mm |
| Lens Mount | Fuji X, Nikon Z, Sony E |
| Weight | ≈ 235-245 g |
| Size (D x L) | 64 x 67 mm |
| Elements/Group | 10/9 |
| Buy new: TTArtisan Store, B&H, Amazon.com for $158 (Affiliate links)
(You’ll get 18% off ($129) in TTArtisan Store between April 29 and May 9) |
Disclosure
Many thanks to TTArtisan who kindly provided this lens for testing and review purposes.
Handling
TTArtisan AF 56mm f/1.8 ED is an autofocus lens built completely of metal, It is a compact lens without any weather sealing. The lens has a very simple design without any buttons, switches or rings, except the manual focus ring. The manual focus ring is very large and takes almost 2/3 of the lens length, placed conveniently in front end of the lens, and is nicely damped with good resistance. Autofocus is reasonably fast (about average), quiet, and accurate.
The AF TTArtisan 56/1.8 EF is equipped with electronic contacts for the transmission of EXIF data and autofocus (AF). The lens comes with a plastic front and rear cap. The rear cap also functions as an updating dock, equipped with a USB-B port. This port can be used to connect to a computer for upgrading the lens firmware.
The package includes a metallic lens hood with a rectangular opening. Both the lens cap and the lens hood exude a high-quality impression and fit securely onto the lens with a satisfactory click.
Optical Features
Sharpness (Infinity)
For the infinity sharpness test, we look at three areas of the image, center, mid-frame, and corner, see highlighted areas in the image below!
The sharpness is very good in the center of the frame and good in the midframe wide open, while it is just OK-good in the corner.
The sharpness improves steadily by stopping down and is excellent by F4 in the center, midframe very good to excellent. The peak performance for center/midframe is f/5.6-f//8, where both areas are excellent. For the corners to become good you have to stop down to somewhere between f/8 and f/11.
Sharpness (Portrait)
Let’s look at the points of interest for portraits at the portrait distance: the very center, the center’s inner periphery (1/3 rule intersection), and the center’s outer periphery (1/4th intersection).
At portrait distance the sharpness in the center is excellent from wide open, but it becomes even better by f/2.8, and reaches its peak at f5.6, Inner periphery circle is very good wide open and becomes excellent from f/2.8. Outer periphery circle is just OK-good wide open, good at f/2.8, very good at f4 and excellent at f5.6.
Sharpness (Close-up)
Excellent close up sharpness, much better than the competitors. Excellent wide open, which becomes better by f/2.8. The sharpness remains excellent until f/16, although it gets a small hit at f/11 by the diffraction. That effect is more obvious at f/16.
Lens Distortion
Strong performance in this section as the TTArtisan 56/1.8 does not show any distortion at all, or at least to next to none.
Vignetting
There is a moderate amount of vignetting wide open at f/1.8, but it improves quickly and steadily by stopping down. By f/8 the vignetting is less than 1/3rd of a stop.
- f/1.8: 1.6 EV
- f/2.8: 1.0 EV
- f/4.0: 0.8 EV
- f/5.6: 0.6 EV
- f/8.0: 0.25 EV
Focus Shift & Aberrations
The TTArtisan 56/1.8 has well corrected spherical aberration and shows no focus shift.
There is some longitudinal chromatic aberration that disappears by f4.
There is also a small amount of Lateral chromatic aberration, which is easily corrected in post.
Flare Resistance
Unfortunately, Flare resistance is not a strong feature of the TTArtisan 56/1.8
Coma
Coma correction is not that important for a portrait lens, as it needs to focus on center and midframe areas. Nevertheless, TTartisan 56/1.8 has a quite good correction for coma and there should not be any issues there.
Sunstars
Sunstar is not an important feature for a portrait lens and should not be part of such a lens’s test script, but for completeness I did so. I was pleased to see that this TTArtisan lens could produce quite nice and distinct sunstarts from about f8 and smaller
Focus Breathing
The TTArtisan 56/1.8 suffers from moderate focus breathing, which might not be a good news for videographers.
Bokeh
Let’s have a look at a few subjects at different distances and see how the background blur looks like!
Close Distance
Tight Portrait
Portrait Distance
Long Distance
The beauty of bokeh is in the eyes of the beholder. While the TTArtisan 56/1.8 generally produces soft and pleasing bokeh at close to mid-range distances, it can get a little busy in the background at mid to long distances. This is a minor observation, noticeable only in certain situations, but worth mentioning. Maybe it’s just me, have a look at the sample images in this section and the sample images, most of which are taken at f/1.8 or very wide apertures to emphasize bokeh and judge by yourself.
One advantage that this lens has, compared to the competition, is its shorter minimum focus distance, which allows to create softer bokeh if you want in that extra short distance range.
Another feature of bokeh is the specular highlights in the background blur.
Conclusion
| I LIKE | AVERAGE | I DON’T LIKE |
| Size Price Sharpness in general Sharpness in center and midframe Distortion control LoCa correction |
Corner sharpness Vignetting |
Flare resistance |
This TTArtisan 56/1.8 is a very potent budget portrait lens, with a performance better than average and over expectations. The sharpness is impressive from wide open in the center area and very good to excellent stopped down over the whole image area. The build quality and handling is superb and autofocus fast and accurate. On the wish list for this lens I would put better flare resistance and even better wide open sharpness than it has in the corners. If you need a small and compact AF portrait lens for your APS-C camera and can handle the flares then this lens could be for you.
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| Buy new: TTArtisan Store, B&H, Amazon.com for $158 (Affiliate links)
(You’ll get 18% off ($129) in TTArtisan Store between April 29 and May 9) |
Alternatives
Viltrox AF 56mm STM ED IF f/1.7
This is the closest alternative. Available in Fuji X and Nikon Z mounts. About 11 mm shorter and 60 g lighter. Sharper in the peripheries and corners. Not as good vignetting or distortion, but a little better in flare resistance than the reviewed lens.
Buy new: Viltrox Store, Amazon, B&H for $139 (Affiliate links)
Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4
About 2/3 stop faster, 17 mm longer, and 120 g heavier. Available for Nikon Z, Sony E, Fuji X, Canon EF-M, this is more robust lens made of metal. It is also a little sharper at shared larger apertures and has rounder specular highlights than the the reviewed lens, but costs the double.
Buy new: Viltrox Store, Amazon, B&H for $299 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $214 (Affiliate links)
Sigma 56 f/1.4 DC DN Comtemporary
About 2/3 stop faster, just 5 mm longer, 110 g heavier. It is a very sharp lens and is available for Nikon Z, Sony E, Fuji X, Canon EF-M
Buy new: Amazon, B&H for $389-$429 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $170 (Affiliate links)
Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR
About 1 full stop faster than the Viltrox 56/1.7, but 15 mm larger diameter, 17 mm longer, and more than 2.5x heavier. It is the fastest and best 56mm lens you can get for your Fujifilm camera right now, but is available for Fuji X cameras only, and costs 5 times more.
Buy new: Amazon, B&H for $999 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $700 (Affiliate links)
Sirui Sniper 56 f/1.2 AF
Available for Sony E, Fuji X, Nikon Z
One stop faster than the reviewed lens, but a lot larger (37mm longer and 2.5x heavier). Not as sharp as the reviewed lens.
Buy new: Amazon, B&H for $331-$348 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $ (Affiliate links)
Tokina ATX-M 56mm f/1.4
Available for Sony E, Fuji X
Buy new: Amazon, B&H for $400-$450 (Affiliate links)
Buy used: eBay from $200 (Affiliate links)
More Sample Images
Most of the sample images in this review and many more can be found in higher resolution here.
Further Reading
- What camera gear and accessories do I use most frequently?
- Review: Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 STM ED IF – Ultra Compact Portrait Lens (APS-C)
- Review: Viltrox AF 27mm F/1.2 STM ASPH ED IF Pro (APS- C)
- Review: TTArtisan AF 35mm F/1.8 (APS-C)
- Review: Laowa Argus 25mm F/0.95 CF APO (APS-C)
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Martin
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In comparison to the Viltrox 56mm f1.4, I would also note that the Viltrox has awful purple fringing. I eventually sold it because the garish fringing ruined too many photos for me.