{"id":42180,"date":"2023-11-09T06:32:53","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T05:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=42180"},"modified":"2024-10-31T14:57:15","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T13:57:15","slug":"review-ttartisan-100mm-f-2-8-a-modern-and-affordable-trioplan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-ttartisan-100mm-f-2-8-a-modern-and-affordable-trioplan\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 – A modern and affordable Trioplan?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"TTArtisan<\/p>\n

Meyer-Optik G\u00f6rlitz produced a series of triplet lenses “<\/span>Trioplan<\/span>“, based on the Cook Triplet design from 1893, in different focal lengths after WWII. One of those lenses was the <\/span>100mm<\/span> f\/2.8 Trioplan, produced from 1956 to sometime at the end of 70s or beginning of 80s, when Meyer-Optik G\u00f6rlitz was merged with Pentacon in the then East Germany. They stopped producing this lens because Pentacon had better 100mm lenses. It had OK center sharpness though and could produce a so-called soap bubble bokeh in certain situations. This was considered an optical defect then, which is what it is. With the advent of digital <\/span>cameras,<\/span> it became <\/span>very popular though<\/span>, 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 \u20ac1000 each. In 2023, <\/span>TTArtisan<\/span> has <\/span>come up with<\/span> a lens <\/span>very similar<\/span> to it, both in look and optical design. <\/span>Let’s<\/span> have a closer look at it!
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nUpdate 11\/23:<\/strong> the lens is now also available for M-mount for $210 in the official shop<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Sample Images<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/3.3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon D7200 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/3.3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/3.3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/3.3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
Nikon Z6 | TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 | f\/4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of the sample images in this review and many more can be found in higher resolution here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifications<\/span><\/h2>\n

Focal Length<\/b>: 100 mm<\/span>
\n<\/span>Aperture Range<\/b>: f\/2.8 – f\/22<\/span>
\n<\/span>Number of Aperture Blades<\/b>: 13<\/span>
\n<\/span>Min Focus<\/b>: 0.9 m<\/span>
\n<\/span>Filter Size<\/b>: 49 mm<\/span>
\n<\/span>Lens Mount<\/b>: M42<\/span>
\n<\/span>Weight<\/b>: 318g (with the metal front cap)<\/span>
\n<\/span>Diameter x Length<\/b>: 58 mm x 80 mm<\/span>
\n<\/span>Elements\/Group<\/b>: 3\/3
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Trioplan
TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 Optical Design<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 (Soap Bubble bokeh)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can order this lens from the\u00a0official homepage<\/a> for $155 \u00a0(affiliate link) and $210 for the M-mount version<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Variations<\/span><\/h2>\n

Well, this is a “new” lens and there are no variations of it but there have been others suspiciously very similar lenses. The original Meyer-Optik G\u00f6rlitz 100\/2.9 from 1956.<\/p>\n

\"E:\\_Z6\\2023_07_05_TTArtisan_100mm_Bubble_Bokeh\\2023_07_24_Lens_Pictures\"
Trioplan 100\/2.8 (New), Trioplan 100\/2.8 (Original), TTArtisan 100\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Handling<\/span><\/h2>\n

Completely manual, focus and aperture can only be set manually, no stabilization, no exif or any other info to the camera. The lens is quite small for being a 100mm, built completely of metal with engraved scale markings filled with paint for aperture values, distance (in m and ft), depth of field scale and the lens\/manufacturer’s name, quite stylish and nice actually. It comes only in M42 mount and is shipped with desired mount adapter, most probably for keeping the manufacturing cost and the price as low as possible. The aperture ring has click stops at variable distance between each stop, as you go from wide open to closed aperture the distance between stops gets smaller. Between 2.8 and 11 there are click stops between each pair of full stops but from 11 to 22 there are no intermediate half stops. The aperture ring clicks smoothly and distinctly but the focusing ring has just OK resistance, not very stiff but not very smooth either. The lens cap is of metal and unlike most other lens caps screws in the filter thread, which is 49 mm. No lens hood is provided.<\/p>\n

\"TTArtisan<\/p>\n

Optical Features<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Trioplan
TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 MTF Chart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well, just by looking at the manufacturer provided MTF chart the good things that you can read is that the lens has very good correction of astigmatism and lateral aberration in the center and out to the midframe, excellent contrast and somewhat good sharpness at f\/8. There is no field curvature to expect either at any aperture. Another good thing is the sharpness and contrast, at whatever level they are, don’t fall at all to about the mid-frame and start to deteriorate just moderately from mid-frame to the corners. But you should not expect any good sharpness or excellent contrast at f\/2.8, not a disaster either, possibly they are usable in real life. There is also an indication that you can get good bubble bokeh rings in the corners. All these are just indications for what could be expected with a pinch of salt and nothing more. Let’s see how it performs in real life.<\/p>\n

Sharpness (Infinity)<\/span><\/h3>\n

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!<\/p>\n

\"Trioplan
Infinity Sharpness Chart Scene TTArtisan 100\/2.8 | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Trioplan
TTArtisan 100\/2.8- Infinity Sharpness Chart | Nikon Z6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

F\/2.8: Center sharpness is just OK, it is usable but may need some boost in post processing, contrast is low. Mid-frame is close to center but not as good, it is usable, cornet is just bad.
\nF\/4: Center is now completely OK and mid-frame is usable with boost in post. Corners are still bad.
\nF\/5.6: Center now at good level, a little improvement in mid-frame, corners look better but not usable yet.
\nF\/8: Both center and mid-frame are very good now, corners still too soft.
\nF\/11: Center and mid-frame are still good and at last the corners reach an acceptable level.
\nF\/16: Sharpness and contrast decreases in the center a little but still at a good level, mid-frame and corner are good.
\nF\/22: Sharpness and contrast decrease a little more across the whole frame.<\/p>\n

Sharpness (Portrait)<\/span><\/h3>\n

We look at the sharpness at portrait distance, for this lens about 2.4 m, at three points important for portraits, center, Inner center periphery and outer center periphery. As the lens’s widest aperture is the modest f\/2.8, I tested the lens for portrait sharpness at half stops at f\/2.8, f\/3.3 and f\/4.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n