{"id":60234,"date":"2024-08-30T03:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T02:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=60234"},"modified":"2024-09-05T10:50:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T09:50:42","slug":"review-ttartisan-100mm-f-2-8-macro-2x","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-ttartisan-100mm-f-2-8-macro-2x\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"TTARTISAN<\/p>\n

TTArtisan has made a new version of its T\/S 100mm Macro 2X, which I reviewed almost one year ago. It received only positive feedback for its optical qualities except for its flare resistance, with some reservations about handling and its limited tilt\/shift effect. Now, as they had promised, they have come with a variant without any tilt\/shift functionality, i.e., a short telephoto with 2X macro capability and the possibility to be used as a portrait lens with nice bokeh, if it is as good as the first version was. Let’s have a look!<\/p>\n

\"camera-icon2\"I tested this lens on a 46 Mp Nikon Z 7II (Sample images Nikon Z 7 II, Nikon Z fc, and Nikon Z f)
\n\"\"You can see this review as a YouTube<\/a><\/span> video here<\/span><\/a>!<\/p>\n

Sample Images<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X |<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X |<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X |5.6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X |5.6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | 2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nikon
Nikon Z7ii | TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | f16<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

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

Specifications<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Focal Length<\/td>\n100mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Angle of View<\/td>\n24\u00b0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
# of Aperture Blades<\/td>\n12 pcs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Max Aperture<\/td>\nF2.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Min Aperture<\/td>\nF22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Min Focus Distance<\/td>\n0.25 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Filter Size<\/td>\n67 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lens Mount<\/td>\nE \/ X \/ Z \/ RF \/ L \/ GFX \/ EF \/ F<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>\n700 – 748 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Size (D x L)<\/td>\n\u00d8 72 mm x 153 mm (Nikon Z version)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elements\/Group<\/td>\n14 \/ 10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\"TTArtisan
TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X, Lens construction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buy new:<\/strong> TTArtisan Store<\/a>, Amazon.com<\/a>, Amazon.de<\/a>, B&H<\/a> for $319 (Affiliate links)<\/p>\n

Promotional Price<\/strong>: $299<\/strong><\/a>
\nAugust 30th- September 1st 11:59pm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Disclosure<\/span><\/h2>\n

TTArtisan kindly provided this lens for test and review purposes.<\/p>\n

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

There has been a Tilt\/Shift version of this lens that looks almost identical, except the tilt\/shift mechanism. You can see the review of it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"TTARTISAN
TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X vs TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X Tilt\/Shift<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

TTArtisan 100\/2.8 Macro 2:1 is built entirely of metal. The lens is completely manual; manual focus and manual aperture setting on the lens, with no electric contacts. It comes with a metallic lens cap that fits securely over the front. There is no lens hood included though. The lens looks beautiful and seems to be designed beautifully when you hold it in your hands. But when attached to my Z camera it has some small play and wobbles on the camera a little, it is a bit annoying, which was the case with the previous tilt\/shift version too. The lens is as long as its tilt\/shift sister, the tilt\/shift mechanism is just replaced with a hollow helicoid. So, this lens is as its T\/S sister a little front heavy.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There is no weather sealing. The aperture ring has variable distance click stops at every half a f-stop from f\/2.8 to f\/11 and only full-stop clicks between the three smallest apertures f\/11 to f\/22. The focusing ring has only 100 degrees throw. This is a too small throw for a macro lens even with a 1:1 magnification and it is way too small for a 2:1 macro lens, however, focusing at such magnifications is not done by the focus ring, you set the focus ring at the magnification you want and then move the lens and camera fort and back until the subject is in focus. This makes focusing at closer distances a challenge. I found the focusing ring not as stiff as it was on the T\/S version, could be sample variation, but it feels that it has just enough resistance.<\/p>\n

All markings on the lens are engraved and filled with paint, aperture values, distance in meters and feet, depth of field markings and the lens name.\u00a0 There is also a scale for magnification, which runs from 1:2 to 2:1, a useful feature for times you know a certain magnification to be used.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are four female screw holes at the front of the lens barrel, near the front lens element (over, under, to the left, and right side of the barrel), where you can attach an included flash cold shoe for special macro arm lights or small led lamps, a very nifty and nice feature, pity that there is only one shoe included though.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"TTARTISAN
TTARTISAN 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X with light<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Optical <\/span>Features<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"TTArtisan
TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X, MTF chart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\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!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Infinily Sharpness Points of Inspection<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTArtisan
TTArtisan 100mm f\/2.8 Macro 2X | Infinity Sharpness<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Excellent sharpness right from f\/2.8 in the center, it gets marginally better at f\/4 and f\/5.6 is perfect, at f\/8 we have the same level of sharpness. At f\/11 it gets a negligible dip due to diffraction and at f\/16 it becomes a little softer and f\/22 shows the softest image of all apertures.<\/p>\n

In the midframe, the sharpness is a little less at f\/2.8 but improves a lot at f\/4 and is excellent at f\/5.6. F8 demonstrates the best sharpness here and then it starts to slightly become less sharp at smaller apertures.<\/p>\n

The sharpness is a little better in the corner than the midframe wide open. Most probably due to the field curvature, as the MTFchart also had suggested that.\u00a0 It gets better at f\/4, and much better at f\/5.6, and at f\/8 it is very good. F\/11 is the peak performance for the corners. At f\/16 and f\/22 it gets a little softer.<\/p>\n

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

Let\u2019s look at the points of interest for portraits at the portrait distance: the very center, the center\u2019s inner periphery\u00a0 (1\/3 rule intersection), and the center\u2019s outer periphery (1\/4th intersection).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Portrait Sharpness Points of Interest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n