TT Artisan 100/2.8 - the new king of bubble bokeh!

[@donaldcongdon9095]

Nice video Thomas! Love the way TT Artisan uses vintage optical formulas. Wish they’d do a Heliar lens. My Kodak Medalist uses that formula and it’s unquestionably the finest lens I’ve ever used.

[@tomscameras]

Thanks Donald! I have to admit I am also a real fan of TT Artisan lenses by now. To me it seems they bot only want to make low-budget lenses, but they’re also really a bit into classic lens design. A bit like Voigtländer where Hirofumi Kobayashi also proved to be a connaisseur of the classic designs. So yes a Heliar reincarnation, what would be not to like!

[@vitusbering6453]

Soon after I bought that lens I did the series of 20 identical shots taken each with TT100/2.8 and then Nikon 85/1.8 . Yes, on my view the bokeh is different. However when I submitted all to my friends, nobody has noticed the difference.

[@tomscameras]

Haha that’s kind of funny! But a really cool story nonetheless. Outside of our photographers / gear addict bubble maybe there’s a different world where people look at photos totally different!

[@donjagoe]

Outstanding review!

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks for your feedback!

[@patternsinsand]

Thanks for the thorough review. This lens definitely has its charms.

[@tomscameras]

Thanks for your feedback. And yes, charme is the right word to describe this lens!

[@schildzilla]

These cut-off-bubbles at 10:26 could have to do with the electronic first curtain shutter and fast exposure times from about 1/1000s+

[@tomscameras]

You are right in general, the electronic shutter can change the bokeh ! But in this case it was also because of the leaves in front of the image that influenced the shape of these bubbles. I should have made a video sequence maybe so you can see how shading the lens with your hand - or like in this case it was leaves in the foreground - cuts of the bokeh balls!

[@kamikaze_1405]

Primotar 135mm is better for less $. The same bubble bokeh and vintage character, much better contrast, razor sharp wide open, bigger bubbles without flares. Anyway, thx for nice review👍

[@tomscameras]

There are plenty great vintage options. I maybe should have mentioned some of them in this video, you are right. However, I think there's quite some photographers who just appreciate that they can get a brand-new lens instead of shopping for vintage glass. Also, by making new lenses, the old designs are brought back to everyone's attention, which is of course also nice!

[@kamikaze_1405]

@@tomscameras i'd like to see copy of Biotar made in TTartisan 😉

[@errole]

Does it work with Fuji?

[@kamikaze_1405]

@@errole u need adapter m42-fx. Thats all.

[@cortanathelawless1848]

Than you! I think this will become my portrait lens

[@gershonportnoy5589]

Very nice review, i'd seen reviews of that lens before but yours made me want to buy one, now!😊

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I hope you'll have a lot of fun with the lens then 😊

[@Cotictimmy]

I saw another review of this lens and the guy said that, try as he might, he could not calibrate it to his Leica’s rangefinder. I did not hear Tom say specifically that HE successfully calibrated his lens for his Leica rangefinder. I want this lens myself, but for me it will be the M42 version for Nikon Z - (so no rangefinder coupling issues.)

[@WVMUSIC_NL]

I don’t know if i need this one but again a great video and even the backgroundmusic sounds like bubbles exploding! So very fitting

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks, great that you even enjoyed the background music! I guess, in the end, most of us have too many lenses. Though this one is fun! :)

[@WVMUSIC_NL]

@@tomscameras esspecially me because i also have a old adapted 135mm lens

[@Rob.S.42]

Very interesting! I really wonder what an actual comparison between the TTArtisan and the "new Trioplan" 100mm f/2.8 from OPC Optics would show. Despite the high prices, their new "Meyer Optik Görlitz" lenses seem to have become popular enough that a whole new dedicated factory was built in Hamburg, while their headquarters remain in Bad Kreuznach with its rich tradition in optics. I always liked what OPC were doing there, I also really like the no-frills aesthetics of their exterior lens designs, but I'm not inclined to pay their prices, either...

[@tomscameras]

Actually, Steffen Schüngel did publish a direct comparison between these two: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3LGmZ2amJKql5Y

[@YuryMarkman]

got this lens 2 weeks ago. Love it. Just shot today a rainy city. Use it as a medium telephoto too

[@tomscameras]

Yes, it's good as a medium telephoto as well! Hope you get some nice results in the rainy city!

[@BriansPhotoShow]

It appears that the M42 version has neither an auto-return diaphragm nor a present ring. Is that correct?

[@tomscameras]

Yes, you are right. So if you are using an actual classic M42 camera, you won't have the auto stop-down aperture feature. Much like the very first M42 lenses that were produced back in the day, before 1956 actually ... I get why TT Artisan didn't incorporate that - most people will adapt this to some modern digital camera and then the M42 stop-down aperture pin doesn't work anyway. But it would be great if they'd include pre-set aperture in these manual lenses. It's the next best thing to auto stop-down aperture and it would work on ANY camera. Actually I once made a video, trying to promote that feature: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmmvcn6Ba8yGmLs

[@ducGrom6262]

which gears did you use to take this video? love those donuts bokeh at 1:45

[@predrag-peterilich900]

Good as always: very professional, informative, well-balanced, beautifully adorned (that Ilex shot is stunning); thank you Thomas. A question for you: could any of the TTArtisan lenses (e.g. the 90mm/f1.25) be used on Nikon F mount DSLR cameras? Any adapters?

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it! Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no: the 90/1.25 is designed for the Leica M mount, and there’s a lot of lens elements in that design reaching almost all the way back to the bayonet mount. So the flange distance (from the bayonet to the sensor) is way too short for any adapters to an SLR or DSLR mount. The 100/2.8 is different and there is a variant for M42 SLR mount available. There are adapters from M42 to many DSLR mounts. Unfortunately Nikon F is the one exception, again because of the flange distance. There are M42 adapters to Nikon F with a small lens inside (which might affect the optical quality!) and I have seen some adapters that don’t have such a lens, but then you cannot focus to infinity anymore!

[@predrag-peterilich900]

Many thanks for the prompt and detailed answer! Alas, no expansion space for my Nikon D-500.

[@tomscameras]

@@predrag-peterilich900 no, maybe not! I always loved the D500, though I think it’s more a wildlife / telephoto beast! :)

[@michaelwhiles5282]

Would love to see the results on a GFX medium format 😎👍

[@tomscameras]

Me too 😅 Unfortunately, I don’t have access to one at this point!

[@aviationodyssey1892]

Great video. Nice sound. Very informative.

[@tomscameras]

Thanks a lot for your feedback! 🙏

[@kimc5750]

Very good video!

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks, I'm glad you like it!

[@MattZildjian]

I wonder if ttartisan will release a fuji x mount version

[@tomscameras]

That would be cool - on the other hand, it's fairly easy to adapt the M or M42 version to whatever mount you're using. There are also nicer M adapters than the one I'm using in this video! Anyway, the lens has a very long lens barrel because the three lens elements need a lot of distance to the film / sensor plane in this optical design. So if they would make a Fuji X version, it would still be the same length as the current M mount lens + M adapter together.

[@martin9410]

I've produced some really unique and cool images with this lens.

[@tomscameras]

Many thanks for your comment. That’s exactly what this lens is made for!

[@jawasakilee]

Nice lens❤❤

[@tomscameras]

I agree!

[@legalaz7457]

Another reason to buy a speed booster for my fujifilm

[@tomscameras]

A friend of mine has a speedbooster for MFT. It works surprising well!

[@errole]

Is it weather resistant?

[@tomscameras]

No. But that is absolutely in line with every other manual-focus lenses. Not even Leica M lenses are specified to be weather-resistant. It's very different to AF lenses where everyone asks for weather resistance ... I actually don't really know why!

[@errole]

Ah weather resistant is good. Esp if your out in the elements.

[@tomscameras]

@@errole sure, I get that. But manual focus lenses are never rated as „weather resistant“, no matter which manufacturer or brand.

[@pradeepmani7782]

Sir, This lens is suitable for X-A7

[@tomscameras]

This is a fully manual lens. You will need an adapter: M42 to Fuji X mount. Then it works without any issue.

[@andreageo-photography]

Does it work with om1?

[@tomscameras]

You mean, does it work on an MFT camera? Sure, you just need the matching adapter. The TT Artisan lens is available for Leica M mount and for M42, and there are adapters from both these mounts to MFT.

[@andreageo-photography]

@@tomscameras Super, Thank you 🤩