The images of a 50 mm F1.2 glass

First look at the $100 manual TTArtisan Fuji-X lens

I am a creature of habit. When it comes to street photography, I am an avid user of the focal length between 12 mm and 27 mm. But nothing more than that.

However, when TTArtisan comes out with their 50 mm APS-sensor Fujifilm compatible glass with a large aperture of 1.2 at under a $100, I get very curious. Most Fuji X-mount lens with that same offering go for over $1000. So I cannot believe I can get one at a tenth of that price, albeit the difference of the TTArtisan being a manual lens. I decided this will be a prudent buy.

Here are the results of my first try of this lens:

So, what do I think?

The focal length surprises me. I know a 50 mm is excellent for portraits shooting. But I did not expect that it will give me a fun experience in street photography. I find myself composing the shot in the tighter range and realizing satisfaction as a I view the photos on my PC.

The settings I use on my favorite small Fujifilm X-T1 are shoot in JPG and use the Fujifilm simulation ‘Classic Chrome’.

Overall my impressions of the TTArtisan 50mm 1.4 manual glass are:

1. Not an extremely sharp lens, but it gets better at lower apertures. Despite a larger aperture of F1.2, the center focus is too soft that I have to go to a few stops down at least F2.8 to find a good balance of having a sharp center.
2. Close-up shots reveal a nice and creamy bokeh.
3. There is a slight distortion to the images for wider shots that can be cleaned up using the free version of Capture One for Fujifilm.
4. The lens is well built. It is heavy at 336 grams of metal and glass construction. It nearly matches the weight of my XT1 camera, which is 445 grams.
5. The aperture ring and its click stops is nice to handle. And the focus wheel gives a smooth rotation. Overall it is quiet to use.
6. The main problem area is the evidence of chromatic aberration. It has hints of green and purple fringing when using wide open at F1.2. But as I stop it down the chromatic aberration goes away. The sweet spot to completely avoid is F4.0.
7. And I do not like the screw-on lens cap. It is tedious to use.
8. The retail price of $100 is fantastic! There is no better way to experiment with a new focal length than to get a manual glass at a good price.

What is the most cost effective way to purchase the TTArtisan 50mm 1.2?

Straight from the vendor! TTArtisan is currently selling this for $83.

Key Features

• E\EOS-M\X\Z\L\M43-Mount Lens
• Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
• Focusing Method:Manual Focus Operation
• Minimum Focusing Distance: 0.5m

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I purchase the TTArtisan 50mm 1.2 lens and the review is my own.