Lens ReviewMorten ByskovAugust 10, 2022TTArtisan 50mm f/2 Review, TTArtisan 50mm f/2 Review sample images, TTArtisan 50mm f/2 Review sample photos, TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X, TTArtisan 50mm f/2 Handling and Specs, TTArtisan f/2 Image QualityComment

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 Review

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 shown on a Fujifilm X-Pro3 — The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X mount shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 is the third 50mm lens I have reviewed from TTArtisan, the other two being the 50mm f/1.2, and 50mm f/0.95. Priced at $69.00 this is the most affordable option of the three but dare I say, It may just be my favorite.

TTArtisan sent me this lens for my review. I have not received information or directions as to what I should write and the following is my unbiased take on this lens with sample images to follow, giving you an idea of the types of images you create with the lens on a Fujifilm X Series camera.

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X seen on the Fujifilm X-Pro3 — The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 - Introduction

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 is a brand new lens, announced in July of 2022, and is made for Fujifilm X mount, Sony E, Canon RF, Leica L, Canon M, Nikon Z, L-Mount, and Micro four-thirds.

Interestingly so the TTArtisan will cover full-frame sensors. In this review, I look at the Fujifilm X mount version yielding a field of view of approximately 75mm in full-frame terms.

At $69.00 TTArtisan is pushing the boundaries of inexpensive lenses for the Fujifilm X mount with the f/1.2 version coming in at $98.00, and the f/0.95 version at $218.00.

A young man is on his cell phone along West Georgia Street in Vancouver. Sample image from a TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X Mount — West End, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro3, TTArtisan 50mm f/2

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 - Handling and Specs

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 is all about low weight, a small footprint, and less bulk while maintaining a decent f/2 max f-stop.

On my kitchen scale, the X mount version comes in at 191 g or 6.7 oz and I had to get my ruler out as official dimensions are not posted. The TTArtisan measures 1.5”, 4 cm long and 2 1/4”, 5.7 cm wide, and takes 43mm filters.

On the design front, I like the classic approach with this lens as opposed to the more radical design such as the TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4 and TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95. The focus ring is amply wide and very smooth, and you have a really good grip on it.

The aperture ring is a bit narrow but has a pleasant and well-dampened click with the right amount of friction and goes from f/2 to f/16 clickable in half stops from f/2 to f/5.6 and full stops from f/5.6 - f/16.

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 feels great and solid on my X-Pro3 and makes for a super compact setup. You also won’t have to worry much about weight or bulk if you want to bring this as an extra lens for travel or street photography. It easily fits in a pocket or will take up almost no space in your pack.

The lens construction is 6 elements in 5 groups and there is no mention of aspherical elements. It has 10 diaphragm blades and the bokeh is quite decent for a lens in this price category. The closest focusing distance is 1.6’, 50 cm.

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X mount shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3 — The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 in Action

I tried something new for this test. I used yellow highlight as my manual focus aid. Go to the AF MF menu, then MF Assist, then you select Focus Peak Highlights Yellow, either (low) or (high) depending on your preference. I found it worked quite well.

The tactile feel of the TTArtisan exceeds its price tag and picking a more traditional focus ring I think was a wise decision. The smooth manual focusing cannot be understated when you fully rely on this as there is no autofocus mode to fall back on.

I would normally use my rear command dial much more to do manual focus checks but I deliberately tried to avoid it as it slows you down somewhat. I predominately shot in very good light for this test and also stopped the lens down more to see how it would fare as a fair-weather lens.

A young couple walks hand it hand at Lost Lagoon in Vancouver. Sample image from a TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X Mount — Lost Lagoon, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro3, TTArtisan 50mm f/2

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 vs f/1.2 and f/0.95

I have already alluded to some of the strong points of the f/2 version above when it comes to built quality and handling but TTArtisan has two other options if you need a lens that can handle lower light or can shoot with an even more shallow depth of field. I will link to my reviews of both below so you can check them in more detail.

I like the f/2 version because it is not trying to strive too much to be a light-gathering marvel. f/1.2 and f/0.95 lenses are hard to perfect and if f/2 is sufficient for you you get a less expensive lens that you are more likely to use due to its compact nature.

The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 mounted on a Fujifilm X-Pro3 — The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3

TTArtisan f/2 - Image Quality

It is almost impossible to not lead every paragraph without mentioning the price of this lens and the conclusion is rather simple. You get great image quality for not a great deal of money.

Only when the light drops a bit and in the shadows, did I find that I had to spend more time tweaking images in post-production before I was happy with the final result.

Bokeh is rather pleasing and vignetting does not seem excessive. There is very noticeable ghosting/flaring when shooting in heavily backlit scenes.

Please note the sample images in this post are not straight out of the camera. I have taken them through my usual workflow via Capture One Express, adjusted levels, reduced sharpness, and mainly made white balance adjustments.

Below are two samples at different f-stops. The first frame is at f/2, then f/4. These two images are straight out of the camera.

Please click to view larger images.

Flowers in the Westend. An example of bokeh produced by a TTArtisan 50mm f/2 lens — TTArtisan 50mm f/2 @ f/2

The sample images in this review can be viewed up to 2500 pixels wide, depending on your monitor size. Please click to view the larger photos below.

Conclusion

When you look at a $69.00 lens skepticism usually set in. How can this possibly be worth your while? You may also think that at $69.00 this may be a great lens for a beginner.

I certainly think the TTArtisan 50mm f/2 is worthwhile but due to the fact that it is manual focus only, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to a beginner.

While the TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 arguably is better optically and can produce images with super shallow depth of field, the 50mm f/2 delivers when it comes to value proposition, portability, and lower weight.

A close up of the TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X shown on a Fujifilm X-Pro3 — The TTArtisan 50mm f/2 for Fujifilm X shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3

Personally, the TTArtisan 50mm f/2 is all about a freedom feeling. It gives you the option to go super lightweight and in an unobtrusive way. It is similar to the experience you get with Fujifilm's smaller f/2 lenses.

The caveat is the lack of autofocus and a slight drop in image quality compared to Fujifilm lenses but we are also talking about a lens in an entirely different price category.

If you are willing to try a manual focus lens and explore the 50mm focal length (75 mm full-frame equivalent), at a low price point you can’t really go wrong with the TTArtisan 50mm f/2.

If you find you really like this focal length, the Fujifilm XF 50mm f/2 R WR may be the next step, or upgrade, in your photography gear journey.

You can read reviews of the other two TTArtisan 50mm lenses here:

TTArtisan 50mm f/1.2 - Review
TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 - Review

Pros

Affordability
Compact and lightweight
Good build quality
Adequate image quality at the price point

Cons

Manual focus only
No electronic contacts going to the camera

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

Thank you for reading my review. I hope you found it helpful. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support our site you can do so, at no additional cost, by using the affiliate link below.

Check availability and current price at B&H Photo

TTArtisan 50mm f/2 - B&H Photo

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TTArtisan 50mm f/2 - Sample Images

Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Capture One and I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos. Some of the photos have been cropped slightly.

Please click to view larger images.