High-end lenses can be so expensive. Just look at the Leica Noctilux, for example. Go ahead, google it…But even Fuji’s own 2.0 weather resistant line of lenses can be hundreds and hundreds of dollars. This leads a lot of photographers to acquire vintage glass, which can often be found for reasonable prices, but come with their own set of problems. Most old lenses need servicing and can end malfunctioning if you don’t take care of them.Companies like TTArtisan have been popping up to provide new lenses that are affordable but also have the vintage charm without any of the quirks of using a 50+ year old lens. This lens in particular looks beautiful on Fujifilm’s latest X-Pro3. It’s worth noting that this is a fully manual lens. This means no auto focusing capabilities ... MoreHigh-end lenses can be so expensive. Just look at the Leica Noctilux, for example. Go ahead, google it…But even Fuji’s own 2.0 weather resistant line of lenses can be hundreds and hundreds of dollars. This leads a lot of photographers to acquire vintage glass, which can often be found for reasonable prices, but come with their own set of problems. Most old lenses need servicing and can end malfunctioning if you don’t take care of them.Companies like TTArtisan have been popping up to provide new lenses that are affordable but also have the vintage charm without any of the quirks of using a 50+ year old lens. This lens in particular looks beautiful on Fujifilm’s latest X-Pro3. It’s worth noting that this is a fully manual lens. This means no auto focusing capabilities and no auto exposure capabilities. But that’s part of the fun! The focus turns very smoothly and the aperture clicks into place with satisfying feedback. And you’ll never mistake one for the other thanks to the grippy striped focus ring that protrudes much more distinctly from the lens allowing you to grip it with ease.Be sure to select the setting in your camera so that you can “take photos without lens” because the camera’s computer will not know there’s a lens attached due to the lack of autofocus and auto exposure contact points. From there, your camera will tell you that it’s shooting at an F0, and it becomes up to you to set the SS and ISO within the camera and then manually set the aperture and focus.I recommend turning on a focus assist of some kind, like peaking. That way you’re never guessing whether your shot will be sharp.

I have a Fuji X-T3 and I have not shied away from third-party lenses at all. I have been looking for good wide-angle lenses and I have been aware of TTArtisan for a while. I was curious how well this lens would perform and I decided to take a chance on it. So far I am very pleased with it though I am still working with it and learning that it can do.This lens is a brick! Right out of the box I was startled at the overall weight. It has a lot of glass in it, but it also is all metal - very little (if any) plastic. Even the front lens cap is metal. In spite of the price, this is a solid little lens.It is probably the tightest fit lens I have used. It requires a little pressure to get it to click into place and to remove it later when mounting on the camera body. I was ... MoreI have a Fuji X-T3 and I have not shied away from third-party lenses at all. I have been looking for good wide-angle lenses and I have been aware of TTArtisan for a while. I was curious how well this lens would perform and I decided to take a chance on it. So far I am very pleased with it though I am still working with it and learning that it can do.This lens is a brick! Right out of the box I was startled at the overall weight. It has a lot of glass in it, but it also is all metal - very little (if any) plastic. Even the front lens cap is metal. In spite of the price, this is a solid little lens.It is probably the tightest fit lens I have used. It requires a little pressure to get it to click into place and to remove it later when mounting on the camera body. I was a little concerned at first, thinking I could potentially damage the camera. However, it does fit and does not harm the camera in spite of how tightly it fits.Optical quality seems to be good, though that varies a little with the aperture setting. At the widest settings (and f/1.4 in particular) there is a little softness in the corners and a slight vignetting. As the aperture is closed more the image gets sharper at the edges. This is not unusual or unexpected for wide-angle large-aperture lenses, and it is actually slightly better than I was expecting.I have not yet had a chance to get out and determine the coma with this lens. I am waiting for a clear night so I can get a starry sky shot with the aperture wide open, which will highlight not only the coma but also the chromatic characteristics. If it is particularly bad I will come back and update.As a portrait or landscape lens this one works very well. Initial exposures have worked out well, but I am still learning what this lens can do.Are there better wide-angle lenses out there? Sure - and they cost a lot more too. For the price this lens is far better than expected and I am looking forward to working with it more. It is good enough that I am staring to look at other TTArtisan offerings.

The quality of this lens absolutely blew my mind, thankfully I'm not a lens snob and I know that there gems can be found at any price point. First, it feels solid and well made, which it is and looks great on my XT-1. It reminds me of my old manual Canon AE-1 in terms of the look and feel which I appreciate. Gives a bit of nostalgia while providing some modern day fun. At first I couldn't get it to work but that was user error and I solved that problem by reading the instructions and changing the settings to "take photos without lens".First time I took it out to shoot for some low light photographs, it performed better than expected. The lens was easy to grip and focusing didn't pose any issues. At higher apertures, its completely useable but there is some softness ... MoreThe quality of this lens absolutely blew my mind, thankfully I'm not a lens snob and I know that there gems can be found at any price point. First, it feels solid and well made, which it is and looks great on my XT-1. It reminds me of my old manual Canon AE-1 in terms of the look and feel which I appreciate. Gives a bit of nostalgia while providing some modern day fun. At first I couldn't get it to work but that was user error and I solved that problem by reading the instructions and changing the settings to "take photos without lens".First time I took it out to shoot for some low light photographs, it performed better than expected. The lens was easy to grip and focusing didn't pose any issues. At higher apertures, its completely useable but there is some softness around the edges, not a deal breaker. Once I got to f4+ that was when the lens really shined. I was able to go outside and get some natural light landscape shots and also get really closeup to some flowers as well.If you're looking for an affordable, quality lens for your Fuji X or just building your kit, definitely check TTArtisan out.

Quality exceeds price by 10x

This lens should be an embarrassment for other manufacturers. If all you care about is shaaarrpppness then you probably aren't even looking at this page anyway. If you care about 3D pop, deep tonality, and life-like rendering, this lens rivals anything from German manufacturers known for those characteristics and costing 7-13x as much. Even things you wouldn't expect from a $100 lens like great flare performance - this lens has it.Only nitpicks are the weird jump in the aperture ring from f8 to f16 and the comical heaviness of the lens. I have plenty of all metal lenses and even ones twice this size aren't this heavy. Does it feel quality and built like a tank? Absolutely. It's also as heavy as a tank and on a tiny Fuji X-E body makes the camera stupidly front ... MoreThis lens should be an embarrassment for other manufacturers. If all you care about is shaaarrpppness then you probably aren't even looking at this page anyway. If you care about 3D pop, deep tonality, and life-like rendering, this lens rivals anything from German manufacturers known for those characteristics and costing 7-13x as much. Even things you wouldn't expect from a $100 lens like great flare performance - this lens has it.Only nitpicks are the weird jump in the aperture ring from f8 to f16 and the comical heaviness of the lens. I have plenty of all metal lenses and even ones twice this size aren't this heavy. Does it feel quality and built like a tank? Absolutely. It's also as heavy as a tank and on a tiny Fuji X-E body makes the camera stupidly front heavy.TL;DR - I gladly buy this lens for $700 because that's what I was going to pay for the same image quality from the brand that starts with V and ends with Lander.

So far my favorite from TTArtisan, great for the price.

First off I love the silver and black styling, as well as the slip-on lens cap and build quality. The small size is also very impressive. Image quality is really nice as long as you know how to use this lens and account for it's shortcomings. For brick walls you'll need something else, this lens has noticeable field curvature. For closer portraits at f/1.4 I love it and this is primarily what I use it for. For mid-distance subjects you begin to notice the field curvature going into the corners which detracts from the overall rendering, the biggest con of this lens IMO. For sharp landscapes or similars you'll need to stop down to at least f/5.6. This little lens had been glued to my X-T2 lately, I find it pairs well with a contrasty film simulation and particularly ... MoreFirst off I love the silver and black styling, as well as the slip-on lens cap and build quality. The small size is also very impressive. Image quality is really nice as long as you know how to use this lens and account for it's shortcomings. For brick walls you'll need something else, this lens has noticeable field curvature. For closer portraits at f/1.4 I love it and this is primarily what I use it for. For mid-distance subjects you begin to notice the field curvature going into the corners which detracts from the overall rendering, the biggest con of this lens IMO. For sharp landscapes or similars you'll need to stop down to at least f/5.6. This little lens had been glued to my X-T2 lately, I find it pairs well with a contrasty film simulation and particularly like shooting it with Acros.