TTArtisan’s New APS-C Prime Lenses Are Bright in More Ways Than One
Chinese company TTArtisan announced a couple of new APS-C prime lenses in China, including an AF 56mm f/1.8 lens for E, X, and Z mount cameras and a limited-edition yellow AF 27mm f/2.8 lens for Fujifilm X Series cameras.
Seen in Chinese social media posts shared by Japanese photography blog Asobinet, neither of the new primes have appeared on TTArtisan’s United States retailers, Amazon and Pergear. Interestingly, the $149 AF 35mm f/1.8 APS-C lens announced last month was only just officially announced in China, despite hitting U.S. stores last month.
The AF 56mm f/1.8 lens promises a roughly 85mm focal length on APS-C mirrorless cameras, making it well-suited to portrait photography. The lens incorporates a nine-bladed aperture and features 10 lens elements arrayed across nine groups. It includes an ultra-low dispersion element and a pair of high-refractive index lenses.
TTArtisan says the AF-equipped lens can focus as close as 0.5 meters (1.64 feet). It is also a compact prime lens, weighing between 233 and 245 grams (8.22 and 8.64 ounces) and just 62mm (2.44 inches) long.
While not a perfect comparison since it is an f/1.2 prime, the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR weighs 445g (15.7 ounces) and is 76mm (2.99 inches) long. The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens for Fujifilm X is closer in brightness. That impressive lens weighs 280g (9.8 ounces) and is only 59.8mm (2.4 inches) long.
The TTArtisan prime surely has both of those competing lenses beaten in terms of price. The lens will sell for just over 900 Chinese Yuan, about $125.
Bright in a different way, the limited edition yellow TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 “C” prime lens is undoubtedly eye-catching if nothing else. Sporting colors often associated with Kodak — yellow and red — the pancake lens for Fujifilm X Series cameras is one of the most distinctly colored lenses PetaPixel has ever seen.
The jury is still out on whether that is a good thing. In any event, the lens is the same as the regular AF 27mm f/2.8 lens in every way, save for its striking colors. It is an affordable lens that offers photographers a compact 40mm-equivalent lens.
And now, for photographers who want their cameras to cosplay as a banana or try to camouflage themselves among a flock of ducklings, that is finally possible, much to everyone’s relief. Arnold from Nickelodeon’s popular animated series, Hey Arnold!, finally has the perfect lens.
There is no word yet on when the limited-edition yellow lens will reach the U.S. market. Further, it is unclear if the lens will be available in Z and E mounts, like the standard black version. Asobi Net only details an X version.
Image credits: TTArtisan
