Normally, lenses with wide maximum apertures, such as f/1.4, sit at the expensive end of the spectrum, costing anywhere from several hundred to multiple thousands of dollars. And so, a new 35mm f/1.4 lens that costs just $73 is sure to turn some heads, but can it actually turn in decent images? This excellent video review takes a look at the TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 to answer that question.
Coming to you from Christopher Frost, this great video review takes a look at the TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 lens. Designed for various APS-C sensors, the 35mm f/1.4 unsurprisingly uses a manual focus design, but impressively, it still produces perfectly acceptable images, making it a very intriguing option if you do not need to track fast action. Of course, you should not expect clinical levels of sharpness out of such a lens, but altogether, the photos are helped by features like a 10-blade diaphragm for smoother bokeh, and if you need a lens you can take into a variety of situations without worrying about an expensive repair bill if you damage it, the 35mm f/1.4 looks to be quite reasonable. Check out the video above for Frost's full thoughts on the lens.
I have this lens for my Fuji X-T3. It produces great images. I wouldn't say it's razor sharp, but certainly more than good enough. It also has absolutely beautiful sunstars when shooting at night or in low light. The only real weaknesses that I've found are its tendencies to flare (likely due to poor coatings), and the lack of having any correction profiles. Both could easily be solved with minimal effort. For the money, this lens is still a stellar performer that beats lens costing triple the price.
Cheap lenses are often full of character due to the shortcuts taken (usually in the optical construction) to get the price down. Makes them really fun to use.