Man, I love how you speak and how you present things. You've got a fantastic and clear speaking tone, enthusiastic and genuine sounding. Great video by the way, I was totally "eying" up this lens! You've helped bring things into "focus" for me. :)
I have the TTartisan 35mm f/1.4, which I often use on my Pen-F … it is crazy sharp from f/4 to f/8. At f/1.4, at close focus, it gives dreamy close-ups of flowers. TTartisan lenses are fun to play with, especially for us old film photographers. 😎
Another great review, Jimmy, and I agree 100% with your thoughts on this little gem. I bought one for my APSC system, and was surprised by just how good the images it makes are. For my PenF, I have the 7Artisans 25mm/0.95, which also delivers interesting and nice rendering, and that ultra-fast opening is great fun for shallow DOF and creamy toneh (sic), but the TTArtisan 23mm/1.4 is optically superior overall, even with both lenses stopped down to f/2.8. With the larger APSC sensor, corner sharpness is just a bit more of an issue, but it's still more than adequate for real world shooting other than architecture or landscapes where we might want edge to edge sharpness. It's amazing that a sub-$100 lens can perform so well. Now, I suppose I need to get one for my Oly system... We're really spoiled by lens choices, these days, aren't we?
Very nice video (and photography) my friend! I think you have a valid point about this lens. It's, purely, a photographic lens with nice vintage aesthetic and rendering (for those of us that appreciates such a thing). I bought it for my Sony α6000, basically due to nostalgia (i learned photography on 80s film cameras). My native Sony 18-105 F4 G, though a dependable photographic tool, is too corrected and clinically sharp for the type of shots i love to take. And most of the modern primes too (i tested the Zeiss Touit 32/1.8, the Sigma 30/1.4 and the Sony 35/1.8, all of them great yet too corrected). Other options, like Laowa Argus 25/0.95 or Meike 25/0.95 are in the same league but too heavy and big and the Voigtlander 21/1.4 and 35/1.4 Classic, both amazing yet very expensive and, the most important, are Full Frame glasses, so the DoF markings are useless on APS-C bodies... TTArtisan 23mm/1.4 is a very interesting and rare example of a lens: APS-C native (46mm on MFT), vintage built, small and light and with the right amount of corrections (sharper than truly vintage lenses but less clinical than other modern primes). It's not for pixel peepers, nor for hardcore landscape or architecture photography but for those who want to shoot anything, with a back to basics approach!
Hey Jimmy, Was right about it,I got it yesterday. It is really an amazing lens for the price much better than pergear or 7artisan 25mm Wich are in the same price range. I do mostly multicam video and for a B,C cam with fix focus it is great focus breathing is overrated feature if you have a fix lens B,C cam anyway and I love TTartisan lens got 50,23,17,35 and for far the best price value...for multicam purpose best I could get for MFT...they got all a special look. I am as well a big fan of vintage lens like first gen vivitar 70-210 or FD canon on MFT...maybe not clean like modern Lens but something else and totally usable even in modern setup. Love you channel even if I am more into video... A bientot Fil
Hi, do you notice something weird with the focus plane? Andrew of Andrew & Denae channel shows in his review that even when the background is blurred, the edges of the photo shows the background being in focus. It looks odd and can be bad for some subjects. I was wondering if it was a flaw with his copy of the lens or is it just how the lens is?
Hi, Jimmy! Thanks for your review on the lens! In this point, unfortunately, I haven't used my copy of same lens yet! It is at post office. It may come today! Anyway, this lens has good reputation, so I'm excited to shoot with this lens!! This 23mm is really peculiar and interesting focal length. This is because it was made first for APS-C. But I recently learnt that the focus angle of view is 50 degrees. And for Fourthirds sensor, the standard focal length is not 25mm, but 24mm. So this TTartisan's 23mm is the other side of "standard" range relative to 25mm! Actually I love to use also vintage lenses, so this lens may fit my use!
Thanks a lot for the video m, I have a xt100 and I was on a crossroads on buying or not, your vídeo convinced me, ttartisan should sponsor you, once again thanks and wish all success in the world
Well Jimmy, I think you have just hurt my wallet. I've got to have this little gem!! For the price, as you said, everyone should have one to play with!! I am VERY surprised at the quality of the bokeh balls....really nice!! Thanks for a great review!!!
Fantastic review! I received mine a few weeks ago but I've been too sick to actually enjoy it. However, from the times I've been able to play with it is very fun and great to use!
thanks mate. Man, hope you feel better now. I know the feeling being sick and not been able to go out. I've been like that on and off for the past two years... not just me but people around me plus the covid thing... anyway, thanks for dropping by.
Hi Jimmy! I know that you say that this is your favorite TTartisan lense, but how do it perform compared with the 17mm? I have the impression that the 17mm is a bit sharper, but it is just based on my "real life" experience with the 17mm in my MFT camera. Maybe I'm wrong. I have a vintage 28mm, and for the moment I'm ok with that, but this 23 looks awsome and would fit with my silver GX9 😊
Hey Ramon, yes the 17mm is sharper, but the 23mm has more compression and great for subject separations if you like. Both are great lenses and for the price, you can't argue with either. Of course, native lenses are still more convenient and better (optically), but they are at least double if not triple the price.
@@Red35Photography Thanks for the answer! It's an interesting focal length. Great video as always. I think these lenses are great for not professional photographers and is hard to find useful information (specially for MFT). I bought the 17mm and I'm very happy with the performance.
LOL, thanks Carmen! Sigma 30mm is a good and compact lens (and AF!!). This is just for a bit of fun and if one wants that 'vintage' look. Cheap and cheerful!
@@Red35Photography I agree - but from 2.8 it performs perfectly it seems. I was lucky in finding the Sigma at MPB for under £80 as new and with original packaging . It was my Christmas present from one of my daughters and I made sure that it did not brake the bank ha ha. Sure, I would have loved one of the new Olympus lenses, like the 20mm 1.4 to replace the R2 kit lens; which by the way is pretty decent bit of glass if you understand it’s limitations . Brexit and Covid have combined to make new glass more expensive and the offerings out of China are not to be sniffed at. I think it was Dirty Harry who said - a man should know his limitations lol - that applies to women as well, as it does to photographers . Paying loads for new gear does not automatically make you better at your craft, but, can sometimes help . If I had seen your review before Christmas I might of been tempted to look more closely at the black option . However, I suspect that I would have ended up with the sigma because of its condition and besides the autofocus aspect , it came with a lens hood . One of the odd things with sigma lens hoods is that they need a gentle twist to fully lock. Once on, there is no risk of loosing the delicate little ring required to be removed from the Olympus 25 1.8 ( lovely lens by the way). Putting all those aspects together and it makes a very compelling argument for the sigma DN art lens. Perhaps you might try a copy yourself and see what you think. At the end of the day I wanted something a little shaper than the kit lens and small enough to be kept on the body for general walkabout . It fits nicely in the Billingham digital bag and would not be difficult to carry the zoom if I thought I might need it. The photos with the camera are way better than just the iPhone , but some of my best shots were taken on the phone because it is always with me and waterproof . One day I might be able to afford i7 laptop that would allow me to process images faster than I can on my i5 laptop. As I quoted above - one should know their limitations ha ha . Thanks once again Jummy
Is the focusing scale accurate? What I mean is, if you set the lens focusing at say 5ft. and then check the focus on an object at 5ft. from the image plane, the focus will be correct. I have a 25mm f1.8 7Artisan and the focus scale is wildly inaccurate and useless for pre focusing.
Loved this presentation, sir! London suits you, greatly! I'm wondering if you are having an internal evolution of shooting due to the Architectural haven you reside in?
Nice! That's not focus breathing. It's actually a 20-25mm zoom depending on your focus distance. 🤣 To be expected. Maybe someday I will buy a cheap manual lens.
That depends, I love 23mm 1.4, but 25mm f2 is pretty decent too, both have characters and pretty sharp. I am testing 25mm f2 and 50mm f2 now, videos will come in coming weeks.
Just looking at their 40mm f2.8 macro and 7artisan 60mm f2.8. Can't decide which and YONGNUO YN25mm 25mm F1.7 but don't know how good they are . Good video mate
Yongnuo is pretty good. If you want macro, I have no experience with the 40mm 2.8 so can't comment, but 7Artisan is ok, but with a lot of flare. I have one here and testing it.
Hi, Jimmy Only one question. Whats about the Focus peaking un our cameras? Works well? I have tested a kamlan 50 mm f 1.1 and I have been unable to make It work
Yes, you need to manually enable it for any manual lens without electrical connection. I usually customise one button to switch on and off peaking. I also set one button for magnify too if I want to get critical focus.
It scxreams 70's?? I was a photographer back then and no lens looked like this hideous looking lens back then. It looks more like the fake retro produced by Lomography at the present time.
hahah Lomo is going for the 1900 look and re-issuing Russian lenses. This is more like the mocked Zeiss lenses in the past. Well, it's not bad price considering a secondhand vintage Zeiss is going for around the same money and this is slightly more modern in terms of coating.
@@milkyway6080 Yes, but I was talking about normal lenses found in ordinary camera stores back in the 70's. They were dominated by Pentax, Canon and Olympus, with some high end Nikon. Zeiss and other German brands had already disappeared from stores by the late 60's There was still a few Rolleis around, but by the 70's the only TLR's that we saw selling new were Mamiya. Leica had stalled by then, and all the Leica I saw was used gear. I don't remember ever seeing a Meyer lens back then at all. Lenses in shops tended to look like Canon FD, Nikkors, Olympus, and Pentax.
I think TTArtisan first had a look at Zenography's video 😁 ruclips.net/video/GakDWWnU-Pw/видео.html Great review Jimmy! We need some enthusiasm and who doesn't love the look of old lenses?
hahaha may be, I love vintage lenses too, especially old Russian lenses, dirt cheap (even cheaper 10 years ago!) and got some old school looks, cool for black and white.
![TTArtisan 23mm F1.4 - [GOOD value for Money]](/img/1.gif)
Man, I love how you speak and how you present things. You've got a fantastic and clear speaking tone, enthusiastic and genuine sounding. Great video by the way, I was totally "eying" up this lens! You've helped bring things into "focus" for me. :)
Cheers mate for your comment! Glad you enjoyed the vid!
I have the TTartisan 35mm f/1.4, which I often use on my Pen-F … it is crazy sharp from f/4 to f/8. At f/1.4, at close focus, it gives dreamy close-ups of flowers. TTartisan lenses are fun to play with, especially for us old film photographers. 😎
Another great review, Jimmy, and I agree 100% with your thoughts on this little gem. I bought one for my APSC system, and was surprised by just how good the images it makes are. For my PenF, I have the 7Artisans 25mm/0.95, which also delivers interesting and nice rendering, and that ultra-fast opening is great fun for shallow DOF and creamy toneh (sic), but the TTArtisan 23mm/1.4 is optically superior overall, even with both lenses stopped down to f/2.8. With the larger APSC sensor, corner sharpness is just a bit more of an issue, but it's still more than adequate for real world shooting other than architecture or landscapes where we might want edge to edge sharpness. It's amazing that a sub-$100 lens can perform so well. Now, I suppose I need to get one for my Oly system... We're really spoiled by lens choices, these days, aren't we?
Fantastic images and great review, Jimmy.
Great review!
Thanks Cheers from Perth Australia 👍
Very nice video (and photography) my friend! I think you have a valid point about this lens. It's, purely, a photographic lens with nice vintage aesthetic and rendering (for those of us that appreciates such a thing). I bought it for my Sony α6000, basically due to nostalgia (i learned photography on 80s film cameras). My native Sony 18-105 F4 G, though a dependable photographic tool, is too corrected and clinically sharp for the type of shots i love to take. And most of the modern primes too (i tested the Zeiss Touit 32/1.8, the Sigma 30/1.4 and the Sony 35/1.8, all of them great yet too corrected). Other options, like Laowa Argus 25/0.95 or Meike 25/0.95 are in the same league but too heavy and big and the Voigtlander 21/1.4 and 35/1.4 Classic, both amazing yet very expensive and, the most important, are Full Frame glasses, so the DoF markings are useless on APS-C bodies...
TTArtisan 23mm/1.4 is a very interesting and rare example of a lens: APS-C native (46mm on MFT), vintage built, small and light and with the right amount of corrections (sharper than truly vintage lenses but less clinical than other modern primes). It's not for pixel peepers, nor for hardcore landscape or architecture photography but for those who want to shoot anything, with a back to basics approach!
For M43 it works well, for Fuji APS-C it is very soft in the corners. Not that it is that important overall and in this price range, but it is there.
Thank you very much for this convincing presentation of this lens. I plan to buy it together with Fuji X-E4. I think it can be an interesting combo.
Now ANOTHER lens to buy for my mft cameras!
Hey Jimmy,
Was right about it,I got it yesterday. It is really an amazing lens for the price much better than pergear or 7artisan 25mm Wich are in the same price range.
I do mostly multicam video and for a B,C cam with fix focus it is great focus breathing is overrated feature if you have a fix lens B,C cam anyway and I love TTartisan lens got 50,23,17,35 and for far the best price value...for multicam purpose best I could get for MFT...they got all a special look.
I am as well a big fan of vintage lens like first gen vivitar 70-210 or FD canon on MFT...maybe not clean like modern Lens but something else and totally usable even in modern setup.
Love you channel even if I am more into video...
A bientot
Fil
Awesome mate, enjoy your lens, I certainly am having some fun with it.
Hi, do you notice something weird with the focus plane? Andrew of Andrew & Denae channel shows in his review that even when the background is blurred, the edges of the photo shows the background being in focus. It looks odd and can be bad for some subjects. I was wondering if it was a flaw with his copy of the lens or is it just how the lens is?
Nice review! Seems like a great entry level lens!
Cheers Caitlin, yes indeed it is, but one has to be comfortable with manual focusing on digital cameras.
Jimmy grew up using nikormat I bought in 1973 while stationed in Japan. More familiar with manual focus than autofocus!😛
Hi, Jimmy! Thanks for your review on the lens!
In this point, unfortunately, I haven't used my copy of same lens yet! It is at post office. It may come today!
Anyway, this lens has good reputation, so I'm excited to shoot with this lens!!
This 23mm is really peculiar and interesting focal length. This is because it was made first for APS-C. But I recently learnt that the focus angle of view is 50 degrees. And for Fourthirds sensor, the standard focal length is not 25mm, but 24mm. So this TTartisan's 23mm is the other side of "standard" range relative to 25mm!
Actually I love to use also vintage lenses, so this lens may fit my use!
Thanks a lot for the video m, I have a xt100 and I was on a crossroads on buying or not, your vídeo convinced me, ttartisan should sponsor you, once again thanks and wish all success in the world
Cheers mate, glad you liked the video!
Well Jimmy, I think you have just hurt my wallet. I've got to have this little gem!! For the price, as you said, everyone should have one to play with!! I am VERY surprised at the quality of the bokeh balls....really nice!! Thanks for a great review!!!
I wanted to get this lens in M4/3 but can't find it in all black. Well, at least not on Amazon.
Really nice looking lens with those silver accents.
Fantastic review! I received mine a few weeks ago but I've been too sick to actually enjoy it. However, from the times I've been able to play with it is very fun and great to use!
thanks mate. Man, hope you feel better now. I know the feeling being sick and not been able to go out. I've been like that on and off for the past two years... not just me but people around me plus the covid thing... anyway, thanks for dropping by.
@@Red35Photography oh the pleasure is mine!
Hi Jimmy!
I know that you say that this is your favorite TTartisan lense, but how do it perform compared with the 17mm?
I have the impression that the 17mm is a bit sharper, but it is just based on my "real life" experience with the 17mm in my MFT camera. Maybe I'm wrong.
I have a vintage 28mm, and for the moment I'm ok with that, but this 23 looks awsome and would fit with my silver GX9 😊
Hey Ramon, yes the 17mm is sharper, but the 23mm has more compression and great for subject separations if you like. Both are great lenses and for the price, you can't argue with either. Of course, native lenses are still more convenient and better (optically), but they are at least double if not triple the price.
@@Red35Photography Thanks for the answer! It's an interesting focal length.
Great video as always.
I think these lenses are great for not professional photographers and is hard to find useful information (specially for MFT). I bought the 17mm and I'm very happy with the performance.
Nice lens Jimmy . Had I not a Sigma 30 2.8 DN glued to my EM 10 Mkii , then I would be tempted . Thanks again Jimmy
LOL, thanks Carmen! Sigma 30mm is a good and compact lens (and AF!!). This is just for a bit of fun and if one wants that 'vintage' look. Cheap and cheerful!
@@Red35Photography
I agree - but from 2.8 it performs perfectly it seems.
I was lucky in finding the Sigma at MPB for under £80 as new and with original packaging . It was my Christmas present from one of my daughters and I made sure that it did not brake the bank ha ha.
Sure, I would have loved one of the new Olympus lenses, like the 20mm 1.4 to replace the R2 kit lens; which by the way is pretty decent bit of glass if you understand it’s limitations .
Brexit and Covid have combined to make new glass more expensive and the offerings out of China are not to be sniffed at.
I think it was Dirty Harry who said - a man should know his limitations lol - that applies to women as well, as it does to photographers .
Paying loads for new gear does not automatically make you better at your craft, but, can sometimes help .
If I had seen your review before Christmas I might of been tempted to look more closely at the black option . However, I suspect that I would have ended up with the sigma because of its condition and besides the autofocus aspect , it came with a lens hood .
One of the odd things with sigma lens hoods is that they need a gentle twist to fully lock. Once on, there is no risk of loosing the delicate little ring required to be removed from the Olympus 25 1.8 ( lovely lens by the way).
Putting all those aspects together and it makes a very compelling argument for the sigma DN art lens.
Perhaps you might try a copy yourself and see what you think.
At the end of the day I wanted something a little shaper than the kit lens and small enough to be kept on the body for general walkabout . It fits nicely in the Billingham digital bag and would not be difficult to carry the zoom if I thought I might need it.
The photos with the camera are way better than just the iPhone , but some of my best shots were taken on the phone because it is always with me and waterproof .
One day I might be able to afford i7 laptop that would allow me to process images faster than I can on my i5 laptop.
As I quoted above - one should know their limitations ha ha .
Thanks once again Jummy
So what was the verdict compared to the OM System lens?
Do you recommend it for 2 host headshot video podcast ? .
am using a6400 camera
Certainly, yet it all depends on the distance between the camera and the hosts.
Nice lens! Thank you for the review.
How are you feeling lately?
Sorry Jimmy it looks like an old second hand Panagor lens from the 60s?
Is the focusing scale accurate? What I mean is, if you set the lens focusing at say 5ft. and then check the focus on an object at 5ft. from the image plane, the focus will be correct. I have a 25mm f1.8 7Artisan and the focus scale is wildly inaccurate and useless for pre focusing.
Loved this presentation, sir! London suits you, greatly! I'm wondering if you are having an internal evolution of shooting due to the Architectural haven you reside in?
What lens is that on the Pen?
Nice! That's not focus breathing. It's actually a 20-25mm zoom depending on your focus distance. 🤣 To be expected. Maybe someday I will buy a cheap manual lens.
LOL hahah
For canon RF R7 which one is better ttartison 25f2, 23f1.4, 35 f1.4 ???
That depends, I love 23mm 1.4, but 25mm f2 is pretty decent too, both have characters and pretty sharp. I am testing 25mm f2 and 50mm f2 now, videos will come in coming weeks.
I already have M43 lenses in 15mm and 25mm. Should I get the TTArtisan 17mm or 23mm?
Just looking at their 40mm f2.8 macro and 7artisan 60mm f2.8. Can't decide which and YONGNUO YN25mm 25mm F1.7 but don't know how good they are . Good video mate
Yongnuo is pretty good. If you want macro, I have no experience with the 40mm 2.8 so can't comment, but 7Artisan is ok, but with a lot of flare. I have one here and testing it.
Think I will get this one though. Keep ticking Iver till I can save up
Hi, Jimmy
Only one question. Whats about the Focus peaking un our cameras? Works well? I have tested a kamlan 50 mm f 1.1 and I have been unable to make It work
Yes, you need to manually enable it for any manual lens without electrical connection. I usually customise one button to switch on and off peaking. I also set one button for magnify too if I want to get critical focus.
@@Red35Photography thanks a lot, Jimmy.👍
it lists this lens to work with e-pl 1-6. does it work with olympus epl 7 lite and up?
Yes this lens will work with any M43 cameras, but it's manual focus so you will need to adjust some settings in camera first.
@@Red35Photography Awesome, thanks.
Looks nice for the price :) There was a time my favorite lens on sony apsc was samyang (rokinon) 21mm 1.4 Perfect lens. I thinking about it for m43 :D
nice lens
I couldn't get past shocked me real good. Well, far enough to write this.
better than 17mm ?
Stop it!!! That lens is such a tease 😄
Sorry mate... lol
It’s look like vintage “zebra” lens from 50s. So cool.
My gear is an M5 Mark II, sorry.
It scxreams 70's?? I was a photographer back then and no lens looked like this hideous looking lens back then. It looks more like the fake retro produced by Lomography at the present time.
hahah Lomo is going for the 1900 look and re-issuing Russian lenses. This is more like the mocked Zeiss lenses in the past. Well, it's not bad price considering a secondhand vintage Zeiss is going for around the same money and this is slightly more modern in terms of coating.
Meyer optic Domiplan and Lydith do actually have this same look
@@milkyway6080 Yes, but I was talking about normal lenses found in ordinary camera stores back in the 70's. They were dominated by Pentax, Canon and Olympus, with some high end Nikon. Zeiss and other German brands had already disappeared from stores by the late 60's There was still a few Rolleis around, but by the 70's the only TLR's that we saw selling new were Mamiya. Leica had stalled by then, and all the Leica I saw was used gear. I don't remember ever seeing a Meyer lens back then at all. Lenses in shops tended to look like Canon FD, Nikkors, Olympus, and Pentax.
I think TTArtisan first had a look at Zenography's video 😁 ruclips.net/video/GakDWWnU-Pw/видео.html
Great review Jimmy! We need some enthusiasm and who doesn't love the look of old lenses?
hahaha may be, I love vintage lenses too, especially old Russian lenses, dirt cheap (even cheaper 10 years ago!) and got some old school looks, cool for black and white.
Boo! Was I first?
Yes you were :)
Not as good as the ttartisan trio of 17,35 and 50 1.4 its the worst performing of the 4.
who thinks zeiss jena design is anything remotely cool ? :D
I love Zeiss Jena!
Focus zone scale on this lens is totally fucked up, worthless shit if you want to use zone focusing - what I always do with manual focusing lens!