I recently purchased the TTartisan 50mm F1.2. I have to say I'm impressed from someone who has used the best DSLR Nikon Nikkor and Fujinon Lenses including the Fuji XF50mm f1.0. It's small, looks great having an all metal build and punches above its price point (under US$100). I wasn't expecting much after owning the TTartisan 55mm f1.4 which was close to horrible in terms of IQ and usability. This one however is is an improved version!
Focusing
The focus ring is dampened, smooth, and has right amount of resistance. Achieving focus on a narrow f1.2 depth of field therefore is very doable.
The focus ring is dampened, smooth, and has right amount of resistance. Achieving focus on a narrow f1.2 depth of field therefore is very doable.
Aperture
Anyone who has used a click-less aperture ring that doesn't give you smooth exposure transition in video anyway would give it a thumbs down. Aside from not knowing what your aperture setting is at a given time, it's too easy to accidentally turn the ring. Not with this lens! As far as I know this is the first TTartisan lens that clicks on every f/stop. There are 2 nubs on the ring that also helps you turn it with one finger.
Anyone who has used a click-less aperture ring that doesn't give you smooth exposure transition in video anyway would give it a thumbs down. Aside from not knowing what your aperture setting is at a given time, it's too easy to accidentally turn the ring. Not with this lens! As far as I know this is the first TTartisan lens that clicks on every f/stop. There are 2 nubs on the ring that also helps you turn it with one finger.
Image Quality
Ok... this is where I was surprised. The previous TTartisan lens I owned suffered from ghosting, noise, extreme fringing and lack of sharpness overall. The new 50mm f1.2 seems to have solved all that substantially. It's sharp in the center area wide open where it matters. Images are clean and colors are accurate (to my eye). I pixel peel so to talk about the lens positively is saying something.
Ok... this is where I was surprised. The previous TTartisan lens I owned suffered from ghosting, noise, extreme fringing and lack of sharpness overall. The new 50mm f1.2 seems to have solved all that substantially. It's sharp in the center area wide open where it matters. Images are clean and colors are accurate (to my eye). I pixel peel so to talk about the lens positively is saying something.
Is it better than my Fujinon lenses? No. But it sure "feels" like it's close. So I recommend it whole heatedly.
Here are some simple sample images (Raw files converted using LR with default sharpening and no effective lens corrections. ALL are shot at f1.2.
Note: I used sharpening here because I missed focus because of my awkward shooting position while hand-holding the camera.
Added: Already polished in PS. Shot at f/9.
EDIT with new images: Hold on I just found a glaring issue: PRONOUNCED BARREL DISTORTION. The bokeh balls if you're into that thing which I am not isn't the best. Here are additional samples again shot at f1.2:
As far as I remember those shelves are modular aluminum refrigerator shelves and therefore straight in reality.
The blue and amber balls are very strong street level lights fyi.
Photo Credit: fujifilm-x.com/global
I purchased this because I delayed my purchase of the XT-4 and miss image stabilization for my Fuji gear. Again I wasn't expecting much having read some mixed reviews prior to buying it and having been an almost exclusive prime lens shooter for the last decade. But lo and behold this lens is a joy to use. In fact, because my FF Nikon D810 was recently sold I had to use my Fuji gear and this lens for professional shoots. Two Food shoots and a Covid preparedness commercial shoot. I shot them tethered to a Mac using Capture One Pro which doesn't play as well with Fuji for tethered shooting.
The Images are sharp straight from the camera! and they are just gorgeous! I even achieved some depth of field separation shooting on the tele end of the zoom.
Usability
A zoom is unbeatable in this regard and this lens which is equivalent to 24mm-120mm is a general purpose zoom range. The lens just works reliably overall and easy to use. Auto Focus is quick, confident, quiet, and accurate.
The Images are sharp straight from the camera! and they are just gorgeous! I even achieved some depth of field separation shooting on the tele end of the zoom.
Usability
A zoom is unbeatable in this regard and this lens which is equivalent to 24mm-120mm is a general purpose zoom range. The lens just works reliably overall and easy to use. Auto Focus is quick, confident, quiet, and accurate.
Image Stabilization
I think Fuji claims up to 5 stops of stability. I easily manage 3-4 and yes even 5 sometimes, shooting down as low as 1sec shutter speed handheld and still getting sharp results (albeit rarely).
I think Fuji claims up to 5 stops of stability. I easily manage 3-4 and yes even 5 sometimes, shooting down as low as 1sec shutter speed handheld and still getting sharp results (albeit rarely).
Image Quality
9/10. It's somewhat softer on both ends of the zoom range but still as sharp as I need it to be. The sweet spot is in the middle of the range which gives you very sharp results. I shot a documentary of firefighters in action which you can see in my previous post (https://thelensmanin.me/firefighting-in-makati-2). Tell me if you see any issue with image quality. I certainly can't. Images in that shoot were sharp, contrasty, and just plain lovely.
9/10. It's somewhat softer on both ends of the zoom range but still as sharp as I need it to be. The sweet spot is in the middle of the range which gives you very sharp results. I shot a documentary of firefighters in action which you can see in my previous post (https://thelensmanin.me/firefighting-in-makati-2). Tell me if you see any issue with image quality. I certainly can't. Images in that shoot were sharp, contrasty, and just plain lovely.
Some Issues
I'll be somewhat harder on Fuji being such a great optics maker.
1. The jumping exposure when shooting video is still un-fixed despite the latest firmware (writing this on Jan 2021). This ruined a video session for a dance I covered. Work-around is to make sure you don't touch the zoom by intent or accidentally to avoid this issue. Better yet, keep the zoom at 16 or 80.
2. Still on zoom, the ring is impossible to rotate smoothly.
3. Distortion on the wide end than what I had hoped (perspective mostly).
4. Minor one: The lens sticks out a lot when zooming. Kind of ugly hehe.
So do I recommend it? Yes. Especially if you can get it bundled with a new body. Bought a 2nd xt3 with mine. Do not be in anyway discouraged by the issues Ive mentioned. They are quite common for this zoom range from any OEM. If you need something wide for APS-C, I would get this than a mid-level Fuji prime. See the sample images and judge for yourselves... they are some of the good number of sessions Ive shot with this lens.
I'll be somewhat harder on Fuji being such a great optics maker.
1. The jumping exposure when shooting video is still un-fixed despite the latest firmware (writing this on Jan 2021). This ruined a video session for a dance I covered. Work-around is to make sure you don't touch the zoom by intent or accidentally to avoid this issue. Better yet, keep the zoom at 16 or 80.
2. Still on zoom, the ring is impossible to rotate smoothly.
3. Distortion on the wide end than what I had hoped (perspective mostly).
4. Minor one: The lens sticks out a lot when zooming. Kind of ugly hehe.
So do I recommend it? Yes. Especially if you can get it bundled with a new body. Bought a 2nd xt3 with mine. Do not be in anyway discouraged by the issues Ive mentioned. They are quite common for this zoom range from any OEM. If you need something wide for APS-C, I would get this than a mid-level Fuji prime. See the sample images and judge for yourselves... they are some of the good number of sessions Ive shot with this lens.
