Any TT Artisans lenses for AI or pre-AI Nikon F mount?

Donald Qualls · Aug 1, 2023

I was intrigued recently by one of Lucy Lumen's video shorts on YouTube, mentioning the TT Artisans 24 mm f/1.4 lens they offer for $109.

Yep, too good to be true; that one is for APS-C digital, which I gather makes it a 35 mm equivalent (though it might be interesting if there's an adapter to put if on a Pen FT).

This combination of fast, wide, and price led me to wonder, however, if TT Artisans makes any lenses for the old classic film camera mounts like the one on my Nikkormat FT2? I'd be delighted to get a brand new 35 mm f/2 or faster for a pre-AI F mount at that kind of price (yes, likely a bit more because bigger glass, but under $150 would still be remarkable).

And if they do, are they as good as the reviews make the digital ones sound?

Nitroplait · Aug 1, 2023

I own two original Nikkor 35/2's. One non-AI the other AIS. Both bought within the last two years. Neither above $150.
I see no reason to buy poor QC Chinese lenses when you can get the real thing for less.

mshchem · Aug 1, 2023

I'm extremely reluctant to buy stuff like TTArtisan products. However, I picked up a 28mm f5.6 Leica knock off lens, returned to B&H in Leica M mount. It's really a nice lens, within reason. Coatings are on par with early coated lenses. Lens hood very clumsy, but still quite nice.

Voigtlander lenses, bought used from Japan get pretty cheap and are stellar. Still the TT lenses are worth a try.

r_a_feldman · Aug 1, 2023

Donald Qualls said:
I was intrigued recently by one of Lucy Lumen's video shorts on YouTube, mentioning the TT Artisans 24 mm f/1.4 lens they offer for $109.

Yep, too good to be true; that one is for APS-C digital, which I gather makes it a 35 mm equivalent (though it might be interesting if there's an adapter to put if on a Pen FT).

If the rear-most part of the lens (internally, such as the metal ring around the rear lens element) is at least 27-28mm from the film plane at infinity, then you can probably adapt it to the Pen F, but it will probably require some non-trivial machining. On the other hand, you can get a native Zuiko 25mm lens, which while slower will have about the same angle of view.

For Nikon F, you need at least 44mm clearance to achieve infinity focus (a film-to-flange distance of 46.5mm).

reddesert · Aug 1, 2023

You could look on the B&H website and filter by the characteristics you want, such as Nikon mount, manual focus, and then down select by brand or price. The only TTartisan and 7artisan lenses that I see that way are a couple of full frame fisheyes - there are also a few lenses by more expensive new brands such as Venus or Mitakon.

There are so many Nikon brand manual focus lenses - 35/2 is very common - on the used market that I don't think new 3rd party lenses are a compelling alternative, unless they offer something that was exotic in the heyday of film lenses, like fisheyes or super speed lenses. I think it is also significantly harder to make a full 35mm frame lens for a competitive price than for DX/APS format. That said, I don't think it is necessary to slag all of these new lens brands as "poor QC Chinese." I wish Photrio could get away from using national origin as an epithet.

Finally, a lens made for Nikon AI mount will fit on a pre-AI camera just fine; even a Nikon AF lens will work if it has an aperture ring, the only lack would be the meter coupling prong.

mgb74 · Aug 1, 2023

I just received a TT Artisans lens for my Sony mirrorless. Still need to test. But I'm very impressed with the "fit and finish" of the lens, as well as the smooth focus. Reminds me of the lenses from the 70s.

mshchem · Aug 2, 2023

mshchem said:
I'm extremely reluctant to buy stuff like TTArtisan products. However, I picked up a 28mm f5.6 Leica knock off lens, returned to B&H in Leica M mount. It's really a nice lens, within reason. Coatings are on par with early coated lenses. Lens hood very clumsy, but still quite nice.

Voigtlander lenses, bought used from Japan get pretty cheap and are stellar. Still the TT lenses are worth a try.

Clarification, I bought a used lens, like new, someone had returned. It's a great little lens "for the money" build quality is decent, good.

Donald Qualls · Aug 2, 2023

reddesert said:
Finally, a lens made for Nikon AI mount will fit on a pre-AI camera just fine; even a Nikon AF lens will work if it has an aperture ring, the only lack would be the meter coupling prong.

I'm aware; it needs the "rabbit ears" to work on my Nikkormat, but if it's got that, it's good to go. I had no expectation of a Fuji mirrorless or other APS-C lens being convertible to Nikon F mount -- and Pen F mount only possible because the camera has such short flange to film and similar image area.

But okay, I need to be looking on KEH or similar for used 35/2 or 28/2.8 made for Nikon rather than hoping for someone to bring a new product into such a full house.

250swb · Aug 4, 2023

Donald Qualls said:
But okay, I need to be looking on KEH or similar for used 35/2 or 28/2.8 made for Nikon rather than hoping for someone to bring a new product into such a full house.

It's a very valid question, and anyway why should Leica users have all the fun? TT Artisan, Light Lens Lab, 7Artisans, etc. all make very good lenses (who knows, they may even be made in the same factory). And the world has shifted from simple budget lenses for Nikon made by Tamron, etc. to photographers wanting something just a bit better, or different, or interesting, or creative, or exciting, and these new companies can do it in spades and with a high degree of technical ability. There are enough options already if anybody just wants to buy a lens for a Nikon film camera, but not nearly enough that come into the connoisseur category in the same way that people enjoy using lenses with their Leica M's.

mgb74 · Aug 4, 2023

250swb said:
It's a very valid question, and anyway why should Leica users have all the fun? TT Artisan, Light Lens Lab, 7Artisans, etc. all make very good lenses (who knows, they may even be made in the same factory). And the world has shifted from simple budget lenses for Nikon made by Tamron, etc. to photographers wanting something just a bit better, or different, or interesting, or creative, or exciting, and these new companies can do it in spades and with a high degree of technical ability. There are enough options already if anybody just wants to buy a lens for a Nikon film camera, but not nearly enough that come into the connoisseur category in the same way that people enjoy using lenses with their Leica M's.

Not a lot of point for TTArisan, 7Artisans, etc to compete with the trove of used SLR lenses out there. Their lenses for RF and digital mirrorless are simpler to make since no auto diaphragm mechanism. Image quality? We'll see. But unless the image is printed, is image quality really an issue?

250swb · Aug 4, 2023

mgb74 said:
Not a lot of point for TTArisan, 7Artisans, etc to compete with the trove of used SLR lenses out there. Their lenses for RF and digital mirrorless are simpler to make since no auto diaphragm mechanism. Image quality? We'll see. But unless the image is printed, is image quality really an issue?

I guess the obvious answer, given the question is about the future, is 'not yet at least'. I'm not sure why that should be confused with what's on the market now? I guess you don't own a Leica or you wouldn't have missed the enthusiasm on the dedicated forums for the new Chinese lenses which offer very similar performance to Leica brand lenses at a much, much lower cost, or is that the problem for you? Light Lens Lab are even remanufacturing exact copies of older recipe Leica lenses (including the glass recipe) when they are very rare and basically unavailable for many people, and Leica themselves are even showing Voigtlander lenses on an M body in advertising. But the fact is an auto diaphragm is chicken feed should the expansion into F mount happen, I mean Voigtlander already offer F mount design equivalents to their M mount lenses and somehow seem to get away with the mechanical side of the situation..

mgb74 · Aug 4, 2023

250swb said:
I guess the obvious answer, given the question is about the future, is 'not yet at least'. I'm not sure why that should be confused with what's on the market now? I guess you don't own a Leica or you wouldn't have missed the enthusiasm on the dedicated forums for the new Chinese lenses which offer very similar performance to Leica brand lenses at a much, much lower cost, or is that the problem for you? Light Lens Lab are even remanufacturing exact copies of older recipe Leica lenses (including the glass recipe) when they are very rare and basically unavailable for many people, and Leica themselves are even showing Voigtlander lenses on an M body in advertising. But the fact is an auto diaphragm is chicken feed should the expansion into F mount happen, I mean Voigtlander already offer F mount design equivalents to their M mount lenses and somehow seem to get away with the mechanical side of the situation..

I don't understand your response to my post. I'm not the one knocking the TTArtisan lenses. Unless you're reacting to my "does image quality matter" point. That's not a criticism of the TTArtisan lenses; that's a point about obsessing on image quality when all we do is look at an image on a computer (or worse, phone) screen.

mshchem · Aug 5, 2023

The inexpensive China made lenses are not as good as expensive Leica lenses. The TT 28mm f5.6 in M mount is a decent lens at f 8, I've used one of these on a digital M body. The coatings are nothing like what you see on Leica and Cosina lenses.

250swb · Aug 5, 2023

mshchem said:
The inexpensive China made lenses are not as good as expensive Leica lenses. The TT 28mm f5.6 in M mount is a decent lens at f 8, I've used one of these on a digital M body. The coatings are nothing like what you see on Leica and Cosina lenses.

I think it all depends on how far you stand back to get some perspective. While not a copy of a Leica lens because the optical formula is different the TT Artisan 28mm was designed to mimic the 1950's 2.8cm Summaron not to compete with the recent Leica improved 28mm Summaron. In the same way when Light Lens Lab make a recreation of the 50mm Elcan it's as rubbish or characterful (take your pick) as the original and not improved with modern coatings which would defeat the point. But yes, they are cheap in comparison to a Leica original, which perhaps is the point.

Any TT Artisans lenses for AI or pre-AI Nikon F mount?

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