New Breed! TTArtisan Autofocus Lenses for Leica
This article features TTArtisan autofocus lenses for Leica L mount and why they are different (including sample photos and embedded YouTube videos). I include links to alternative autofocus lens options and some of my favourite TTArtisan manual focus lenses.
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Autofocus lenses for Leica
If you stumbled across this article when searching for autofocus lenses for Leica L mount cameras let’s quickly recap some of the autofocus lens options you have.
L Mount Alliance
If you’ve heard of the “L Mount Alliance” this was originally 3 founding companies – Leica, Sigma and Panasonic. Each brand made their own L mont cameras and L mount lenses and all lenses fit all cameras. For example, you can use Sigma and Panasonic Lumix lenses on Leica SL series cameras.
Fun fact: Some Leica branded L mount lenses are actually rebadged Lumix or Sigma lenses. Generally if a Leica L mount lens is cheaper or comes as a kit lens it’s usually a rebadged lens not a Leica original design.
L Mount Alliance continues to grow
In recent years the L mount alliance has grown to around 11 companies and brand like TTArtisan, 7Artisans, Viltrox and Sirui are making L mount lenses to fit cameras like my Leica SL2-S and Leica CL (plus non-Leica cameras like my Lumix S9 that I use mostly for video).
Best autofocus lenses for Leica portraits
If you are not interested in TTArtisan lenses specifically check out this article which contains images and YouTube videos for autofocus lenses from all the main brands – Leica, Sigma, Lumix, 7Artisans, and others.
TTArtisan autofocus lenses for Leica
If we now specifically look at TTArtisan autofocus lenses for Leica I want to cover how these are different to lenses from other brands. I’ll focus on the size, price and weight and give examples plus mention other standout features.
Autofocus lenses for Leica are getting smaller
First, autofocus lenses for L mount are getting smaller. If you compare a Leica SL autofocus lens to a TTArtisan autofocus lens you’ll notice the huge size difference. Leica SL lenses are often a standardised length but TTArtisan lenses are only made as big as they need to be. TTArtisan lenses are some of the smallest autofocus lenses for Leica L mount and this is great for travel.
The length of the TTArtisan lenses matches almost perfectly to the focal length (measuring from the front of the lens to the lens mount – the portion extending out of the camera).
- TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 L = Length ~40mm
- TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 L = Length ~50mm
- TTArtisan 75mm f2 L = Length ~70mm
Comparison – As an example here are two 50mm f1.8 autofocus lenses but the TTArtisan lens is much smaller than the Lumix lens.
Autofocus lenses for Leica are getting cheaper
Another notable feature of TTArtisan L mount lenses is the price. In the past the Lumix 50mm f1.8 L was one of the best value L mount lenses, costing from around £379 new (or under £200 used). In contrast you can find a similar 50mm f1.8 TTArtisan lens for under £100 new (See TTArtisan website price / Check Amazon price). A simple lens design but that’s crazy cheap when you see the image quality (further down).
- TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 L = £159 new
- TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 L = £85 new
- TTArtisan 75mm f2 L = £199 new
Autofocus lenses are getting simplified
Another feature of the latest TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 Neo lens is the simplicity. When you are buying an autofocus L mount lens you might have a few expectations as to what is included in the lens design
- Autofocus option
- Manual focus option (usually focus by wire)
- AF/ MF selector switch
- Aperture control ring
- Variable aperture (not fixed at one value)
- Option to click/ de-click the aperture (on some lenses)
- Metal lens mount
- Electronic contact chips on mount
- Filter thread
Each brand has their own approach depending on their lens series. The basic Lumix S lenses lack the aperture control (similar to Leica SL lenses). Sigma DG DN lenses include aperture controls. Sirui provide endless switches and features and even include a custom button on the lens.
TTArtisan lens features depend on the lens price. The 40mm and 75mm lenses have aperture control rings and a manual focus option. The new TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 Neo is only the bare minimum. Good optics but no manual focus and no aperture controls. Simplifying the design is probably how they sell the lens at such a low price.
Autofocus lenses for Leica are getting lighter
If you think back to first autofocus lenses made for Leica L mount we only had Leica, Sigma and Lumix. Lumix S basic lenses were the lightest option as they have a polycarbonate body compared to metal. Sigma made some compact lenses for their DG DN lens line (See my Sigma lenses for Leica article).
One of the heaviest “normal” lenses is the popular Leica 24-90 SL zoom lens, which weighs in at a massive 1.14 kilograms (heavier than a Leica SL2-S camera). Thankfully TTArtisan make some of the lightest autofocus lenses for L mount –
- TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 L = 170g (Metal barrel)
- TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 L = 157g (Plastic barrel)
- TTArtisan 75mm f2 L = 330g (Metal barrel)
Comparison – Per the earlier example, both lenses are 50mm f1.8 but the TTArtisan lens weighs 157g vs Lumix 301g.
TTArtisan autofocus lenses for Leica portraits
As a portrait photographer and someone that photographs models for much of my work, how good are these TTArtisan autofocus lenses for portraits. Let’s look at each lens I use and I’ll share sample image and the YouTube lens review.
TTArtisan 75mm f2 L mount
Before getting the TTArtisan 75mm f2 lens I already had the Lumix 85mm f1.8. First impressions of the 75mm was I loved the compact size of this lens, metal build and included aperture control ring. When I saw the image quality I was blown away. This is a seriously good lens for portraits for the price if you like autofocus.
All the images below were captured with the TTArtisan 75mm f2 on my Leica SL2-S (in RAW then a MrLeica B&W preset added in Lightroom). Find MrLeica preset downloads here.
TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 Neo L mount
This is my latest full frame TTArtisan lens, the 50mm f1.8 “Neo” in L mount. I first used the lens during a Leica workshop I was teaching in London and I was immediately impressed by the results. Great contrast, good sharpness, nice separation, and it’s such a simple low cost lens.
Drawbacks of this lens for some might be the plastic build quality and complete lack of manual controls (focusing and aperture ring). It’s basically a plastic tube with great optics inside that rely on autofocus control via the camera. Note, the lens does have a variable aperture so you can stop down for increased performance. All the photos shot below were at or close to maximum aperture to help obtain the shallow depth of field. For me, the lens is already plenty sharp enough for portraits wide open.
Photos were captured with the TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 “Neo” lens on my Leica SL2-S camera (in RAW then a MrLeica B&W preset added in Lightroom). Find MrLeica preset downloads here.
TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 Neo on YouTube
See the YouTube video for more details about this lens –
Full-Frame TTArtisan L mount lenses on APS-C
Another way I’ve been enjoying the compact 50mm TTArtisan Neo lens is on my APS-C Leica CL camera. The 1.5x crop factor of the CL gives me a 75mm equivalent and this is perfect for portraits. As much of my model photography is overseas this is a winning lightweight travel combo if you want autofocus.
All photos below were captured with the Leica CL + TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 “Neo” lens (in RAW then a MrLeica B&W preset added in Lightroom). Find MrLeica preset downloads here.
TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 L mount
A 40mm f2.8 lens on paper is less exciting as a portrait lens but I used it on my APS-C Leica CL for photoshoots in Poland and that gave me a 60mm equivalent. With a minimum focus distance of 40cm it’s great for close ups and detail shots too. See my YouTube video for example photos using a full frame camera.
All photos below were captured with the Leica CL + TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 lens (in RAW then a MrLeica B&W preset added in Lightroom). Find MrLeica preset downloads here.
TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 YouTube video
This YouTube video compares the TTArtisan 40mm f2.8 to a 7Artisans 35mm f1.4 lens and shows example images from both lenses –
TTArtisan autofocus travel lens combo
Of the TTArtisan autofocus lenses I own, I’d recommend either the 40mm or 50mm for travel. Both lenses are small and lightweight. The 40mm gives you a bit more width and manual focus option, the 50mm fast aperture will be useful for low light but it’s autofocus only.
Personally for my overseas model photoshoot trips I’d pick the TTArtisan 50mm f1.8 Neo if I want an autofocus lens. See my Travel Guide eBook for more on how to travel smarter as a photographer.
3 of my favourite manual focus TTArtisan lenses
So far we’ve only talked about TTArtisan autofocus lenses but they make manual focus lenses too. For manual focus lenses my preference is to get M mount lenses rather than L mount as M lenses can be adapted to most camera systems AND can be used on film. A big plus for me. Let me give a quick mention to 3 of my favourite manual focus TTArtisan lenses, in no particular order.
TTArtisan 28mm f5.6 (M Mount)
If you love small full mechanical lenses with a film look you’ll probably appreciate the TTArtisan 28mm f5.6 lens (based on the classic Leica Summaron 28mm f5.6 lens). Made in both LTM and M mount, if I have enough light for a maximum aperture of f5.6 then this is a perfect EDC lens.
TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 (M Mount)
A popular lens when it was first released, if you have your heart set on getting a Leica Noctilux 50mm f0.95 but can’t afford the high price tag, this lens is for you. The TTArtisan 50mm f0.95 aka the “Chinese Noctilux” gives an extremely shallow depth of field and is great for portraits.
TTArtisan 75mm f1.5 (Zeiss Biotar clone)(M42 Mount)
Based on the famous Zeiss Biotar 75mm f1.5 lens, the TTArtisan 75mm f1.5 lens gives much of the same swirly bokeh magic for a much smaller price tag. The original Zeiss lens was most commonly found in M42 mount though M and LTM lenses do exist. I just adapt the M42 lens to L mount to use it on my Leica SL2-S. (Great for video too!)
Buying TTArtisan lenses
You can find TTArtisan lenses for sale on the TTArtisan official website and on Amazon. (If you buy via any affiliate links in this article, any commission will go towards maintaining the blog and YouTube channel, thanks).
You might also enjoy these videos
Looking for a L mount zoom lens? Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 II
Excellent performer. This lens did everything I threw at it. Did you know that the Leica 24-70mm zoom lenses are rebadged Sigma zoom lenses?
My smallest autofocus lens – Viltrox 28mm f4.5
Fixed aperture only, this might look like a toy lens but the Viltrox 28mm f4.5 pancake lens became an instant favourite for travel and as a video lens. The size is similar to a Leica M-L adapter.
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