Lens Reviews

We all love a bargain, especially when the object of our desires performs far above its pay grade. And that hold true for cameras, lenses, and other photo gear. Today's case in point is the TTArtisan 25mm f/2 APS-C manual focus lens that delivers remarkable results for less than the cost of a couple cheap ND filters.

Reviewer Mark Wiemels' popular YouTube channel is devoted to budget gear that "delivers pro results," and this episode may encourage you to pull out your wallet after watching the video. He puts it like this: "For me there's almost no better experience than buying a cheap lens, spending a day shooting with it, and then coming home and being shocked at the quality of the photos I captured."

That was exactly his experience with TTArtisan's $64 dollar wide-angle lens. It's available in various configurations, including Sony E-mount and Fuji-X and there's links beneath the video where you can purchase it online.

The lens features a fast f/2 maximum aperture for shooting in low light with less noise and beautiful bokeh. Equivalent to 37.5mm in full-frame terms, the TTArtisan 25mm is light and small enough to fit in your pocket. And it's a perfect choice for landscapes, street photography, and shooting small objects as lose as 9.8 inches.

Here's how Wiemels summarizes his experience after putting the 25mm f/2 through its paces: "The images coming out of this cheap lens were honestly amazing and in some situations the photos were on par with lenses I have that cost $1,500 to $2,000." He admits that the lens isn't perfect but insists that its few flaws certainly aren’t a dealbreaker—especially for $64.

Weimels explains why he appreciates the versatility of this particular focal length for shooting still photos and video. He provides a number of practical example of images captured on the street and inside spectacular buildings that illustrate the "incredible" image quality you can expect.

For this purpose Wiemels loves the 25mm focal length because "you'll be able to capture  photos of people that fill enough of the frame so that the viewer's eye is drawn to that person." At the same time, you'll have enough context of the background to tell a story with your shots—a key aspect of great street photography.

Wiemels recommends the aperture settings he prefers when using this lens, depending upon the task at hand. And along the way you'll pick up valuable tips on composition. He also discusses how the TTArtisan 25mm f/2 can be expected to perform as a general-purpose lens, while traveling, and shooting at night.

After watching the video, and before going shopping, be sure to take a look at Wiemels' popular YouTube channel where there are reviews of other budget glass.

And speaking of new gear, don't miss the recent tutorial we posted, explaining what you should do when getting a new camera before going out to shoot.