TTArtisan 23mm F1.4 lens (for Micro Four Thirds cameras)

January 2022, a new lens was released by TTArtisan. A 23mm f1.4 manual focus lens, designed for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras. I bought this lens for my Panasonic Lumix GX9 Micro Four Thirds camera. In this article I will share my opinion and practical experience of the lens. I am not a pro photographer and I won't be doing any lab tests. However, I hope my real world experience will help if you are considering this lens.

Build and handling

The lens is built mostly from metal. When you hold the lens in your hand, it feels dense and it has some heft to it. To the touch it can be cold due to the metal build. The focussing ring is smooth. It is very easy to focus, you feel in control as you turn it.

TTArtisan 23mm F1.4

The aperture ring has clicks for each f stop. That's a nice feature, you can change aperture without taking your eye from the subject. I have heard in some reviews that the aperture clicks are in the wrong place, my lens doesn't have this issue, it is just right. Some complain the aperture ring is not nice to use but I also beg to differ on this too. The aperture ring is thin with teeth, your fingers can easily find it and grip it. Perhaps that isn't to some people's liking, to me it is practical.

The TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 is a very well made lens. It feels premium despite the low asking price.

One of the stand-out features of the 23mm F1.4 lens is its look. It is a good looking lens, retro with the black with silver accents. This may sound like a frivolous thing to some but it is a major reason I bought this lens. The look and feel of a lens and camera can encourage some to go out and take photos. Sometimes on YouTube I've heard professional photographers talking about lenses and cameras as "tools". For enthusiasts it can be different, perhaps we will be spurred on in our photography.

There is an optional lens hood available. I bought this, it is a screw on hood. It can be a pain to screw on. The hood is also metal, the edges are a bit sharp. It is square, this adds to the retro vibe of the 23mm lens.

I do like the look of the 23mm on my GX9. I prefer the look without the lens hood. With the lens hood on, if you sit the camera down, it will tip forward. This is because of the weight. The GX9 has some heft to it already, together with the 23mm lens, you do find yourself holding a bit of a brick. This can work to your favour, the camera can seem easier to steady. It is not a big deal but personally because of the weight, I don't think I'll ever use this as a travel lens. Of course I am used to small light lenses, if you are coming from the world of Full Frame you may laugh at me!

I have the JJC grip for the GX9. With the grip fitted the TTArtisan 23mm is a better balance. I prefer this, although the entire set up is of course still hefty.

Manual focus

This lens is manual focus only. There are no electrical contacts which means EXIF data for the aperture and focal length are not saved.

The focus ring is smooth but not loose, it won't easily slip. I like the focussing, it works very well. In the camera I have switched on focus peaking and in can also magnify the image. These features are very important, especially when using the f1.4 aperture. 

Focal length

23mm on M43 is a 'standard' focal length. The field of view is equivalent to 46mm on full frame, close to the iconic 50mm. I enjoy this focal length, it is similar to our usual field of view. It can be used for all sorts of photography.

Minimum focus distance

This is not a macro lens but the minimum focus distance is 20cm, that is excellent for close ups of flowers, for example. As a general purpose walk around lens, it does the job. It is fun to get close to the subject for that detailed photo. However, be warned that at f1.4 aperture, close up it is tricky to get focus and in any case the background blur might be too great, consider stopping down to f4 or f5.6. Remember that being closer to the subject means the background blur will be greater, even if you are at f5.6 it may look smooth. The great thing with this lens is that you have the choice.

GX9 + TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, taken at f1.4

Focus distance scale

On the barrel of the lens there are a bunch of numbers including a distance scale. It can be used for zone focussing. It's not something I use much but with a little practice it could be useful.

F1.4 aperture

One big reason to get this lens is the maximum aperture of f1.4. This means you can take photos in low light and also have some wonderfully blurry backgrounds.

In practice using f1.4 is something you should approach with care. F1.4 makes some very thin depth of field, especially if you are close to your subject. Make use of your camera's manual focussing features. Sometimes peaking only shows some edges. I recommend double checking by magnifying the image.

Above there are two photos, both taken at f1.4. The first is not a crop, I held the camera as close as I could to the subject. In the second photo I stood back with a greater distance between me and the subject. Both photos have a very dreamy out of focus area. Remember that the aperture is not the only factor in creating bokeh, the distance in front and behind of the subject also creates that subject isolation. 

Image quality

Excellent. If you want something more in-depth, there are many technical reviews on YouTube, I would recommend Rob Trek and Red35, I've added links at the end of this article.

The bokeh, or out of focus area behind the subject is smooth and I've been happy with pictures taken wide open at f1.4. There is sometimes a nice look to the photos, a sort of dreamy look. 

GX9 + TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, taken at f1.4

It works well at f5.6 too. For more depth of field and general snaps, the lens works very well. Use focus peaking, perhaps the zone focussing number on the lens barrel for a guide and you have a nice setup for street and similar photography.

GX9 + TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, taken at f5.6

The above photo is a JPEG straight from the camera, no post processing. The colours are punchy and that's not just because of the time of day I took the photo. I do feel the lens gives a slightly more contrasty picture. In any case, let's just say again, the image quality is excellent.  

Competition

The TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 has a big advantage, it's price. About 99 US dollars plus another 10 dollars for the hood. For anyone looking for a new standard focus length lens at an affordable price, this lens hits the mark. However, you should consider whether a manual focus lens is for you. I already owned the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 lens before buying the TTArtisan 23mm f1.4. I wanted the challenge of a totally manual focus lens, the f1.4 aperture and the retro look. Your priorities may be different.

If I compare the 23mm to my Panasonic, purely from a practical standpoint, the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 is the better lens. It has auto-focus, great image quality and it is light, it feels great on my GX9 camera, a better balance in the hand. The Panasonic is a little more costly, approx. 150 US dollars. Keep your eyes peeled for deals though, sometimes you can pick one up for closer to 100 dollars. If you are looking to purchase your first prime (non-zoom) I would recommend the Panasonic over the TTArtisan. Having the option of auto-focus and the light build is important. Now many might argue with me on the build, the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 is plastic. I don't mind plastic and certainly when I hold the two lenses in my hands, I prefer the light weight Panasonic. If good old metal is important to you, go for the TTArtisan.

I took some test photos to compare the bokeh between these two lenses. Below the first two photos are using the TTArtisan and the third is with the Lumix 25mm at f1.7. See what you think...

1. TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, the photo was taken at f1.4 
2. TTArtisan 23mm f1.4, the photo was taken at f1.7 
3. Lumix 25mm f1.7, the photo was taken at f1.7

The first thing to note is the difference in the field of view. The Lumix 25mm (picture 3) looks bigger in the frame. But to my eyes the difference in bokeh is not a lot between the images, even f1.4 doesn't make that much of a difference. Of course it depends on circumstances, in my test photos there was a fair amount of distance behind the subject, that helps create the bokeh effect anyway. 

If you really must have a f1.4 aperture lens around the 23mm focal length, there are alternatives but they tend to be more expensive. The Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 for example, a wonderful lens by all accounts but about five times the cost of the TTArtisan 23mm f1.4. There's a Sigma 30mm f1.4 at around the 300 dollar mark. The OM 20mm f1.4 is also a great choice but again it is a bit pricey, even more than the Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4. 

Conclusion

If you are used to modern photography but perhaps wish to taste how it was done in times past, the TTArtisan 23mm f1.4 is a great choice. It isn't expensive and for sure you'll enjoy looking at it and using it. It is fun to use. The images from it are excellent. Of course sometimes you miss the focus a little, especially at f1.4. But that's the fun factor, that you are in full control, in fact you have no choice, you must auto focus and the end result is up to you. 

I think it is a great lens to give as a gift. The lens comes in a very elegant box. A nice premium feel all round. That special someone might think you've spent much more than 99 dollars!

I recommend this lens. TTArtisan have done a great job, providing a low cost lens for enthusiasts. The image quality is excellent. Do you really need to spend hundreds on a new lens, if you don't need auto-focus, maybe consider this or similar lenses.

Reference

Buy from Pergear: https://www.pergear.com/products/ttartisan-23mm-f1-4

Review by Red35: https://youtu.be/FIWCZ2YHbOg

Review by Rob Trek: https://youtu.be/TEj62o0TK5U

Disclaimer

I wrote this article to help others and for my own pleasure. I have no affiliation with TTArtisan or any other photography company. These are just my own thoughts and opinion. If you disagree, that's fine.