TTARTISANS 90mm f1.25

[jto555]

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I just bought a TTARTISAN 90mm F1.25 lens from Jo Geier. To gut to the chase, I will be buying a TTARTISAN 50mm F1.4 from him. The lens seems to be really well built and I am very happy with the service from Jo. 

 

I have not tested the lens properly yet but the initial tests are promising. Now for the bit that nobody has mentioned yet. Not only does the big lens block a large portion of the 90mm frame it also blocks a large portion of the rangefinder patch at close focus too. That was a surprise! I do a lot of portraits and if I need a tight head shot it is going to be an issue to focus, not impossible but an issue. 

Talking of focus, oh boy! My lens seems to be adjusted correctly but it is hard to nail the focus. The lens is right at the edge for rangefinder focusing and right at the limit of my (not bad) eyesight. When the images are allined in the patch I can move the focus ring a few mill. each way and not see much movement in the patch. 

Luckily I have an M240 with the grip and flash bracket so I can use the evf and still having the ability to fire my flashes. 

 

I will post a couple of photos when I have something to show but so far I am delighted with my purchase. 

[Huss]

It sounds like perhaps a VF magnifier would be useful in this case?  1.4x

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[sometimesmaybe]

the TTA 50mm f1.4 is a great lens. just a tad on the large side, but cant argue with it's IQ

[jto555]

2 hours ago, Huss said:

It sounds like perhaps a VF magnifier would be useful in this case?  1.4x

I have a 1.25x and a 1.4x. Do you think I know where I put them!!!  🤪

[wda]

You need a big box for them!

[Al Brown]

Jo Geier and his Mint and Rare are awesome, but to say that these lenses are "really well built" is a huge overstatement... you have only seen and felt the lens form the outside. We dug into some Chinese lenses with Jo and, paired with my (not always best) personal experience with Mitakon, ttartisan and 7artisans let me tell you, the corners are cut in every millimeter of those lenses, so much even that on some the holders for the diaphragm mechanism are made of plastic (Mitakon). All this reflects on their price. Do not judge the book by its cover. It is exactly like with some cars - you remove the car door padding and realize that the window mechanism gears are all plastic... Nobody will notice until they work.

That does not mean the lens will fall apart (some of mine did though), but just baby it, do not hit anything and regularly check for loose screws.

More fun reads in the Chinese lenses thread.

Edited June 21, 2023 by Al Brown

[jto555]

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4 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Jo Geier and his Mint and Rare are awesome, but to say that these lenses are "really well built" is a huge overstatement... you have only seen and felt the lens form the outside. We dug into some Chinese lenses with Jo and, paired with my (not always best) personal experience with Mitakon, ttartisan and 7artisans let me tell you, the corners are cut in every millimeter of those lenses, so much even that on some the holders for the diaphragm mechanism are made of plastic (Mitakon). All this reflects on their price. Do not judge the book by its cover. It is exactly like with some cars - you remove the car door padding and realize that the window mechanism gears are all plastic... Nobody will notice until they work.

That does not mean the lens will fall apart (some of mine did though), but just baby it, do not hit anything and regularly check for loose screws.

More fun reads in the Chinese lenses thread.

I totally understand what you are saying. I dropped a 35mm Summilux onto stones on a shoot about four years ago. I am still using the lens and I haven't had it repaired. No issues. My Godox AD200s have needed repair and an electrical engineer friend obliged. He was not impressed with the internal build quality but they get the job done. It does seem that the Chinese manufactures make the lens/flashgun etc. feel solid so people like me think it is well made.

 

The main reason I got the lens is incase my 75mm has to go back to Germany. I don't want to be without a short tele. A 50mm and a 28mm are on the cards for the same reason. A lot cheaper getting the new bread of Chinese lenses than buying Leica lenses just to sit on a shelf waiting...

 

[Al Brown]

I think it is an amazing lens, all three Chinese lux versions (50/0.95, 75/1.25 and 90/1.25) are an incredible value for the money and definite price/performance kings. Even Peter Karbe said on a live zoom meet once about China designed Noctilux "I wonder how they can realize such lenses to such a small price... who paid the price for that?..." What folows in the interview linked above is some tongue-in-cheek moment from Peter Karbe when the anchor asks him if he thinks these Chinese lenses are "in principle not bad"... of course he cannot say yes, haha...

[jto555]

On closer inspection the calibration was way out! I have now adjusted the lens and found that the lens focus shifts. Knowing that I calibrated the lens for F2. At f1.25 the focus point is forward and at F2.8 it is slightly back. F2 seemed like a good compromise. From f2.8 depth-of-field should keep the focus point in focus. At f1.25 and f1.4 it is so hard to nail the focus anyway, however I will have to remember to shoot slightly behind what I want in focus and hope for the best! 

 

I have attached files to show the issue. 

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[lct]

I would not expect too much from those lenses. At f/1.25, any 90mm lens is out of the accuracy range of any M camera but the M3 i suspect. I did not calculate on the latter though. 90/1.5 (or 75/1.25) are close to theoretical limits on M10 or M11 already.

[jto555]

An interesting lens. The first shot of my dog is out of the camera while the second shot is processed and has a bit of dehire added to give the shot punch.

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[jto555]

And here is where it gets interesting!!!

 

I have calibrated the lens for F2 at about 2.5m. At that distance f1.25 and f1.4 have their focus point in front of where I focus. F2 is fine but f2.8 is slightly behind where I focus however DOF keeps it sharp enough. 

Now for the prize winning shots of the taps...  I was at minimum focus and I focused on the tap in the first photo and I was at about f1.4. As you can see the focus point is not in front of the tap where I expected it to be but behind the tap. The second shot of the tap has the focus point about 2cm in front of the tap and now the tap is in focus. 

 

So as you walk around taking shots the point of focus will sometimes be in front of where you want it or sometimes behind where you want it. Depending on what aperture you use and what distance you are focusing at. OH BOY this is not going to be an easy lens to use.

 

I am going to stick with this lens because I think (at the moment) the results could be worth, it if I can beat it into submission.  🤪

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[jto555]

On 6/23/2023 at 3:08 AM, lct said:

I would not expect too much from those lenses. At f/1.25, any 90mm lens is out of the accuracy range of any M camera but the M3 i suspect. I did not calculate on the latter though. 90/1.5 (or 75/1.25) are close to theoretical limits on M10 or M11 already.

I am looking at the lens as being an F2 lens that can be shot with a wider aperture if the need demands it. Most of my portraits are shot at f5.6 to f8, so as to hold focus (on my 75mm) when the subject moves forward or backwards during the shoot. This 90mm is just a backup lens which is why I didn't go for a secondhand Leica. Having over €2k of lens just sitting on a shelf does not make sense. In saying that I am going to try the lens on a shoot on this Monday coming and it will be for an extra shot not the main shots.

[lct]

13 minutes ago, jto555 said:

I am looking at the lens as being an F2 lens that can be shot with a wider aperture if the need demands it. Most of my portraits are shot at f5.6 to f8, so as to hold focus (on my 75mm) when the subject moves forward or backwards during the shoot. This 90mm is just a backup lens which is why I didn't go for a secondhand Leica. Having over €2k of lens just sitting on a shelf does not make sense. In saying that I am going to try the lens on a shoot on this Monday coming and it will be for an extra shot not the main shots.

It should be normally accurate at f/2 provided it has no calibration issues. 

[jto555]

Here is a sample image from a recent shoot. I shot at about f1.4 with just daylight and I have run a bit of sharpening on the photo. I am very impressed with the lens! The subject is photographed in front of a busy notice board and other that the splashes of colour you wouldn't notice anything there. 

 

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[jto555]

Here is a typical event photo of three people chatting. Shot at F1.25 with a six stop ND filter and fill flash off to camera left. As you can see the man in the background is going slightly soft but that is fine while the two women are sharp enough. With people there is generally no need for too much detail in the faces. The distracting background has just melted away. 

 

The downside of using the lens for this type of shoot is the slow focus and the rangefinder focusing with this lens wide open is a challenge! 

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[jto555]

Here is a typical event photo of three people chatting. Shot at F1.25 with a six stop ND filter and fill flash off to camera left. As you can see the man in the background is going slightly soft but that is fine while the two women are sharp enough. With people there is generally no need for too much detail in the faces. The distracting background has just melted away. 

 

The downside of using the lens for this type of shoot is the slow focus and the rangefinder focusing with this lens wide open is a challenge! 

 

PS. Photo is processed!

[jto555]

Two recent photos with the lens. They were both shot with window light in the same room. The lens is WONDERFUL! Yes, it is not the sharpest lens but who cares! It is sharp enough and the big bonus for me is that I did not have to retouch the skin. The shots only have the barest amount of retouching because of shallow depth of field and a softness in the lens. For portraits the lens could not be better. At least not if the subject has to approve the portrait... 

 

I did have to use the EVF to make sure I nailed the focus point.The camera was on a tripod so that I wouldn't move the camera and my subject were standing but I had them put a hand on to a chair in front of them. That stopped them moving. The depth of field is so narrow that if a person breathes they will have moved from the focus point! 

 

Shot between F1.4 and a bit to F2 (ish).

 

Just in case you weren't sure - I really like this lens. BUT, take the camera off the tripod... A moving subject... forget it! It is a portrait lens. 

 

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[sometimesmaybe]

4 hours ago, jto555 said:

It is sharp enough and the big bonus for me is that I did not have to retouch the skin. The shots only have the barest amount of retouching because of shallow depth of field and a softness in the lens. For portraits the lens could not be better.

if you find 90mm too tight for some of the spaces, it might be worth having a look at the 7A 75mm f1.25. at f2.8 that lens absolutely sings 

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Look here: Leica M

[profus]

On 6/23/2023 at 4:08 AM, lct said:

I would not expect too much from those lenses. At f/1.25, any 90mm lens is out of the accuracy range of any M camera but the M3 i suspect. I did not calculate on the latter though. 90/1.5 (or 75/1.25) are close to theoretical limits on M10 or M11 already.

Or just use it on SL?