TTArtisan’s New Neo Series Lenses

credits: TTArtisan

TTArtisan has announced two new full-frame autofocus lenses under its new Neo series, the AF 50mm f/1.8 and AF 85mm f/1.8, with the 50mm being the first to launch. The whole idea behind the Neo series is to keep things simple, and that shows in the design. There is no aperture ring and no traditional focus ring, which is a bit unusual and suggests most controls are meant to be handled through the camera instead of the lens itself.

Looking at the specs, the 50mm f/1.8 covers full-frame sensors with a 45° angle of view and uses an 8-element, 12-group optical design, including high-refractive index elements and ED glass. The aperture ranges from f/1.8 to f/16 with a 7-blade diaphragm, and the minimum focusing distance is 0.48 meters. It also uses a 52mm filter thread. Based on the MTF chart, sharpness in the centre stays fairly strong wide open, but like most lenses in this category, it drops off more toward the edges at f/1.8 and improves as you stop down.

Autofocus is handled by an STM stepping motor, which is generally used for smoother and quieter focusing, especially for video. The lens is pretty light too, coming in at around 156–167 grams. It is currently available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts, with an L-mount version planned later, and priced at around $90. The AF 85mm f/1.8 is expected to follow, although TTArtisan has not shared detailed specs for that one yet.