Introduction
The art of photography often sees the merging of past and present technologies, creating a bridge between the vintage charm of yesteryears and the cutting-edge precision of modern optics. This weekend, I delved into such a fusion by testing the contemporary TTArtisan 100/2.8 lens against the over 65 years old, legendary Meyer Optik Görlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2.8. My quest was not merely to evaluate the performance of the new lens by my own interest but to see if it could match or surpass the classic Trioplan, which graces my personal collection.
Methodology
For a fair comparison, I anchored a Sony A7IV to a tripod and meticulously maintained consistent settings across both lenses. With the white balance fixed at 4000K and ISO set at 100, I embarked on a series of indoor and outdoor shoots, ensuring that each frame was refocused without altering the environmental conditions. Post-capture, I entrusted Adobe Lightroom with RAW image processing, applying automatic chromatic aberration removal and uniform tone and contrast settings to facilitate an impartial comparison.
Comparative Insights: TTArtisan vs. Trioplan
Build and Ergonomics
Construction: The build quality of the TTArtisan is a notable improvement over my golden Trioplan, with a more robust feel, a smoother focus experience, and a clicky aperture ring that is absent in the Trioplan, enhancing the tactile experience of the Chinese glass.
Material Choices: Despite some questions on the practicality of the black painted aluminium lens caps, these choices contribute to a premium vintage aesthetic.
Focus and Macro
Close Focus Distance: The TTArtisan boasts a 10-15% smaller close focus distance, offering slightly greater magnification potential for semi-macro shots.
Extension Tube Compatibility: Both lenses perform admirably with extension tubes, but the TTArtisan, with its closer focus, may edge out slightly ahead.
Optical Characteristics
Sharpness: The TTArtisan lens presents sharper results both in the centre and at the edges, though at a wide aperture, it is merely satisfactory compared to the overly soft Trioplan. Center and APSC-corner sharpness improves when stopping down, but corners remain blurry, but who cares, this type of lens is bought for its special bokeh rendering used at wide open!
Image Quality at Wide Aperture: Both lenses exhibit a dreamy haziness when wide open, a characteristic that is treasured for the very bubble bokeh they are celebrated for.
Chromatic Aberrations: While both lenses share similar tendencies in longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA), less lateral chromatic aberrations (LaCA) were noted in the bokeh balls (as distinct orange and blue rings), with the TTArtisan also showing a reduced tendency for haloing at the edges.
Flare and ghosting: To my surprise, the TTArtisan was observed to be more prone to lens flare when strong light sources were within or just outside the frame. A minor disappointment comes from the absence of a lens hood with the TTArtisan, a feature that would complete its presentation. Definitely recommend to purchase a cheap, matching screw-in aluminium lens hood with pinch-in plastic front cap for better flare resistance and more convenience to use.
Bubble Bokeh Quality: It's advantageous that the TTArtisan maintains bokeh balls of consistent size and shape across the centre and edges, mirroring its vintage counterpart. However, the TTArtisan produced bubble bokeh with diminished chromatic aberration, narrower and more aesthetically pleasing edges. Its bokeh was a tad less edgy, with a smoother transition when compared to the Trioplan possessing more finesse and elegance. The bokeh shape is more smooth and round at f/4 of TTArtisan due to its curvy aperture blades, while it is already polygonal edgy of the Trioplan.
Colour Reproduction: The Trioplan lens has a noticeable brownish-yellow colour shift which affects the original colours' fidelity, whereas the TTArtisan maintains a cooler, more accurate and deeper colour tone due to its modern coatings.
Contrast: A striking observation was the less 'cloudy' appearance in the blacks from the TTArtisan lens, indicating a cleaner contrast.
Overall Experience
Despite a shared tendency towards haziness at wide apertures, both lenses impressively embrace their identity; they are not crafted for pixel-level scrutiny but for the enchanting bubble bokeh and smooth background blur they produce.
Verdict
The TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 is not just a replication but an evolution of the vintage triplet, the Trioplan's legacy. It encapsulates the essence of a characteristic vintage lens and imbues it with modern enhancements. The Chinese-made TTArtisan lens mirrors the soulful projection of the Trioplan, yet surpasses it with sharper resolution, richer colour rendition, less distracting optical aberrations and a more substantial feel. While elevating the artistic appearance of the quintessential bubble bokeh, the TTArtisan emerges as a financially sound alternative, presenting an opportunity to own a slice of history without the vintage price tag. The TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 lens stands as a testament to the marriage of nostalgic aesthetic and contemporary precision, rendering it a wise choice for the bokeh enthusiast. Had I not already owned the Trioplan, the TTArtisan would unquestionably be my go-to for its value and performance, thus cementing its place in the photographer's modern-day classic repertoire. Would you upgrade to the better performing Chinese iteration?
The Kickstarter-backed, modern iteration of the Trioplan—the (still manual focus) Meyer Optik Görlitz Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 version II, with its steeper price tag of 1000 Euros, has not been part of my journey. My decision steered clear of this investment, primarily as the sample images didn't showcase further value that could justify the cost, which is matching a fast, modern, autofocus lens, particularly when juxtaposed with the TTArtisan's 200 Euro offering.
In closing, the TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 lens demonstrates that you don't need to break the bank to capture the spirit of photography's golden age. It's a respectful nod to tradition with a practical approach for today's creative explorers. Bravo indeed, TTArtisan, for this remarkable feat of optical alchemy. Checkmate!
Further sample images - all taken with TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 @f/2.8:
Werk shots about the indoor 'lab' test scenarios:
