I am re-watching Keith Cooper's video about the TTArtisan 100mm F2.8 2x Macro lens used on his Fujifilm GFX 100s - which when you listen to the details, can in fact reveal some interesting facts about it.
Now Keith Cooper and his homepage "Northlight Images" is perhaps one the internet most profound knowledgeable source revolving INK PRINTERS and PRINT PAPERS. Just absolutely amazing, how this guy has been testing printers though the past two decades.
Now this review of the TTArtisan 100mm F2.8 2x Macro lens is a bit more ... what shall I say ... on the easy side. not meant to be super serious, or perhaps it is his way how to be so sympathetic light about many things. But he knows what he is doing. I really like that guy a lot.
Anyway.
Canon EF mount of TTArtisan 100/2.8 2x Macro
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Fujifilm GFX mount of TTArtisan 100/2.8 2x Macro
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TTArtisan 100mm F2.8 2x Macro
Let' me recap from what I understand about the TTArtisan 100mm F2.8 2x Macro lens when used on a Fujifilm GFX mediumformat camera:
• It is a modern, sharp lens
• It is extremely affordable ($ 314 without tax) ,
• Available in many mounts:
- - - Canon EF, Canon RF, Fuji GFX, Sony E, Fuji X, Nikon Z, Leica L, Nikon F
•
When used at its very closest distance (2x Macro) on the Fujifilm GFX - it does hard vignette !
• But when used at 1x magnification, it barely vignettes at all (see further below)
• At all other distances until infinity - the lens does NOT vignette (no dark corners)
• The lens does NOT extend when focusing. It is of IF (internal focus) type.
Wow !
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Requirements fulfilled - here too
The beauty with this lens so far is - that if I connect it to the VALOI 120 scanning device together with the Fujifilm GFX 50s II camera - the macro lens does not physically change when i focus. So, neither the heavy camera nor the heavy/bulky VALOI 120 need to move physically, in order to set correct sharpness on the mediumformat negatives !
Also; the lens does NOT vignette at the distance required to scan those 6x7 film negatives. You do not need 1:1 Macro for that. it will be more like 1:3 or 1:2 i believe, which is less than 1x Macro distance.
The TTArtisan only starts vignetting when going from 1x to 2x macro (see below). So, whether i scan smaller 35mm film negatives or larger ones - the vignetting isn't affecting that work with dark corners.
I will primarily use it / see it as a 1:1 Macro lens - even if it can focus down to 2x Macro.
Best candidate so far ?
It appears to me, that this is in theory a great combo for scanning mediumformat negatives together with the Fujifilm GFX camera, as you need less than 1x macro for mediumformat. negatives.
So, I might actually consider this very lens, due to its large flexibility.
The TTArtisan is affordable with $ 314 (excl. tax)
Here via Amazon it costs 4450 SEK / 389 € - which is a notch higher after tax calculation when buying it directly from China. However, Amazon makes it rather easy to send an item back, if something is wrong, or you've got a lemon, or you for some reason don't like the performance, because cheap lenses tend to have greater variations (decentering, light leaks, errors in manufacturing etc)
Then it can be done (usually I don't buy lenses or cameras via Amazon ! I don't recommend that)
Native GFX mount
I have however decided to buy this in the native GFX mount, whose mount opening is bigger / unobstructed, compared to buying the Canon EF version with its narrower throat (and using an EF-GFX adapter). It would be in theory more flexible of course, because I could use the EF version on both EOS EF cameras, as well EOS RF cameras, and on top also the Fujifilm GFX camera.
But when i looked at the EF mount itself, i felt that the throat was a lot narrower - and wonder if that causes some light path restriction in the borders.
Lens Mount Throat Size... hmm ?
Therefore I think (theorize) it is better that I buy the lens in the native Fujifilm GFX mount. As you can see below, the opening is much narrower with the EF mount. If i use an EF-GFX adapter, it may (or may not) restrict the image corners. But - I am not 100% sure if it really has an effect.
But - i also know that Keith Cooper mentioned that for example the Nikon F-Mount version does restrict the image corners due to the extra narrow throat (if you use it also on the Fujifilm GFX via adapter). That is what gave me to think twice about choosing the EF version + adapter.
Instead I'll go directly to the GFX version instead.
In any case, for my Canon cameras - I do use minaly the Sigma 70mm ƒ2.8 ART Macro lens, which performs absolutely fantastic at all levels. It is a razor sharp, (affordable!) top performer, holding up against most commercial macro lenses on the market. It is really that good.
While the TTArtisan 100/2.8 Macro will for my use, become an exclusive Fujifilm GFX only lens. No adapter needed, just a straight, directly adaptable Macro lens. No hassle.
I wonder how it performs as a Studio Portrait lens ? It would become a 80mm portrait lens in effective focal length.
No lens hood - but it should have one !
I also have to figure out a proper lens hood. The TTArtisan has its front glass element fully exposed. (Normally macro lenses have deeply recessed front elements) With the total exposure at the front - it will be very flare sensitive. (China lenses in general are often far more flare prone!). Therefore I need to figure out, how long a lens hood can be, without resulting into dark corners / corner shading. I might even have to think of two different long lens hoods; one for normal photography, and one for close-up Photography.
Notice the totally exposed front element
For example
if I go really close - i can't have a long lens hood (or any at all ?) , because the dark corners with the Fujifilm GFX sensor creep into the image when closer than 1.3x macro. But for longer distances it should be possible to adapt a lens hood, shielding the image from stray light due to the exposed front element.
Well, I'll figure that out somehow.
Usually in the studio / indoors, thi is less of a problem, and you can always shade it with the hand, or something else. But outdoors I recommend lens shades at all times - simply because flare ain't pretty. Except when it is pretty in rare cases actually looks cool. But most of the time - it simply doesn't !
People are often lazy using lens shades. Instead they use stupid UV-filters for a lot of money - degrading (most often) the sharpness and inducing reflections from highlights.
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