The TTArtisan 75mm f/1.5 is a Swirly Bokeh Lens with Vintage Charm

TTArtisan unveiled a new 75mm f/1.5 ‘swirly bokeh’ lens in a vintage M42 camera mount, which is easily convertible to most contemporary mounts via an adapter for Fujifilm, Sony, Nikon, Canon, Hasselblad, Panasonic, and others.

The TTArtisan 75mm f/1.5 Swirly Bokeh lens features manual focus and is entirely mechanical. The design of the lens body is reminiscent of the classic Carl Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5 lens and this is evident in both its aesthetic and functional aspects.

The allure of this style of lens lies in unique character rather than optical correctness and precision. The swirly bokeh effect is pronounced at a wide-open aperture of f/1.5, and is designed to impart a sense of drama and motion.

This lens has a simple optical formula of six elements organized into four groups including two high refractive index glass lenses. It features an aperture range of f/1.5 through f/16 via a very round 13-bladed diaphragm. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.75 meters, it is not optimized for extreme close-ups. Instead, its focal length and design make it ideal for artistic portrait photography.

The lens boasts a large focus ring with a 180-degree focus throw, and its mechanical aperture ring is positioned at the front. The aperture ring features two clicks per stop from F1.5 to F5.6. Beyond that aperture, it features one click per stop. This design emulates the tactile experience of classic lenses.

It has a 58mm front filter thread and can accept regular screw-mount filters. The lens includes metal lens caps but does not include a hood. This lens weighs 570 grams, and is constructed with aircraft aluminum.

TTArtisan’s launch video calls this lens a “Soulful Revival, a Classic Reborn.” The company claims that at certain angles, the lens produces radiant arcs of flare, adding distinctive layers of light and shadow to images, evoking the timeless charm and indelible style of vintage lenses.

Below are a few sample images (more than PetaPixel typically includes to help see the bokeh style in various environments) captured with the lens, provided courtesy of TTArtisan:

The new TTArtisan 75mm F1.5 Swirly Bokeh lens infuses modern photography with the aesthetic of an earlier time. This lens is priced at $269 and can be ordered from Pergear and Amazon.

Image credits: TTArtisan