TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8

TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8

The TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 exists primarily to recreate one optical trait: the so-called soap bubble bokeh associated with the vintage Meyer-Optik Görlitz Trioplan 100mm. It is a deliberately simple three-element, three-group design, a Cooke-type triplet of the kind Meyer-Optik used for its Trioplan line, and TTArtisan introduced it in 2023 as a low-cost modern interpretation of that lens in both look and optical layout [1]. The original Trioplan 100mm was produced from the mid-1950s into the late 1970s or early 1980s, fell out of favour because Pentacon offered better 100mm lenses, then gained a cult following in the digital era for its bubble bokeh, prompting a revived Kickstarter version that sold around €1000; TTArtisan's homage covers similar ground at a fraction of the price [1].

The lens is fully manual, with no electronic contacts, focus confirmation, or EXIF transmission [1]. It is built entirely of metal with engraved, paint-filled scales for aperture, distance in metres and feet, and depth of field, and it ships with screw-on metal caps in keeping with its retro styling [1][2]. The 13-bladed diaphragm keeps the aperture rounded, and the aperture ring uses click stops whose spacing narrows as the lens is stopped down, with full-stop clicks between f/2.8 and f/11 and no intermediate clicks from f/11 to f/22 [1]. Focusing extends the barrel, and the minimum focus distance is 0.9 m. In the M-mount form the lens is rangefinder coupled, so it can be focused through a Leica M coupled rangefinder rather than only by live view or focus peaking.

The lens is offered in two mounts, a Leica M version and an M42 screw version, with the M42 model sold with a chosen mount adapter to keep costs down [1][2]. Because the M42 version uses an adapter to reach a mirrorless flange, that version can be focused closer than the listed minimum, whereas the rangefinder-coupled M-mount version behaves as a fixed native-mount lens [1]. One early user of the M-mount copy reported strong vignetting at all apertures that was not seen on the M42 sample, a single anecdotal report rather than an established pattern [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering This is a character lens rather than a corrected one, and its appeal rests on the bubble bokeh. Reviewers describe it as capable of producing some of the most distinct soap-bubble highlights they have seen when the background and lighting suit it, while also rendering soft, pleasant conventional blur when stopped down slightly [1]. Because vignetting is not pronounced, out-of-focus highlights stay fairly round across the frame rather than being clipped toward the edges [1].

Sharpness Wide open the centre is only acceptable and contrast is low, with the mid-frame weaker and the corners poor; stopping down improves things progressively, with the centre and mid-frame reaching good levels by f/8 and the corners becoming acceptable only around f/11 [1]. A second reviewer likewise found f/2.8 very soft and critical focus hard to confirm, treating sharpness as secondary to the lens's character [2].

Contrast and color Contrast is low straight out of camera, particularly wide open, and is often lifted in post-processing [2].

Flare resistance Flare resistance is a clear weakness; one reviewer described flaring as among the worst seen, with an off-frame light source able to wash out the image [2].

Distortion and vignetting Vignetting is reported as low on the tested sample, which helps preserve the shape of the bokeh balls across the frame [1].

History

Development and Launch The lens descends conceptually from the Cooke triplet of 1893 and from Meyer-Optik Görlitz's postwar Trioplan series, whose 100mm f/2.8 became sought after for its bubble bokeh once digital photographers rediscovered the effect [1]. TTArtisan released its version in 2023, presenting a new triplet that mirrors the Trioplan's appearance and simple optical formula at a much lower price [1].

Special editions No major factory special editions of this lens are widely documented. The principal variation is one of mount: a Leica M version and an M42 screw version, the latter supplied with an adapter for the buyer's chosen system [1][2].

Collector Notes The TTArtisan name on this 100mm f/2.8 can be confused with TTArtisan's unrelated 100mm f/2.8 Macro 2X and its tilt-shift variant, which are larger multi-element macro lenses with different filter threads and no rangefinder coupling. The lens of interest here is the simple triplet bubble-bokeh model. Buyers wanting rangefinder use should confirm the Leica M version rather than the M42 version, since only the M version is rangefinder coupled. One published weight figure of about 318 g refers to the M42 version measured with its metal cap and differs from the heavier value recorded for the M-mount lens, so confirm which mount and configuration a listing describes [1].

Sources

• [1] phillipreeve.net (Martin). Review: TTArtisan 100mm 2.8 - The modern, affordable Trioplan?. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-ttartisan-100mm-f-2-8-a-modern-and-affordable-trioplan/
• [2] flokugrafie.de (Florian Kunde). TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Review – Bubble Bokeh Explained. https://flokugrafie.de/en/lenses/ttartisan-100mm-f-2-8-bubble-bokeh-a-niche-lens-with-a-wild-personality/