I spent a few weeks on the streets of Melbourne to test how good a lens you can get for under $100. TT Artisan have been releasing some great small primes in recent years, but nothing quite as "affordable" as this one. Priced at just US$89 they have paired back every possible cost of construction. There is no focus ring, no aperture ring and no buttons or switches. The only moving parts are the internal autofocus mechanism.
The image quality is seriously good, except very close focus. For street scenes, landscape or portrait range the lens performed beautifully. The AF was confident even when shooting straight back into the sun. Flare on the lens when the sun hits the front glass can be very distracting. Otherwise, this 50mm delivers lovely contrast and brightness and is sharp even when shooting wide open.
This is an excellent lens for anyone who wants to experiment with a fast prime, but doesn't want to spend a lot of money. There are better 50mm lenses out there, but they cost a good deal more than this one.
The 50mm F1.8 Neo is available for Sony, Nikon and Leica mounts.
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