TTArtisan 40mm F2 Review — Nikon Z Mount Only $168
Why the TTArtisan 40mm F2 Should Be Your Next Go-To Lens
As a professional photographer, I’m always on the hunt for tools that offer a fine balance between quality, usability, and price. My latest find? The TTArtisan AF 40mm F2—an affordable full-frame “normal” prime that turns heads with its metal build, classic aperture ring, and surprisingly solid optics. I tested it thoroughly in my recent video review (below), and here’s why it’s a lens worth talking about.
The TTArtisan 40mm F2 separates itself with its:
- All-metal construction that feels premium yet remains featherlight at around 176 g.
- The aperture ring has a great feel to it and has solid clicks as you adjust it all the way from f/2 to f/16, in 1/3 stops. Of course you also have the A setting for Auto so your camera can control your Aperture also.
- The focus system is fast, accurate and relatively quiet all thanks to the stepper motor
- The lens cap is metal which is a real novelty at this price point.
- The rear end cap doubles as a USB dock for lens firmware updates.
TTArtisan 40mm F2 Price
The TTArtisan 40mm F2 price is just $168.- dollars at the time of this review and for a lens of this quality it’s a complete bargain. It’s available for the Sony E mount, Nikon Z mount and soon it will be available for the L mount.
You can check the price on Amazon for the Nikon Z mount here or the Sony E mount here.
Sharpness Results
From my use and my detailed test chart images you can see in the video above I have found this lens to be sharp but there are a few point you should know first…
- Center Sharpness : At F/2, the center sharpness is ok but not amazing, stopping down the lens to F2.8 and F4 improves sharpness again with it being great here now unless you are a pixel peeper of course. Stopping down past F5.6 it gets better again and at F8 I would say it’s at it’s peak.
- Corner Sharpness : At F2 is what I would call very poor, stopping down to F2.8 – F4 gives better results but it’s at F5.6 that we see better results with F8 being very good and F11 being the best for corner sharpness.
- Vignetting : There is a reasonable amount of vignetting in this lens but again stopping down to F2.8 and it’s almost gone and going to F4 and it’s great.
This is where the confusion steps in as some people are reporting very strong vignetting, but I am wondering if this is only in the Sony version of this lens as I have not had this issue and the two lenses while similar are still slightly different as the flange size and flange depth are different on both designs with the Nikon system being closer and wider which would help with vignetting.
- Distortion : is not too bad but there is some barrel distortion present but again that’s easily corrected in post processing so it’s nothing to be concerned about.
- Bokeh : I found it to be smooth and creamy close up but busier in complex backgrounds but that’s only in certain scenes. So it’s not always giving you the super smooth rendering you get in some other obviously dearer lenses, that’s to be expected of course . I would think most people wouldn’t notice it or at least not complain about it and yes this is me being hyper critical now.
What I love about this lens:
- Compact enough to fit any street or travel setup.
- Robust all metal design including the mount itself gives confidence this lens will last.
- The Autofocus is fast enough, the accuracy is good with only a very slight bit of minor hunting at times, with minimal focus breathing and the manual focus ring is nice and smooth.
- I love the fact that the lens hood is metal and that the USB C interface is built into the rear end cap.
- Obviously the price.
Tech Specifications
| Focal Length | 40 mm |
| Max Aperture | f/2 |
| Min Focus Distance | 0.4 m (15.7 in) |
| Lens Design | 9 elements in 6 groups: incl aspherical and ED elements |
| Aperture Blades | 7 |
| Weight | 176 g |
| Filter Thread | 52 mm |
| Mount Options | Nikon Z, Sony E/FE and L‑mount coming soon |
| Price | $168 USD |
| Included Accessories | Metal lens hood, lens cap and a USB rear end cap for firmware updates |
Character
The very first time I went for a walk with this lens it hit me immediately how easy it was to carry around but after taking some photographs with it, I was initially not impressed.
Now, the more I tried it, the more I liked it and that’s when I thought back to the TTArtisan 75mm F2 lens (review here) and how that lens grew on me. Now, this is possibly my closed off photography mindset as when you are shooting commercially it’s all about sharp pristine images with eye popping detail and both of these lenses don’t really deliver that 3D pop as some people call it, or at least not as well as their Nikon alternatives do, but what they do deliver is character, style and a feel all of their own.
This 40mm lens has nice soft corners with a subtle vignette which when shot wide open give a subtle vintage feel to your shots, something you just don’t get with modern Nikon lenses. I would put this lens in the less clinical and more in the moment lens section if that makes sense? It just helps guide you and more importantly the viewer naturally towards your subject.
Now as I just mentioned this lens is not perfect but it’s those imperfections that give it its character for me.
The overall look, feel and tone of the images are generally very pleasing to my eye but please note this might be at a slight cost of extreme sharpness and clinical detail.
I think that’s the only honest way I can put this, oh and remember this is just $168.- it’s just stupid money really.
Review Conclusion
For around $168, the TTArtisan 40mm F2 is your must-have “normal” lens that’s street-friendly, fun to shoot and chock-full of value. It won’t challenge high-end optics, but it doesn’t need to—it plays its part beautifully in real-world photography with it’s character and
I highly recommend this lens for Nikon Z and Sony E mount users eyeing a quality walk around prime lens that’s crazy cheap, you simply can’t go wrong with it.
Interested in giving this budget beast a go? Watch my full in depth review video above where I run you through this lens in a lot more detail and drop your thoughts in the videos comments.
Or check out my TTArtisan 75mm F2 review here.
See you out there,
Kieran.
Frequently Asked Question
TTArtisan 40mm F2 Review : $168 lens that beats the big brands?
In-depth TTArtisan 40mm F2 review : full-frame, affordable ($168), metal build, autofocus, USB‑C dock—perfect for Nikon Z & Sony E users.
4.8
Pros
- Light
- Compact
- Full of Character
- Cheap