TT Artisan A35BS-X 23mm f/1.4 APS-C

The TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4 is a budget manual focus prime lens for APS-C and MFT cameras that delivers a fast f/1.4 aperture and nice bokeh at around EUR 119. Optical sharpness is weak, especially wide open, and there's no autofocus or stabilization. It's a fun, affordable 35mm equivalent for street and portrait shooters who don't mind focusing manually.

Optically, this lens is a mixed bag, and our database reflects that. The optical score lands in the 17th percentile, which is frankly disappointing. Wide open at f/1.4, expect softness in the corners and some noticeable vignetting. Stop down to f/2.8 or f/4 and things improve considerably, but you're buying this lens for the fast aperture, so that's a bit of a catch. The 8 elements in 6 groups include three high refractive index elements and one low dispersion element, which helps with chromatic aberration control, but it's not a miracle worker.

Bokeh is actually a pleasant surprise here. The 10-blade aperture produces round, smooth out-of-focus areas, and the bokeh score sits in the 69th percentile. That's solid for a lens this cheap. The minimum focus distance of 20cm is also nice for close-up detail shots, though macro performance is one of the worst we've seen at the 12th percentile. Don't buy this for flowers and bugs. For portraits, it scores 55.1 out of 100, which is workable but not stellar. Street photography comes in at 52.2, and video is a weak 39.3, mostly due to the lack of stabilization and the clicky aperture ring.

The most direct comparison here is the Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 FE. The Viltrox gives you autofocus and a slightly wider field of view, but it's a full stop slower at f/2.8 versus f/1.4. If you shoot in low light or want shallower depth of field, the TTArtisan wins on paper. But the Viltrox is sharper wide open and has electronic contacts for EXIF data. For video shooters, the Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is a better pick despite the slow aperture, because it has stabilization and power zoom. The TTArtisan's stabilization score is in the 34th percentile, which is mediocre, and that matters for handheld video.

Then there's the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM and the Tamron 28-300mm f/4-7.1. These are zooms, so they're not really direct competitors, but they show up in the same search results. If you want one lens that does everything, a zoom makes more sense. The TTArtisan is for people who specifically want a fast, compact prime and are willing to give up autofocus and zoom range to get it. The Nikon NIKKOR 20059 is also in the mix, but it's a different beast entirely for a different mount system.

At EUR 119, the TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4 is hard to argue with on price alone. You're getting a fast prime with decent bokeh and a solid build for less than most camera bags cost. The build quality sits in the 78th percentile, which is well above average for this price bracket. Compare that to something like the Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 FE, which costs more and gives you autofocus but a slower aperture. Or the Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS kit lens, which is stabilized and has autofocus but is painfully slow optically. If you want a fast 35mm equivalent without spending real money, this is basically your only option. Just know that you're trading optical sharpness for aperture speed.

The TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4 is a manual focus prime lens for APS-C and Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras, and it's one of those lenses that makes you wonder why you ever spent four figures on glass. At around EUR 119 in Germany, this thing sits firmly in the budget bracket, but it brings a genuinely fast f/1.4 aperture to the table. That's rare at this price. The 23mm focal length works out to roughly 35mm full-frame equivalent on APS-C, which is a sweet spot for street photography, environmental portraits, travel shots, and general walkaround use.

People searching for a cheap 35mm equivalent lens for street photography or a fast prime for low light will find this one popping up a lot. And for good reason. It's tiny, it's light at 219g, and it has a classic manual focus feel that a lot of photographers actually enjoy. The 62 degree angle of view gives you enough width for architecture and landscapes without the distortion you'd get from something ultra-wide.

But let's be clear about what this is and isn't. It's a fully manual lens. No autofocus, no electronic contacts on most mounts, no stabilization. You're doing everything yourself. For some people that's the appeal. For others, it's a dealbreaker. We'll dig into that below.

Skip this lens if you need autofocus for moving subjects like kids, pets, or events. Skip it if you shoot a lot of video handheld, since there's no stabilization and the footage will be jittery. Skip it if you're a pixel peeper who cares about corner sharpness wide open, because the optical performance is in the 17th percentile and it shows. If you want a sharp, reliable everyday lens, the Sony E PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS or the Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 FE are better picks. And if macro is your thing, this lens is one of the worst we've seen for that use case, so grab a dedicated macro lens instead.

Should you buy the TTArtisan 23mm f/1.4? If you're a street photographer or hobbyist who wants a fast 35mm equivalent on a budget and doesn't mind manual focus, yes. It's a fun lens. The aperture ring clicks nicely, the focus ring is smooth, and the images have character. At f/1.4 you get real subject separation and low light capability that kit zooms simply can't match. The bokeh is genuinely pleasant, and the compact size means you'll actually carry it with you.

But if you need sharp corners, reliable autofocus, or video stabilization, look elsewhere. The optical performance is the weak link here, and it's not close. This is a lens you buy for the experience and the aperture, not for pixel-peeping sharpness. For EUR 119, it's a low-risk experiment. If you love manual focus primes, you'll probably keep it. If you're used to autofocus, you'll probably sell it.