Electronics & Cameras

This Might Be the Ugliest Lens I’ve Ever Seen

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This Might Be the Ugliest Lens I’ve Ever Seen

TTArtisan has announced a new colorful limited-edition version of its AF 35mm f/1.8 II APS-C prime lens. It is a garish Kodak-colored lens, without any official Kodak branding, sure to attract plenty of stares on the street. Whether that’s a good thing or not will depend on the photographer.

The new 35mm f/1.8 prime lens is functionally identical to its black and silver counterparts, albeit with a very different aesthetic. The autofocus-equipped lens has an aluminum (5052 aviation) body and weighs a bit under 200 grams.

It covers an APS-C image circle, delivering a classic just-over-50mm equivalent focal length. The lens features 10 optical elements arranged across seven groups, and TTArtisan promises “excellent image quality” and soft, smooth bokeh. Sample photos support TTArtisan’s claims, and the bokeh has a nice cat’s eye effect. The lens features a pair of high-index elements and two ED elements to reduce aberrations and improve performance.

A young woman with long dark hair in a braid, wearing a red sweater and plaid scarf, sits outdoors on a sunny day, resting her chin on her hand and looking thoughtfully at the camera. Trees and a red wall are in the background.

A smiling woman in a cozy sweater and red gloves reaches toward the camera, surrounded by wrapped Christmas gifts on a festive blanket.

A young woman with short dark hair, wearing a white lace dress and floral headpiece, holds a book and looks at the camera. Sunlight filters through green foliage in the background.

A hand holds up a single yellow-orange autumn leaf against a blurred background of green foliage and sunlight, creating a warm, glowing effect around the leaf.

A plate of fried chicken pieces on parchment paper with a small dish of red dipping sauce, set on a wooden table with a fork and blurred background.

The lens features an STM and lead-screw stepping motor to deliver quick, quiet autofocusing performance. TTArtisan notes that the lens supports autofocus recognition modes for face and eye detection across compatible cameras, including Sony, Fujifilm, and Nikon bodies. The lens focuses as close as 0.4 meters (1.3 feet).

A retro-style digital camera with a bright yellow body, black textured grip, and a yellow lens with a red focus ring, placed on a reflective black surface.

The lens also has a USB-C port in its rear lens cap for firmware updates, which may be required to ensure compatibility with new cameras as they are released. It’s a clever design that TTArtisan notes keep the lens itself looking sleek.

As for the look of the new limited-edition “Orange Pop” version of the TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II lens, well, it’s bound to be polarizing. Some photographers may really love the bright yellow body and red focus ring, while others, like me, think its obnoxious ketchup-and-mustard vibes are offensive.

A young woman in a blue traditional dress holds a camera and smiles. She is sitting outdoors beside a red lion dance costume, with festive decorations in the background.

This is not TTArtisan’s first time using these colors for a lens. When TTArtisan unveiled a similarly styled lens in 2023, I remarked that it was “one of the most distinctly colored lenses” I’d ever seen before, wondering whether or not that was a compliment. Over two years later, this colorway has not grown on me at all. Now TTArtisans’ “Year of the Ox” red lens in 2021? That was beautiful. The company’s gold-plated 35mm f/1.4 Leica M-Mount Lens, on the other hand? A bit ostentatious.

To TTArtisan’s credit, the lens is not just randomly yellow and red. There is a method to the madness. In 2024, TTArtisan announced a Mini LED Light that looks like a classic Kodak film canister, complete with a yellow and red design. This LED, which costs just $10, attaches to a camera via a magnetic cold shoe attachment, has a built-in battery, offers three different color temperatures, and, frankly, looks cool and fun. The new TTArtisan “Orange Pop,” which is arguably not really orange at all, matches this Mini LED. That’s nice, but there’s a big difference between having a colorful little flash on top of your camera and sticking a yellow-and-red lens on the front of it. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

A mirrorless camera with a yellow and red lens and a roll of Kodak TMAX film on top, placed on red and yellow surfaces. Two black lens caps labeled "TTArtisan" are nearby. Text in Chinese is at the bottom right.

The TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II “Orange Pop” lens is available now for $140, a $15 premium over the standard black version and a $12 premium over the silver one. The lens is available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mounts.

Image credits: TTArtisan

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