This Lens is the New King of Bokeh
The New King of Bokeh: A Lens Comparison
Introduction to the Biotar 75mm f1.5
- The discussion begins with a reference to the original "King of Bokeh," the Carl Zeiss Biotar 75mm f1.5, released in 1938.
- This lens is highly sought after for its unique image characteristics, leading to prices exceeding $3,000 due to its popularity among cinema and mirrorless camera users.
Key Features of the Biotar Lens
- The Biotar lens is known for its swirly bokeh effect, which has become a favorite among photographers.
- It also provides a "sweet spot" effect—sharp focus in the center with softer edges—allowing subjects to stand out against blurred backgrounds.
- Additionally, it creates a "3D pop" effect where sharp subjects appear to jump out at viewers.
Limitations of Vintage Lenses
- Despite its advantages, the Biotar lens comes with common vintage lens issues such as dust inside elements and potential degradation over time.
- These factors contribute to high maintenance costs and challenges associated with using older lenses.
Introducing TT Artisans' 75mm f1.5 Lens
Overview of the New Lens
- The new TT Artisans 75mm f1.5 lens is introduced as an affordable alternative that mimics or reproduces traits from the original Biotar.
- Priced significantly lower (around 10% of the original), this lens aims to avoid many pitfalls associated with vintage lenses.
Optical Characteristics and Performance
- When shooting wide open at f1.5 or slightly stopped down to f2, this new lens exhibits a narrow sweet spot in focus while blurring everything else around it.
- Stopping down reduces swirly bokeh but introduces soft round bubble bokeh that maintains clarity without imperfections like spots or onion rings often found in vintage lenses.
Advantages Over Vintage Lenses
- A key advantage of new lenses is their cleanliness; they do not have dust issues that can affect bokeh quality seen in older models.
- At apertures between f4 and f8, sharpness across the frame increases while still retaining pleasing bubble bokeh effects.
Image Character and Vignetting Effects
Image Quality Considerations
- Shooting wide open at f1.5 results in noticeable vignetting, which can be perceived as an artistic choice rather than a flaw since it draws attention toward the center subject.
- The speaker notes that they often add vignetting during editing for portrait photos; thus, having it naturally present can enhance composition without additional work.
Build Quality Insights
Lens Review: Key Features and Performance
Build Quality and Focus Mechanism
- The lens features a large, beautiful front element reminiscent of the original Biotar lens, with a clicked aperture ring preferred by the reviewer.
- Emphasizes the importance of focusing in the center of the frame when shooting wide open to avoid losing focus after repositioning.
- The lens is an M42 screw mount, allowing adaptation to modern mirrorless cameras; quality adapters are recommended for longevity.
Optical Performance
- Notable for minimal distortion; lines remain almost perfectly straight at 75mm focal length due to its simple optical design.
- Chromatic aberration is virtually non-existent in focused areas but can appear outside the center when shooting wide open, creating a dreamy effect.
Flare and Close-Up Image Quality
- Impressive flare performance; flares are described as cinematic and artistic rather than detrimental, enhancing creative options.
- Close-up image quality is sharp with no significant degradation at minimum focus distance; offers versatility in achieving different effects.
Versatility in Shooting Styles
- The lens effectively functions as two lenses: at f1.5 and f2 it creates a sweet spot effect with swirly bokeh, while stopping down to f4 provides bubble bokeh suitable for portraits.