Vintage Digital and A Lens Better Than It Has Any Business Being: TTArtisans 21mm f/1.5 for M

When I last wrote about this lens I began with saying that I need to stay the heck off of used gear websites. New gear websites are not really an issue for me. Full price does not interest me, but let me think I am getting a deal on lightly used gear and issues arise.

That is exactly what happened with this lens.

Happened to be bending the ear of a very knowledgeable chap via email. Stated something ridiculous like I think I am good for M mount lenses. My argument was:

I like the goofy 7Artisans 50mm f/1.1 (Just cracked a thousand gallery images with it.) too much to get another 50mm. I really like the TTArtisans 28mm f/5.6, the 7Artisans 75mm f/1.25 (It killed it for some quick family portraits recently.), and the 35mm f/1.4 is about as solid as the 7Artisans FE 28mm f/1.4 I had once before.

He rightly scoffed. I had said that the only additional lens I could possibly want is another copy of the Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5 I once had.

But I was fairly safe because a clear-headed recollection of that lens, once the rose-colored glasses were removed, informed me that there were issues for me personally.

• 15mm is fun, but not practical at all (Barely cracked 100 images with two film cameras and adapted to digital.) unless you just like taking accidental photos of your own feet and hands. And you should never take photos of anyone you care about with a 15mm f/4.5 lens. Did not use it much at all. Liked looking at it on the camera more than using it.
• Already have an f/5.6 28mm. Not really interested in having two wide and slow M mount lenses.
• Though it looks the business I am not a huge fan of needing an external viewfinder.
• For me, a 15mm wide angle lens does not make much sense on a rangefinder. Just about everything is in focus.
• Annoyingly this lens holds its value well. Not great given the points above. And I like to think I am getting a deal.

This is where KEH came into the picture. Was looking at the wider M lenses there and came across this on KEH ‘Like New’ grade for a great price.

I admit that Artisans (Shorthand for 7 and TT.) lenses are reasonably priced new. But they are screaming bargains when you can find a clean copy used. I only purchased one of my current Artisan lenses new so the price of all of these lenses combined is a fraction, even when combined, of the price of lenses from more storied brands. Now that would be great even if they were only ok performers. But I genuinely like all of these lenses.

As always the big question with a rangefinder lens is whether or not it is adjusted properly. Fortunately, I had a more than 10 year old, KEH calibrated adjustment checker.

And it passed.

The performance aligns with the other Artisans lenses I have and have had. Perfectly fine to outstanding depending on circumstances. Down right phenomenal when you factor in the fact they are usually well built, do not look half bad, and cost a mere fraction of the lenses from other, more established manufacturers. Here are some recent examples taken while out and about followed by some thoughts.

The 21mm f/1.5 is quite a bit better than it has any business being.

• Very good value at less than half the price of Voigtlander’s option and 1/20th the price of the Leica option.
  • I saved a bit more by picking up a using copy.
• Impressive accessories.
  • Case.
  • Adjustment kit.
  • Three hood/cap options.
    • Metal, vented rectangular hood and cap.
    • Metal cap.
    • Circular screw-on hood/filter adapter.
      • Necessary since the lens protrudes past the threads of the lens.

• Nice metal build and clicked aperture ring.
  • Oddly the clicks are numerous and do not align with the markings.

Image Quality

Solid. With a lens this wide I am not looking for pin sharp across the frame, but it is acceptable for me. Which is impressive since I shot this lens wide open almost always. If I did want a sharper result that could be easily obtained by stopping the lens down a bit. The same goes for vignetting. Acceptable wide open, and better stopped down. No complaints here.

Happy capturing.

-ELW