All the photos you'll see in this post were captured using the TTArtisan 75mm f/2 lens. And let me tell you, it's an absolute steal at just £199 / $199 at the time of writing this. If you know me, you'll already know this isn't going to be a deep-dive technical review packed with sharpness charts and bokeh examples. Instead, it's just a collection of a few thoughts after having used this little gem so far, and more importantly, showcasing some sample images for you. So, if you've had your eye on this affordable fast prime lens and just want to see a few images it can produce, you’re in the right place.

All sample images taken on the Sony A7IV — The lens is also available for Nikon Z mount and L mount.

A quick note on 75mm as a focal length

The 75mm focal length is a bit of an interesting one, isn't it? You don't come across it all that often, especially from native manufacturers like Sony.

However, having used it myself (on a full-frame body), I've found that 75mm feels incredibly comfortable. What I mean by that is, if you're relatively new to photography, a bit of a nervous photographer who feels a little awkward out with your camera, or perhaps you just prefer to stay out of the way when you're shooting, it's almost perfect! It's tight enough that you can hang back, avoid getting in people's way, and still frame up some lovely shots without drawing too much attention to yourself. But on the flip side, it's not so tight that you'll be standing across the road in someone's front garden to get a spacious image. This depends on where you are and what you’re shooting of course, but you get my drift.

Honestly, 75mm sits really nicely in the middle of wider prime lenses and those super zoom lenses ‘mountain adventure vibe’ photographers navigate towards. I truly think it's a fantastic choice if you're looking for a 'one lens carry' when you're heading somewhere vast, or for events where you might want to observe from a distance and still capture all those important details.

Just a heads-up though: this is a full-frame lens. So, if you're using an APS-C body (either adapted or with the correct mount straight out of the box), you'll actually be getting an equivalent of 112.5mm. To me, that drastically changes how you'd use the lens. On an APS-C body, you're leaning much more into the telephoto range, so do bear that in mind if you're an APS-C shooter!

TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 Lens - E Mount - Sony A7IV

Build quality — Surprising!

The build quality of this lens is what genuinely shocked me the most! When we usually think of budget lenses, our minds often go straight to plastic and that worrying thought of "if I drop that, it'll shatter into a million pieces" (not that any of us want to drop our lenses, of course, but you get the idea!).

Well, this lens is a whole different story. It's robust and made of metal, giving it a satisfying weight that just doesn't feel flimsy at all. The moment I unboxed it, my first thought was, "this feels way too premium for the price tag!" It even comes with a lovely lens hood, and it boasts a satisfyingly 'clicky' aperture ring on the barrel – a feature often associated with much higher-end lenses. Even the packaging was super high quality, which is a nice touch if you appreciate good product design or like to display your empty lens boxes on a shelf above your computer.. why do people do that?

Of course, it's worth noting that it's not weather-sealed, and I do wish you could lock the aperture ring. It's quite easy to accidentally nudge it from 'A' to f/16, as there seems to be a little less resistance in that particular spot. But honestly, all things considered, this lens is exceptionally well-built. And based on all the images I've captured with it over the past week, I can confidently say it's more than worth its price tag!

Oh and for those of you in the ever-growing 'minimal carry club', this lens is delightfully small. While it's not the tiniest prime out there, weighing in at around 328-340g, you can easily pair this with a compact mirrorless body without feeling like you're carrying a sniper rifle. Its size varies ever so slightly depending on the mount version, but not enough for you to really notice a difference.

Editing and image rendering

Something really important to remember about all lenses out there – and I was heavily reminded of this after editing the photos I shot with this particular lens – is that if you've only ever used native lenses from your camera's brand, or perhaps you're just used to how images look from your one trusty lens, then picking up a lens from a different brand will likely mean you need to tweak your editing slightly to suit how that new lens renders photographs.

Some people think this is a myth, but it's absolutely not. In some cases, you might even need to subtly alter how you expose photos to counteract any little quirks a specific lens might have. When I sat down to edit the RAW files I'd shot with the TTArtisan 75mm, I was a bit stumped at first because my usual go-to editing process wasn't quite hitting the mark.

But I simply had to play around a bit and figure out how the files this lens produced responded to my adjustments, rather than just expecting the exact same process I'd use with my Sony lenses to give me identical results, or worse blaming the lens and selling it on Ebay.

Final thoughts & more sample images below

In the last six months, this is the third budget-friendly, full-frame, fast prime lens from a third-party manufacturer that I've used for photography. And, for the second time, I've been absolutely gobsmacked by the quality of a lens costing under £200.

Regular viewers of my YouTube channel will know I've been exclusively using a budget 40mm lens for the past few months. Now, having used the TTArtisan 75mm, not just for a fun walk along the coast, but also to shoot a workshop event last weekend, I've come to a rather significant conclusion. These affordable, fast, and widely available options from brands like TTArtisan are drastically changing the landscape of photography.

Now, this isn't for everyone. It's certainly not for those seeking pixel perfection, or for photographers who print their images on A1 and instruct their friends to scrutinise the detail on a house fifty miles in the distance.

However – and I touched on this ever so slightly when I embarked on my 40mm challenge – for beginners stepping into the mirrorless market, for people transitioning from DSLRs to mirrorless, and for hobbyists and enthusiasts who don't want to take out a bank loan to arm themselves with a few lenses, these options are specifically changing the game.

When I first switched from DSLRs to mirrorless bodies, there were practically no budget options other than slow, low-quality kit lenses, or the choice to adapt old glass to the new body, which I've never been a fan of. This could really put people off switching, upgrading, or changing systems, especially considering we had decades of DSLR lens options with some truly great budget choices.

But having said that, I don't think I ever used a budget DSLR lens that performed quite as brilliantly as the budget options we currently have for mirrorless systems from the likes of TTArtisan. Which, in a way, is inevitable, as hardware and software improves every year.

What I'm getting at is that the existence of these options means fewer people are stuck in limbo, fewer people are hesitant to grab a mirrorless camera because they're worried about having nothing left over for lenses. And, most importantly, I'm a firm believer that most beginners, and even some intermediate photographers, have absolutely no idea what focal lengths or types of lenses they want to invest a lot of money in until they've tried a fair few for a long period of time to get a feel for how they suit and aid their photography. This is precisely where options like the TTArtisan 75mm are absolutely fantastic.

And for those not strapped for cash, the premium options are still there regardless, so it's all good.