CameraReview
TTArtisan 75mm f/1.5 Swirly Bokeh
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TTArtisan · f/1.5 · M42 mount

TTArtisan 75mm f/1.5 Swirly Bokeh

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Mount
KEY FACTS
BrandTTArtisan
Release Year2024
Production StatusIn Production
Lens MountM42
SystemM42
What We Like
+Distinctive swirly bokeh effect, especially pronounced at f/1.5 with busy backgrounds
+Very affordable alternative to vintage Zeiss Biotar (costs thousands), priced around $250-$269
+Excellent all-metal build quality and construction; described as 'built like a tank'
+Manual focus ring is smooth and well-damped with good ergonomics
+Large f/1.5 aperture enables low-light shooting and extreme depth-of-field control for creative portraits
+M42 mount with wide compatibility via affordable adapters to modern camera systems
Worth Knowing
Soft when wide open; not optimized for sharpness—designed for artistic character over optical correctness
Limited to center-frame sharpness; focus plane only ~30-40% in center with progressive softness toward edges
Manual focus only; requires precision and modern mirrorless manual focus aids for consistent results
Swirly bokeh effect is highly subjective and only visible at specific distances and with suitable backgrounds; not a general-purpose lens

General

Brand
TTArtisan
Release Year
2024
Production Status
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
Lens Mount
The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras.
M42
System
Indicates which camera system the lens is designed to attach to.
M42
Read our notes on general
The TTArtisan 75mm f/1.5 Swirly Bokeh is a modern recreation inspired by the classic Carl Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5, priced at $269. This entirely mechanical manual focus lens produces pronounced swirly bokeh at f/1.5 with a simple six-element, four-group optical formula and 13-bladed diaphragm. Designed as a "special effect" lens for character rather than sharpness, the swirling effect is strongest at f/1.5 and becomes less pronounced at smaller apertures like f/2.8. The lens weighs roughly 570g and features a common 58mm filter thread.

Physical

Lens Weight
570 g
Lens Diameter
Width of the lens at its widest point
73 mm
Lens Length
How long the lens is from front to back.
72 mm
Front Filter Size
Diameter of attachable filters.
58 mm

Optics

Focal Range
Shortest to longest focal length of the lens (zoom range start - end )
75 mm
Aperture Range
Largest aperture at the lens's shortest focal length to longest focal length (aperture range start - end)
1.5
Blades
Number of diaphragm blades in aperture
13020
Zoom Lens
Zoom allows you to vary the focal length, change between long shots and close-ups
No
Closest Focusing Distance
Minimum distance for a subject to be in focus.
76 cm01500
Autofocus Mode
No