TTArtisan TTArtisan 35mm T2.1 Dual Bokeh Cine Lens for Fuji Review

So, TTArtisan made a weird one. The 35mm T2.1 Dual Bokeh Cine lens is a chunky, manual-focus cine lens for Canon RF that's all about a party trick. It has a switch that flips between two bokeh modes: 'Soft' and 'Bubble'. It's a niche tool for filmmakers who want a specific, stylized look right out of the camera.

It's heavy at nearly 940g, has no autofocus, and isn't weather-sealed. But that's not the point. The point is that switch. If you're shooting narrative work and want to play with background rendering without post-production tricks, this lens is built for that one job.

Performance is a mixed bag, which makes sense given its design. The image stabilization is solid, landing in the 89th percentile, which is great for handheld video work. Its close-focusing ability is its standout feature, scoring in the 93rd percentile for macro-like shots, especially in Soft mode. But the optical quality and bokeh quality scores are surprisingly low for a cine lens, in the 33rd and 27th percentiles respectively. The build quality is also rock bottom at the 6th percentile, so it feels a bit cheap for its weight.

At $380, it's a tough call. You're paying for that one unique feature. If the dual bokeh look is exactly what your project needs, it could be worth it as a specialty lens. But if you just want a good 35mm cine lens, you can find better overall optical performers for similar money, even if they lack the gimmick.

This lens doesn't really compete with autofocus photo lenses like the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S or the Viltrox options. Its real competition is other manual cine primes. Compared to something like a Meike 55mm F1.8 Pro, you're trading autofocus and a more standard look for the bokeh-switching trick and slightly better close focus. Against a classic Samyang/Rokinon cine lens, you're getting worse build and optics for that one unique feature. It's a side-grade, not an upgrade.

Buy this only if you're a filmmaker or serious video shooter who sees the 'Bubble Bokeh' demo and thinks, 'I need that exact look for my next project.' For everyone else—travel shooters, hybrid shooters, or anyone wanting a sharp, reliable all-rounder—there are far better and more versatile 35mm lenses out there.