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This new silver 35mm lens is making me want a Fujifilm X-Pro1 or Nikon Zfc –because the combination is just so darn cool!

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The new silver edition TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II is just begging to be paired with a retro APS-C camera like a Fujifilm X-Pro or the Nikon Zfc

Lifestyle image of TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II on canvas, with lens hood and Fujifilm X-Pro1 in the background
The new silver paint job makes this a great aesthetic option for retro camera users (Image credit: TTArtisan)

The TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II was released at the tail end of last year, and now it’s back, with a sexy silver paint job and a rectangular lens hood to complete the retro aesthetic. Internally, it’s exactly the same as the mainline version, and if you don’t like the silver rectangular hood, it also comes with the standard, black petal hood.

While this little APS-C lens looks undoubtedly cool in its own right, I didn’t quite realize just how cool until I saw the lifestyle press imagery, where it’s mounted onto a Fujifilm X-Pro1, Fujifilm X-Pro3 and Nikon Z fc. Let’s face it, this is where this fast, compact prime is designed to shine. And with Nikon’s APS-C lens line-up still lacking, third-party options like this are always going to appeal to the crop-sensor Nikon crowd. Plus, I’m expecting the all-metal body to give this lens a more authentic retro feel.

Lifestyle image of TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II on Fujifilm X-Pro1 camera on canvas background

The rectangular lens hood finishes off the retro aesthetic (Image credit: TTArtisan)

If you missed the TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II’s initial release, I’ll get into the specs. This is an auto-focus capable (driven by a stepping motor), APS-C lens available for Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z mounts. It’s built around 10 elements in seven groups, features a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm and weighs 176-193g (depending on the mount). Without a lens hood, the optic is 49mm in length for E and X mounts, and 51mm for Z mount, which is considerably shorter than the original TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 Mark 1. Finally, the minimum focus distance is 0.4m and the filter thread is 52mm.

But what really caught me by surprise during the standard version’s release was its low price. And the silver variant is only $3 more expensive, not bad when you consider the extra lens hood. You can pick up the TTArtisan AF 35mm f/1.8 II from the official TTArtisan website or Amazon for $128, and while it’s not currently listed on Amazon UK, I’d expect a similar numerical value, given that the black version sells for £129.

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Mike Harris
Mike Harris
How To Editor

Mike is Digital Camera World's How To Editor. He has over a decade of experience, writing for some of the biggest specialist publications including Digital Camera, Digital Photographer and PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine. Prior to DCW, Mike was Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and Production Editor at Wex Photo Video, where he sharpened his skills in both the stills and videography spheres. While he's an avid motorsport photographer, his skills extend to every genre of photography – making him one of Digital Camera World's top tutors for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters and other imaging equipment – as well as sharing his expertise on shooting everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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