Cine primes with unique character have always carved out a niche — sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of nostalgia. TTArtisan’s new 35mm T2.1 Dual-Bokeh Cine lens seems to fall into both camps. Priced at just $380, this full-frame lens dares to embrace imperfection in a market where even budget glass often aspires to be unremarkably “correct.” But it’s not the usual aberrations or swirly backgrounds that make this lens stand out — it’s the switch.
Two Looks, One Lens
At the heart of this TTArtisan 35mm is a mechanical toggle that flips between two distinct rendering modes: “Bubble” and “Soft.” In “Bubble” mode, the out-of-focus highlights take on a vintage, almost Trioplan-like appearance — pronounced, circular, and busily textured. “Soft” smooths things out, giving a more conventional bokeh roll-off akin to many modern full-frame primes.
This is a hardware trick, not digital filtering or aperture simulation. The switch physically alters internal elements or the way light passes through the aperture, giving filmmakers direct access to two different bokeh profiles without reaching for another lens. It’s a clever, if slightly gimmicky, move — one we’ve seen in spirit before, though rarely this affordable.
Concept Inspiration
The idea of modulating optical character isn’t new. Canon’s EF 135mm f/2.8 SF introduced dialable spherical aberration for soft-focus portraiture in the film era. Nikon’s DC lenses allowed front and rear element shifts to manipulate bokeh and defocus rendering. But these were primarily still lenses, and their cinema application was limited by ergonomics and inconsistent housing.
Fast forward to the present, and Otto Nemenz’s Ottoblad lenses show just how far optical modulation can be pushed. Built in partnership with P+S Technik, these lenses rehouse Zeiss Hasselblad T* CF and CFi/e medium format glass — the same kind used on NASA’s Apollo missions. But Ottoblad is more than a cosmetic rehousing. The series includes an Optical Tuner, a rear module that lets users subtly manipulate field resolution. You start with a clinically sharp image and dial in the amount of edge softness you want — mimicking the field curvature and focus fall-off of classic portrait lenses without ever touching the aperture ring.
It’s a high-end, rental-only solution designed for flexibility in character rendering without compromising mechanical precision — the polar opposite of TTArtisan’s approach.
Mechanics, Build, and Limitations
The TTArtisan lens sports an all-metal housing, de-clicked aperture, 11-blade iris, and mod 0.8 gearing. Optical design consists of 10 elements in 7 groups. The front accepts 82mm filters — standard fare. Mounts include E, RF, Z, L, and X. One of the design choices that concerns me is the design and machining of the focus and iris gear teeth. They don’t appear to conform to industry standards which may present problems when using a follow-focus or motors. The mesh between accessories and lenses is fairly critical. I strongly recommend testing your accessories with this lens prior to embarking on any important projects!
Weight hovers between 669g and 735g depending on mount — manageable on a gimbal, though just heavy enough to feel deliberate. One oddity lies in the focus throw: a lengthy 313° in Soft mode, but a more abrupt 131° in Bubble. This may throw off muscle memory or gear calibration in AC setups, especially when switching modes mid-shoot. Whether this is an optical necessity or a side effect of the internal switching mechanism remains unclear — but it’s certainly something to consider in a multicam or tightly choreographed setup.
What It Is — and Isn’t
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a cine lens in the same league as Cooke, Zeiss, or Sigma. Its mechanics, while decent, aren’t rental-house caliber. Its rendering is unpredictable in the best and worst ways. But for $380, it gives shooters access to dual optical personalities in a world where vintage glass is becoming increasingly unaffordable. What would you use this lens for? Would you trust it for a paid project? Or is this just another gimmick attempting to capture a few unique artists’ hard-earned dollars?