Shooting Black and White Film Looks with TTArtisan Lenses on Your Sony Camera

Shooting Black and White Film Looks with TTArtisan Lenses on Your Sony Camera

If you’re looking to capture authentic, film-like black and white photography with your Sony A6000, A5000, or NEX-3, pairing manual TTArtisan lenses with custom B&W film settings is an excellent way to achieve a timeless, vintage aesthetic. TTArtisan lenses offer manual focus, unique optical character, and classic rendering, making them ideal for street photography and artistic black and white work.

Why Use TTArtisan Manual Lenses for Black & White Photography?

Unlike modern autofocus lenses, TTArtisan lenses force you to slow down and compose more deliberately, much like shooting with a classic film camera. The fully manual aperture and focus rings create a hands-on shooting experience, making you more connected to the process.

 Vintage optical rendering – TTArtisan lenses produce unique contrast, glow, and vignetting, enhancing the film-like feel.

 Smooth manual focus – Perfect for zone focusing, a technique often used in street photography.

 Fast apertures (f/1.2 – f/2.8) – Allows for beautiful subject isolation with natural falloff.

 Affordable alternative to classic film lenses – Delivers a retro look without the high price of vintage Leica or Zeiss glass.

Best TTArtisan Lenses for a Film-Like Look

Here are three popular TTArtisan lenses that pair well with black and white street photography:

 TTArtisan 35mm f/1.4 – A perfect street photography focal length, offering a classic film-era rendering with beautiful depth and contrast.

 TTArtisan 50mm f/1.2 – Great for portraits and storytelling, with dreamy bokeh and a soft, glowing highlight roll-off.

 TTArtisan 25mm f/2.0 – A wide-angle lens ideal for documentary-style cityscapes and dynamic compositions.

How to Get a Film Look with TTArtisan Lenses

Pair your manual lens with these custom black and white film settings on your Sony camera to get a true film-inspired aesthetic:

1. Kodak Tri-X 400 (High Contrast & Gritty)

 Best for: Bold, high-contrast street photography.

 Creative Style: B&W

Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV

Contrast: +2

 Sharpness: +2

 ISO: 800-1600 (adds grain-like texture)

 DRO: Off or Level 1

 White Balance: Daylight (5500K)

 Tip: Use zone focusing with f/8 for classic street photography depth.

2. Ilford HP5+ 400 (Balanced Documentary Look)

 Best for: Natural black and white tones with deep midtones.

 Creative Style: B&W

 Contrast: +1

 Sharpness: +1

Exposure Compensation: 0 EV

 ISO: 400-800

 DRO: Level 2 or 3

 White Balance: Cloudy (6000K)

 Tip: Shoot at f/5.6-f/8 for sharpness while keeping a soft film-like tone.

3. Fujifilm Neopan 1600 (Ultra-High Contrast & Grainy)

 Best for: Dark, moody street shots with neon lights.

 Creative Style: B&W

 Contrast: +3

 Sharpness: +3

Exposure Compensation: -0.7 EV

 ISO: 1600-3200 (for gritty film grain)

 DRO: Off

 White Balance: Tungsten (3200K)

 Tip: Shoot wide open at f/1.4 or f/2 to create strong subject separation.

4. Kodak T-Max 100 (Fine-Grain & Smooth Tones)

 Best for: Soft, fine-art B&W images.

 Creative Style: B&W

 Contrast: -1

 Sharpness: 0

Exposure Compensation: +0.3 EV

 ISO: 100-200

 DRO: Level 3-4

 White Balance: Shade (7000K)

 Tip: Use a tripod and lower ISO for smooth tonal transitions in still photography.

5. Agfa APX 100 (Vintage Film Look)

 Best for: Nostalgic, faded black and white images.

 Creative Style: B&W

 Contrast: -2

 Sharpness: +1

Exposure Compensation: +0.7 EV

 ISO: 100-400

 DRO: Level 2

 White Balance: Fluorescent (4500K)

 Tip: Shoot at f/4-f/5.6 for classic depth-of-field with a vintage feel.

Why This Setup Feels Like Shooting a Film Camera

Pairing a manual TTArtisan lens with custom B&W film settings is as close as you can get to a real film experience on a Sony mirrorless camera.

 Manual focus and aperture control – Feels like classic film photography.

 Custom film presets – Replicates the tones and contrast of famous B&W film stocks.

 No autofocus distractions – Forces you to slow down, frame better, and anticipate the moment.

 Zone focusing for fast shooting – Just like classic rangefinder street photography.

This approach makes digital photography feel more intentional and tactile, much like shooting on a Leica or old-school SLR camera.

Final Thoughts

Using a TTArtisan manual lens with custom black and white settings transforms your Sony A6000, A5000, or NEX-3 into a digital film camera, letting you shoot street photography with a timeless aesthetic. Whether you want high-contrast grit, fine-grain smoothness, or a nostalgic faded look, these settings will bring the soul of analog film to your digital shots.