Three monoporphyrinato lanthanide complexes based on 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(p-diphenylaminophenyl)-21H,23H-porphine (H(2)TDPAPP) were synthesized, and experimental investigations of the nonlinear optical transmittance characteristics at 532nm show that they are excellent optical limiters with performance comparable or superior to those of the reverse saturable absorption dyes such as fullerene C-60 and metal phthalocyanine complexes.