7Artisans introduces its first autofocus lens, and what better way to do it than with photographer's favourite 50mm
(Image credit: 7Artisans)
7Artisans is a lens manufacturer that has exclusively focused on high-quality, manual-focus lenses – until now.
7Artisans has just announced its first AF lens, the 7Artisans AF 50mm f/1.8 for full frame. We have seen a recent shift from lens manufacturers who have previously focused on MF lenses, with TTArtisan, Sirui, and Samyang all now with an AF lineup for the best mirrorless cameras. 7Artisans have now followed suit, with a fan favorite nifty fifty.
7Artisans AF 50mm f/1.8 | https://weibo.com/u/5236048381 (Image credit: federation of independent photographers)
Officially teased on the 7Artisans social media, we got a first glimpse at the new AF lens. Attached to a Sony A-series camera, the image states that it will be available for Sony FE mount, but it doesn't provide much else in the way of information.
The first thing I noticed was the size of the lens. For a 50mm f/1.8, it looks on the larger side, and as the current manual focus, 7Artisans 50mm f/1.05 is fairly petite for its extremely low aperture, this was surprising. One of the benefits of a 50mm lens is its small form factor, so it begs the question "Why is this lens so long?" In addition, 7Artisans lenses are often constructed entirely of metal and glass, offering a professional and robust feel. Add that to the size, the weight may make this lens a not-so-shifty nifty fifty!
7Artisans AF 50mm f/1.8 | https://weibo.com/u/5236048381 (Image credit: federation of independent photographers)
Unofficially, some rumors have emerged providing further details on the lens. Thanks to photographs of the lens seen in a Twitter post from @MajunMajuns (via Asobinet), we know that it will also be released for the Nikon Z-mount as well as the Sony E-mount (FE), likely at the same time.
The images provide different angles of the lens, from which we can see the front information. These details include a 62mm filter thread, a minimum focus distance of 0.5m, and an aperture ring from f/1.8 to what looks like f/22.
In a world where almost every lens manufacturer offers a 50mm f/1.8, it is a bit of a head-scratcher as to why they have developed one that is larger than most on the market. However, little is known about the lens and I will hold any judgment until the official details emerge, which I expect will be very shortly, with a scheduled December 2023 release. After that we'll see if it makes our list of the best 50mm lenses.
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As a fan of 7Artisans' existing lenses, I am excited to see more of this and other AF lenses from the company.
Kalum Carter is a photographer, photo editor and writer based in the UK, and for almost a decade he has worked with brands and publications to create, edit, and sequence imagery. Having recently graduated with a Master's Degree in Photography from the University of the West of England (UWE), Kalum joined Digital Camera World as a Staff Writer, covering news, reviews, and his biggest passion – photography books!
Kalum's photography has been published and exhibited around the world, and he continues to photograph on a project-by-project basis. He is currently working on a personal project capturing the people and landscape of Gower, South Wales. Currently untitled, this body of work will be exhibited for the National Trust later this year.
