7artisans surprised us with their 1.4/28 so we were rather curious when they announced a 1.4/35. So let’s see what they have cooked up.
Image Samples
Most images in this review can be found in full resolution in my 7artisans 35/1.4 flickr set.
Specifications
| Diameter | 56 mm |
| Length | 50 mm |
| Filter Thread | 46 mm |
| Weight (no hood, no caps) | 300 g |
| Max. Magnification | 0.13 |
| Close Focusing Distance from the sensor | 0.4 m |
| Number of aperture blades | 11 |
| Elements/ Groups | 10/9 |
| Mount | E-mount, no contacts |
Contents
Disclosure
This copy was loaned to me free of charge from 7artisans.
Build quality
Better than I would have expected for 200 bucks.
The 7artisans 35/1.4 feels solid. The lens hull is made from nothing but metal and tolerances are low. All markings are engraved.
There is no gasket around the mount and 7artisans does not claim any weather resistance.
Of course I can’t tell you how durable the lens will be in the long term. All I can do is give you my superficial impression which is very positive in this case.
Handling
Focus Ring
The focus ring travels around 85 degrees from 40 cm to 1m and a further 30 degrees to infinity. I think that is a very reasonable transmission and I had no issues to focus precisely at longer distances but it was also easy to track a moving subject. The ring itself is well textured and the resistance is about perfect. As you focus closer the front of the lens after the focus ring extends by about 0.5 cm.
Aperture ring
The aperture ring situated at the front is one of the best designed aperture rings I have used to date. There is no risk to take it for the focus ring, it is grippy and moves in full stops to f/16 with a pleasant click. Distances are about halfed from stop to stop so selecting f/11 is a bit more difficult.
Size and Weight
At 300g and with a length of just 57mm the 7artisans is one of the smallest lenses available in E-mout right now but the focus ring is wide enought that handling doesn’t suffer.
Optical performance
These results are based on the use with a Sony Alpha 7II.
Flare Resistance
Flare resistance is bad.
Sunstars
7artisans used probably the best aperture design on the market with their 1.25/75 but sadly the 1.4/35 has 11 blades which result in rather fuzzy sunstars.
Bokeh
Wide open the 7artisans shows very funky bokeh. As you stop down bokeh becomes rather smooth.
Chromatic Aberrations 
Vignetting
Distortion
Sharpness
Test results later but I can tell you that wide open only a small area is somewhat sharp and it never gets sharp across the frame. There is also lots of field curvature.
First impressions
The 7artisans 35/1.4 is not a lens I would recommend to anyone looking for a well corrected lens because it throws about any aberration there is at you. If you are after a “character” lens you might enjoy it because there is lots of “character” and handling is a joy. You have the choice between very busy bokeh wide open and pretty smooth bokeh from f/2.
More Image Samples
Most images in this review can be found in full resolution in my 7artisans 35/1.4 flickr set.
Other articles
- Beginner’s Guide to Manual Lenses on the Sony a7 series
- Guide to Ultra Wideangle lenses for the Sony a7 series
- Sony FE lenses: A comprehensive and independent guide
- The best lenses below $499 for the Sony a7 series
- Guide to the best Portrait Lenses for the Sony a7 series
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When I saw this released, I was hoping you would review it. Thanks! I’m disappointed this appears to be a more budget lens than their 28mm 1.4, with lesser image quality in exchange for better size/price. I would probably not buy this just based on the “bubbly” bokeh wide open. I’m satisfied with the image quality of my Voigtlander 35mm 1.7 M, although it is in a different price bracket. The image samples from your last review of the Sony 35mm 1.8 also look far more appealing to me than this one.
There was another interesting 35mm 1.4 lens released recently from a new company called “TTartisan”. Do you think you’ll review that one? There are some samples from this lens here: https://post.smzdm.com/p/a5kl5xkx/ It does have rangefinder focusing and M mount so maybe this is a different design…? This company may be in some way related to 7artisans. They denied it, but maybe they use the same factory.
>There was another interesting 35mm 1.4 lens released recently from a new company called “TTartisan”.
Interesting.
I doubt it’s a new company and I doubt it’s another lens.
It looks to me as if DJ-Optical is aiming for a new premium brand.
It says so right on the front decorative ring.
I think they learned a lesson with 35/2: no one cared until it was released in M-mount.
At least this is my speculation based on skepticism of brand new company casually rolling out a 35/1.4 as their first product.
The given specs make me think it is a different design but I agree in regard to the manufacturer.
Looks like they decided to split the brand. I saw on Facebook 75/1.25 under the brand name TTArtisan.
Good stuff, sir. Thanks for taking the time.
Thank you very much for this review! As always, it is very informative. After the quite positive review of 7artisans’ 1.4/28 lens, I wondered how their new 1.4/35 would perform; you gave the answer. It’s a pity that they did not create a lens as interesting as their 1.4/28 …
Best regards, Roman
I got my copy last week. After one das shooting I wanted to send it back, but decided to shoot a bit longer for better evaluating. After one week shooting I have to Congress that I now realy enjoy this small lens. Very nice haptics and pleasing pictures with a different personality than the usual modern optics. Don’t judge a Lens to fast before using it a bit longer!
Best Regards,
Reinhard
First of all, thanks for the review.
I recently bought the lens partly based on this review and have been using it the last few days, so I thought I can share my initial impressions.
I used it to take pictures of my (very non-cooperative) kid, mostly environmental portraits and everyday life, and although sometimes is challenging to focus, I still can get some pictures focused.
I agree it is definitely not a lens for everyone. It reminds me of a mid-range vintage lens in some ways. It is indeed soft, and if I compare it to my sony FE 2.8/ 24-70 GM, well, it looks really really soft and with a lot of aberrations. It is also clearly inferior technically to my Canon newFD 2.8/35mm. Especially the corners are terrible; the center is acceptable in my opinion, but still very far from sharp. The vignetting wide open is huge. But I don’t mind it all that. I find the construction quality amazing and I really enjoy the handling. Also, I really like that it’s an f1.4 lens and the reduced depth of field it gives. Contrary to what it says in the review, I don’t find the bokeh busy at f1.4, I actually find it quite smooth and I like it a lot. Maybe it’s just that I didn’t use it enough or in those situations where it can get busy, I don’t know, but so far I like the bokeh of the lens.
All in all, definitely not a generalist lens, and certainly it shouldn’t be the only 35mm to have in my opinion. I probable won’t use it a lot, but I do like the look it gives me and I’m pretty sure I’ll keep the lens, specially considering the low price.
Now one question (for you Phillip or for anyone reading this), considering I already have this lens, the Sony FE 2.8/24-70 GM, the Canon newFD 2.8/35mm, and the Fujifilm X100F (that have a 35mm equivalent lens), do you think it makes sense to buy the Samyang 35mm f1.4? I would like something with a wider aperture than my standard zoom, with nice bokeh and autofocus. I can’t afford the Sigma 35mm f1.2 right now, so the Samyang seems a good alternative.. but not sure if it makes sense to add another 35mm to be honest.
Cheers,
Josep
I think that samyang you will not like because it does not this give any of this swirly bokeh that you and me looks like very much like. I am looking more into voigtlander 1.4 35, and also other leica 35 1.4 lenses – for example summilux, or also 7artisans M leica version.
Is the Reviews still rolling? (sharpness section?)
While we wait for Phillip to finish the review, I can share with you my observations regarding sharpness of this lens.
I have been using it for about 6 months in differents scenarios and finally I have the lens figured out, I think (I didn’t do any formal test).
The sharpness at infinity is awful at any aperture (sharpness improves stopping down, but never really gets to acceptable levels). This lens is simply not usable for landscape (or astro) photography. At close portrait distance, 1-2 meters more or lesss, it’s a different story.. although not sharp is perfectably usable already at f1.4 at center and around (corners are quite bad, although much better than at infinity, but that’s not relevant for portraits), and it’s reasonably sharp as you stop down.
The bokeh, for backgraunds that are relatively close (shooting at home for instance), I find them quite smooth at 1.4 already, much more at f2. For distant and difficult backgrounds (when I take pictures of my kid at the park, with all the trees for instance), at f.14 the bokeh is very busy indeed and very distinctive (strong outlining at the bokeh balls). I do like the bohek at f1.4, but is definitely not for everyones taste. At f2 the bokeh is much smoother, and very pleasing in my opinion.
I recently read here the review of the 7artisans 50mm f1.1 (and bought it after reading it.. waiting for the lens to arrive), and the results of the review in terms of sharpness and bokeh are very similar to what I’ve observed with this 35mm f1.4 lens.
For close or mid-distance portraits I find an interesting and fun lens to use. For landscapes or street photography, I wouldn’t buy it.
Excellent reply.
Very interesting. I tried a Kipon 2,4/35 and it performed similarly. Would not really focus at infinity – mushy – couldn’t tell if it was focused or not – really confusing… But at closer distances it was really cool and the results were good to look at. Felt it was quite low resolution (filmic) but that added to its look. Ended up getting rid of it as I shoot mostly landscapes but it was annoying as it had a cool look and was so light.
Thank you. It is so refreshing to see a blunt, honest statement like “I wouldn’t buy it” for landscape photography. Unfortunately I did buy it. And I can report that you are 100% right.
Is this optic really using full frame or is it APS-C ?
Fullframe.
I bought it, and the heavy vignetting makes me almost completely sure that it is APS-C actually, also ebay descriptions agree with me https://www.ebay.de/itm/174796883368?hash=item28b2b4c5a8:g:nP0AAOSw-0pgwJOC
There is another version of this lens with red logo for Leica that is full frame
I am aware this is an old thread, but in case someone out there is still listening: Does anyone know what happened to the production of this lens? It is no longer on sale as of September 2022, and I believe it’s been like that for at least a couple of months. I find several quite positive reviews in YouTube (that is, reviews that accept the technical flaws but embrace the character), but very few discussions or opinions by users online. Any information as to what happened to this lense (why no longer is in production) is appreciated. Also, does anyone know whether this mirrorless design was different from the still-available 7artisans 35 1.4 for Leica-m mount? Thanks!
The lens is currently only available in its aspc version. As this is a lens made in China, its price in China is only $60 USD, which cannot bring sufficient profit to the company. This may be the reason why they abandoned this product. It must be said that there are many entry-level lenses priced below $100 USD in China right now, leading to intense competition. It is very common for many companies to be forced to abandon certain popular focal length products.
Hello, will there be a review of the Mark 2 Version of this Lens? There is one for Full Frame for a couple of cameras (Sony, Nikon etc.) http://en.7artisans.com/prod_view.aspx?nid=3&typeid=103&id=444
Hallo Michael, ich habe das 35 1.4 Mark 2 als FF seit zwei Wochen an einer Canon R8 zu hängen. Es sollte erst zurück gehen, aber es bleibt nun doch bei mir. Für den Außenbereiche würde ich es definitiv nicht nehmen, Low-light Portraits indoor gelingen sehr schön. Es ist nicht so Clean wie ein Canon RF 35 1 8. Es bedient sich gut, ist klein, leise, unauffällig, viele Fotos gelingen, hat aber auch die üblichen Macken der günstigen Objektive. Ein echtes Spielzeug was Spaß macht…
Für unendlich immer einen mm zurück drehen. Das gilt für viele MF Objekte, wird aber selten gemacht. Für 180 ist es noch OK…
Vielen Dank. Das klingt durchwachsen. Ich hatte gehofft, die zweite Version würde mehr Schwächen der 1. Version „ausbügeln“