{"id":18031,"date":"2019-04-25T19:09:01","date_gmt":"2019-04-25T18:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=18031"},"modified":"2024-04-21T13:45:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-21T12:45:30","slug":"7artisans-50mm-f-1-1-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/7artisans-50mm-f-1-1-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: 7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 – Fast, cheap but also good?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 with cap<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 is a very cheap super fast 50 mm lens that hit the market in 2017. The price of only $370 makes it very attractive for those who want a super fast lens but have a limited budget, but how well does it perform?<\/p>\n

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7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 | f\/1.1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 | f\/1.1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 | f\/1.1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Specifications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Diameter<\/td>\n60 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Length<\/td>\n49mm (focused at infinity)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Filter Thread<\/td>\n55 mm (metal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>\n400 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Close focusing distance<\/td>\n0.7 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of aperture blades<\/td>\n13 (rounded)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elements\/Groups<\/td>\n7\/6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

You can buy the 7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 for 370$ or 396\u20ac at Amazon.com*<\/a> | Ebay.com*<\/a> | Ebay.de*<\/a> | BHphotovideo.com*<\/a> |
\n*Affiliate links, if you decide to buy something via these links I will earn a small commission. This doesn’t cost you any extra and helps us to run the blog \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Disclosure<\/em><\/h1>\n

A review sample of the lens was send to me by 7Artisans to use it for this review. I decided to buy it from them as I really enjoyed using it \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n

Build quality and handling<\/h2>\n

The 7Artisans 50mm f\/1.1 feels very nice. The lens is made from metal and glass only and feels very dense. With 400 gram I would not call it light but it is much lighter than the competition.
\nAll markings are engraved and filled with paint.
\nThe lens does come with nice metal cap, a hood is absent though.<\/p>\n

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The focus ring has a very nice resistance and feels great, though the focus throw is very short and only about 45 degrees. This makes focusing precisely more of a challenge. Especially at f\/1.1 it is quite hard to nail focus on the eyes. Luckily the resistance of the focus ring is high enough and if one has some patience you can get the focus right.
\nThe aperture ring is click less but feels nice although not as nice as the focus ring. Resistance is high enough to prevent changing the aperture unintentionally.<\/p>\n

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All in all the lens feels really good, much better than I would have ever expected for its price! The lens is balanced very well on my A7ii and together they are a nice and small package.
\nAs I only have used the lens for a short period now it is hard to tell how durable it is. There are some reports about the focus ring getting loose, but this is supposed be fixed easily by tightening a few screws.
\nIn the box were also included: a self adhesive focus tab and a screw driver+chart to calibrate it when using this lens on a rangefinder camera.
\nRick<\/a>, thank you for helping me out with the sample pictures!<\/p>\n

Adapting to Sony E-mount<\/h2>\n

The 7Artisans comes in Leica M mount, to use it on an a7 series body one needs an Leica M to Sony E adapter. Considering its MFD of 70 cm a close focus adapter like this one<\/a> would give you more flexibility.<\/p>\n

Vignetting<\/h2>\n

\"vignetting<\/p>\n

Vignetting wide open focused at infinity is really excessive. At f\/1.1 it is a whopping 4.1 stops. Stopping down to f\/1.4 reduces vignetting to 3 stops, at f\/2 it is 2.5 stops and at f\/2.8 still 2 stops.<\/p>\n

Near MFD vignetting is much less of a problem though. At 2 m it is 3.1 stops at f\/1.1, at MFD (0.7 m) vignetting is 2.5 stops at f\/1.1.<\/p>\n

Except for vignetting at f\/1.1 these a bit worse than the competition but not too bad. Luckily at portrait distances vignetting is quite a bit less. I think these vignetting numbers are a compromise of keeping size down.<\/p>\n

Sharpness<\/h2>\n

Off center sharpness near infinity is simply terrible on the A7II. It takes f\/16 and carefully focusing on the midframe to get usable across the frame sharpness. Therefore you will not find an infinity sharpness test like usual.
\nBetween MFD and at half body portrait distance, sharpness is much better. The best sharpness near the corners and edges of the frame can be obtained around 1.1-1.3 m distance when focusing on these areas. Closer to MFD the edges of the frame become worse again.
\nBelow you can find a few tests for resolution at typical portrait distances.<\/p>\n

2.3 meters<\/strong>, focused at the subject and refocused for every photo:<\/p>\n

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