7Artisans 18mm F5.6

The 7Artisans 18mm F5.6 is a full frame manual focus wide angle lens with a fixed aperture, offered for Sony E, Nikon Z and Leica L mount cameras. It is a very flat lens, aimed at travel and street photography where small size matters more than speed. 7Artisans describes it as a pick up and shoot design for varied lighting.

Optical design

The optical design has 7 elements in 5 groups. According to 7Artisans it includes 2 extra low dispersion elements, 1 aspherical element and high refraction glass. The aperture is fixed at F5.6, and the lens has no diaphragm blades. The angle of view is 98.7 degrees diagonal, 88.3 degrees horizontal and 72.3 degrees vertical. The closest focusing distance is 0.3 m.

Focusing and handling

Focusing is manual. With a fixed F5.6 aperture and an 18 mm focal length, the depth of field is large, so a rough focus setting covers a wide range of distances. There is no aperture ring because there is no iris to adjust, and exposure is controlled by shutter speed and ISO on the camera. The 49 mm filter thread accepts standard filters.

Build and size

The lens is made of metal. It measures 61 mm in diameter and 32 mm in length and weighs about 146 g on Sony E. Together these numbers make it one of the smallest full frame wide angles in the database.

Where it fits

Within the same maker's range in the database, the 7artisans Photoelectric 15mm f/4 is a wider manual option. For full frame wide angles with autofocus and a brighter aperture, the Samyang AF 18mm F2.8 FE for Sony E and the Zeiss Batis 18mm F2.8 are alternatives on that system, and the Panasonic Lumix S 18mm F1.8 is the L mount counterpart. These are larger and heavier than the 7Artisans lens, which trades speed and autofocus for size.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Very small and light: 61 mm by 32 mm and about 146 g
• Full frame coverage with a 98.7 degree diagonal angle of view
• Closest focusing distance of 0.3 m
• Metal body and a 49 mm filter thread
• Available for Sony E, Nikon Z and Leica L

Cons

• Fixed F5.6 aperture, no aperture control on the lens
• Manual focus only
• F5.6 is slow for low light and for shallow depth of field

Verdict

The 18mm F5.6 is a compact full frame wide angle for users who accept a fixed aperture and manual focus. Its data are simple, and the small size and low weight are its strongest points. Photographers who need a bright aperture or autofocus should look at the larger lenses listed above.