7Artisan’s Lite series aims to make mirrorless more compact – and the brand’s newest 40mm tips the scale at just 3.2 oz / 90g. The 7Artisan AF 40mm f/2.5 FE is a new budget pancake for full-frame Sony E-Mount and, despite the price, the compact prime still offers autofocus.
Introduced at CP+, the 7Artisans AF 40mm f/2.5 is a budget prime lens that’s focused on a retro but lightweight design. At 1.6 inches / 40mm tall, the lens is a bit larger than some of the brand’s tiniest pancakes, but crams autofocus and an f/2.5 aperture into a lightweight travel lens.
Interestingly, the lens is designed for full-frame, but the three previously announced Lite series lenses were made for APS-C.
The lens sits between the 35mm and 50mm members of the brand’s Lite series, but narrows the aperture a bit from f/1.8 to an f/2.5. That narrower aperture is likely a tradeoff for the smaller size, as the 40mm is significantly lighter than the 50mm from the same series, which weighs 6.3 oz / 178g.
The company says that the lens “fits in your hand, disappears on your camera,” so it sounds like the size was definitely a focus for the design. 7Artisan also says that design favors retro lines. Control-wise, there’s an aperture ring, a focus ring, a function button, and an auto-to-manual focus switch.
The 40mm is designed for more everyday storytelling, the brand says – and 7Artisans is even advertising less-than-perfect bokeh, saying that the lens has a subtle bubble bokeh effect, which some balk at, and others may find creative.
The lens uses an STM motor for autofocus, which is good as close as 0.4m from the front of the lens.
The Sony E-Mount already has lots of 40mm prime options to choose from, which is why, outside of the small size, the lens’ price is arguably one of its biggest features. The 7Artisans AF 40mm F/2.5 Lite retails for $159. International pricing has not yet been announced, but that converts to roughly £118 / AU$225 / CA$218.
The lens is already available for shipping from 7Artisans, but has already begun popping up at retailers, including Amazon and B&H in the US.
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