What I used to help me focus was the X-T2’s focusing peaking but there were times when I had to use a combination of focus peaking, and the magnification feature. Portraits, for example, were an area where I found the magnification feature super helpful when I was shooting at f1.4, and I wanted to make sure the eyes were sharp. Of course, with practice, focusing does get easier and quicker.
7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 Lens Image Quality:
Now, let’s talk about the image quality. The 7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 isn’t perfect, and for the price, I wasn’t expecting it to be. For one, there is the occasional flare. There’s also definitely vignetting at f1.4. Stopping down does, of course, help. By f4 nearly all of it is gone. The corners and edges are also definitely a weakness. There is some softness and even a little smearing going on but stopping down to just f2 does help quite a bit. Most of it is gone by f4 but if you want the corners to be nearly perfect, I found I had to stop down to f8.
↑ This is a really handy lens. It’s a portrait lens but it’s great for all types of photography.
↑ I took this while in the car. I wasn’t driving, of course :].
↑ This was taken at f1.4. As you can see, there is definitely some vignetting going on here.
With all that said, I have to say, I was still impressed by the image quality. Why was I impressed? Because I seriously think the image quality is great for a fast short tele costing just $119. I have not tried all their lenses yet but so far, this is my favorite 7artisans lens. It’s very sharp in the center even at f1.4, and sharpness does get better as you stop down. There’s decent contrast and color accuracy is good. It definitely isn’t as optically blessed as say the XF 56mm f1.2 but I never expected it to be; the XF 56mm is better in pretty much every regard but then again, it also costs so much more. For the price, I feel like you’re getting a pretty decent deal here. Often times, these fast short teles can be quite expensive, and it’s just nice to have one on the market that still produces very decent image quality all while being more accessible in terms of price. Just because you might not get optical perfection does not mean you won’t get great photos, which this lens will happily produce.
↑ Stop this lens down a bit, and it performs very well.
↑ Nice color, and very sharp.
↑ Here’s a picture taken at f1.4.
As for bokeh, with a rounded 14-blade diaphragm, you’re going to get some great shallow depth of field shots. In addition to the low light performance, it’s pretty much a given that photographers are buying this lens to take full advantage of the large aperture in an aesthetic way, and they very well should because I found the bokeh to be ultra creamy and smooth with no harshness. The 7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 does not produce an old school look meaning you’re not going to get those crazy painterly-like effects that you might often see from lenses from the 1950s for instance; it’s a little more modern but it’s still a really nice look. The background just melts away beautifully.
↑Here’s another photo taken at f1.4. The bokeh is very smooth.
↑ Here’s another photo taken at f1.4.
↑Here’s another example of the bokeh at f1.4.
↑Here’s one more.
7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 Lens Pros And Cons:
7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 Lens Pros:
- Made well considering the price.
- Ultra Compact.
- Great image quality for the price.
- Large maximum aperture.
- Great bokeh.
- Comes in several different mounts, so no need for adapters.
- A short fast tele that’s great for portraits for $119.
7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 Lens Cons:
- Vignetting and some softness in corners at larger apertures.
7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 Lens Verdict:
My verdict is if you’re looking for a short telephoto lens that also has a large maximum aperture, and you don’t want to spend a ton of cash, the 7artisans Photoelectric 55mm f1.4 is a lens that you should definitely consider. It’s not perfect but honestly, who cares because it’s an accessible fast tele that will still produce great results. You’ll get beautifully bokehlicious shots. You’ll have a fast lens for working in low light. In the end, you’re not only going to get some decent keepers, you’re going to have a ton of fun with using this lens. I definitely did.
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Are 7Artisans lenses any good?
7Artisans has become well known for producing some of the most affordable lenses available to photographers. While that sometimes means significant compromises in performance or image quality, their 15mm f/4 lens offers rather impressive results while still coming in at a very low cost. Is it the right lens for you?
Why are 7Artisans so cheap?
Why are lenses such as 7Artisan and Mieke so cheap? Question: Why are lenses such as 7Artisan and Mieke so cheap? They are Chinese brands with cheap labour and relatively simple but solid construction. Consider that these lens manufacturers make just a very limited amount of lenses for a wide variety of camera mounts.
What is the best 7Artisans portrait lens?
7artisans 35mm f/0.95 This lens is best suited for portraits, food, and product photography, but it can also be used for travel and landscape photography. Here are some of my sample photos taken with this lens, and what I like best about it is the super bokeh effect it delivers.
Where are 7Artisans lenses made?
7Artisans is a lens manufacturer based in Shenzhen, China. Founded by a group of camera enthusiasts in 2015, 7Artisans made its name with a range of affordable, very fast aperture manual focus prime lenses for mirrorless mounts, including Leica M.