It seems that between 7aritsans and TTArtisan, one will have a new lens out at least every week. Today it's the turn of 7artisans with its new 18mm f/5.6 optic. (note: this isn't to be confused with 7artisan's existing 18mm lens, which is an APS-C f/6.3 lens).
The new full-frame 18mm f/5.6 will be available in Sony E, Nikon Z, and L-mount versions and is exceptionally compact and light. The E-mount edition tips the scales at only 146g, while its 61mm diameter and 32mm depth pretty much qualify it as a pancake lens. Despite the low weight, the barrel and mount are made of metal, and inside is a 7-element optical stack arranged in 5 groups, containing two extra-low dispersion elements and an aspherical element. Focussing is possible down to 0.3m, with the 18mm focal length giving a 98.7-degree angle of view.
There are a few compromises that have been made to make the lens so small and light, however. The aperture is fixed at f/5.6, though the excellent high ISO performance of modern mirrorless cameras can effectively compensate for this. Focussing is manual only, and there are no electronic contacts to enable lens-body communication. But again, this needn't be a deal-breaker, as the deep depth of field afforded by the short focal length and relatively narrow fixed aperture means manual focussing shouldn't be too critical.
The 7artisans 18mm f/5.6 will be available to buy from January 15th, priced at $89.
Pre-order Sony-fit from Amazon US
Pre-order Nikon-fit from Amazon US
