7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8 Lite

The 7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8 Lite is a compact, lightweight autofocus lens that is designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras, with mounts available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z cameras. On an APS-C mirrorless, the lens has a focal length of 75mm, which is the standard short telephoto length that is ideal for portraits, street photography with a hint of telephoto compression, products, low-light scenes, and video shoots that require the isolation of subjects.

Portability is the main focus of the 7Artisans AF 50mm F1.8 Lite, as it weighs just 183 g, or 6.5 oz, with an approximate diameter of 67 mm, length of 51 mm, and the same compact dimensions as the other 7Artisans Lite lenses, namely 25 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, making it possible to easily swap this lens with the other Lite lenses while keeping the overall camera kit light, ideal for traveling, carrying, and using with the compact APS-C mirrorless cameras like the Sony ZV-E10, Fujifilm X-E series, Nikon Z fc, without the problem of front heaviness.

The body features a metal barrel that is appropriate given the low weight, with a simple control set that features an aperture control ring with 1/3-stop increments from f/1.8 to f/16, a physical AF/MF toggle, and a stepper motor-driven STM autofocus system that features eye/face detection and tracking on compatible cameras. The lens has a close focus limit of 0.45 m (17.7 inches), so it has a maximum magnification ratio of 0.1 to 0.12x, and features standard 58mm filter thread that is shared with other lenses in this series, so users can easily share lenses with other owners of lenses in this series. A small petal hood is also included.

There is no weather-sealing beyond a basic mount gasket, no de-clickable aperture control for videographers, and no USB-C update port, as this is a stripped-down “Lite” version. The lens is intended as a starter lens or as a low-cost autofocus 75mm equivalent lens on a crop-sensor camera, with a price that is usually in the range $129 to $159, depending on the mount.

The image quality is quite good considering this is a low-cost lens, with excellent center sharpness and pleasing subject separation at f/1.8, with soft edges and corners that improve significantly at f/2.8 through f/4. The lens has smooth out-of-focus areas due to a 9-bladed aperture, but on-camera onion-ring effects can sometimes be seen with cat’s eye effects in complex backgrounds when using wide aperture settings.

Purchase

Purchase the 7Artisans 50mm f/1.8 Lite for Sony E and Fujifilm X

Lens Construction and Optics

The lens has 8 elements in 6 groups with HR glass elements that assist in controlling spherical aberration, chromatic aberration, and distortion while ensuring that the lens is small and lightweight. The lens has anti-reflectance coatings that reduce flare and ensure contrast in bright lighting conditions. The lens has a 9-bladed rounded diaphragm that makes out-of-focus areas smooth, considering that it is a low-cost lens. The lens has a stepper motor that is quiet, ensuring that the lens length does not change when focusing. The lens has a metal barrel that is sturdy with a small rubber gasket on the mount that provides some dust protection. The lens has a simple optical and mechanical design that makes it sharp in the center at f/1.8, with decent color rendition and contrast suitable for APS-C portrait and street photography. The lens is soft in the corners when used wide open but improves at f/4-f/5.6. The lens is sufficient but not great, considering that it is a low-cost lens.

Specifications