7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 Full Frame Lens Review
35mm is one of my favorite focal lengths, so I was happy to get the chance to test this lens out. I had never used a 7Artisans lens before, so I really had no expectations going into this.
I knew that third-party lens manufacturers are typically seen as creating inferior glass at a much more affordable price point compared to the big camera brands. I was pleased with the build quality, optics, and performance of this lens, which comes in at less than half the price of comparable lenses by Sony and the other camera manufacturers.
If you’re looking for an affordable 35mm lens with a wide aperture, the 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 is a compelling option. I go into more details in this 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 Full Frame Lens review.
Specifications
- Focal Length: 35mm
- Aperture Range: f/1.8-f/16
- Frame Type: Full Frame
- Optical Construction: 11 Elements in 8 Groups
- Diaphragm Blades: 11 pcs
- Lens Type: Standard Prime Lens
- Lens Material: Metal
- Focus Range: 0.4m-∞
- Filter Size: Ø62mm
- Angle of View: 64°
- Weight: 426 grams
- Focusing: Autofocus/Manual
Build Quality and Handling
When I took the 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 out of the box, I immediately noticed the metal build. Despite the low price tag, the build feels premium because of the metal casing. A lot of camera manufacturers use plastic for their casings, even for their top-of-the-line lenses. Some say that plastic lenses are more durable because the material flexes on impact when dropped. I assume that another big reason for using plastic for lenses is that it’s more cost-effective.
To me, though, metal feels higher quality. I also don’t know how much of a difference it’s going to make if you drop a lens made of metal vs. plastic. Either way, it’s not something I want to do because even if the lens appears fine from the outside, the glass on the inside could have been affected, which changes its optics, even if minimal.
So if I have the choice between the two, I’m going with metal. I like how the lens looks and feels. It looks like a professional tool and I would have no qualms with using it for my professional work as a photographer in Kansas City.
One gripe I have with the lens is its size. Having a small and light setup is a big issue for me, and I’d prefer for this lens to be both smaller and lighter. The 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 measures 72mm by 94mm, or 2.8 inches by 3.7 inches. By comparison, Sony’s 35mm f/1.8 full frame lens has dimensions of 2.58″ x 2.87″, or, 65.6mm x 73 mm. That makes the 7Artisans lens an inch longer. In the grand scheme of things that’s not much, but when you want your gear to take up as little space as possible and be discreet, it does make a difference.
Another thing to consider is the weight. The 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 weighs 426 grams (~.94 pounds) versus 281 grams (~.62) for the Sony 35mm f/1.8. This is a bit of a nit-pick, because when you pick the 7Artisans lens up, it feels pretty light and maneuverable. When I compare it to say, my Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8, there’s no comparison; the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.8 feels great compared to a legitimately heavy lens like that. It’s on long days out when I feel the weight in my hands and fingers. I recently took the 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 to the Kansas State Fair, and it was a full day of photographing, from morning to night. The weight was manageable, and my hands weren’t in much pain, but of course, I’d take a lighter weight if it were possible.
In regard to the buttons of this lens, there’s a customizable button and an AF/Manual focus switch. The manual focusing has a typical feel that focus-by-wire lenses have. There’s an aperture ring on the lens, but it’s not clickable, so I prefer to adjust the aperture in-camera.
Autofocus Performance
I used the 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8 with my Sony a7 III. From my experience with the lens, I thought the autofocusing performance was fast and accurate in most lighting situations.
In low light, the focusing is a bit slower. The lens wouldn’t hunt back and forth, but rather just take a bit longer to zero in on what I set the focus point to.
I’ve noticed that there have been plenty of third-party manual focus lenses for Sony for quite some time. It seems like in recent years, though, that third-party manufacturers are really ramping up their production of autofocus lenses. I wasn’t expecting much from the autofocus of the 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8, but it turned out to be solid and reliable.
Image Quality
I’ve been
Sample Photos from The 7Artisans AF 35mm F1.8
Sharpness Test
The lens is pretty sharp throughout the aperture range. It’s slightly softer at f/1.8 through f/2.8. It’s very sharp from f/4-f/8. Diffraction is noticeable from f/11 to f/16.
The images below are with the focus point in the middle of the frame:
f/1.8
f/2
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
The images below go through the same aperture range, but with the focus point set to the corner:
f/1.8
f/2
f/2.8
f/4
f/5.6
f/8
f/11
f/16
Wide Open Sample Images
Flare
I think the lens handles flare pretty well for the most part. Some ghosting does occur in extreme cases. You can get some decent sun star effects when you stop down to f/11 or smaller.
f/8
f/11
f/8
f/8
Final Thoughts
It took me an obscenely long amount of time to get this review out. 7Artisans sent me this lens back in September 2025, I think, and I’m just now publishing this full review on February 1st, 2026.
This is a good lens, and it’s well worth the very modest price tag. I haven’t shot with Sony’s equivalent 35mm f/1.8, but based on what I’ve seen, I think the image quality is close to or on par with that lens, and the 7Artisan’s lens is a third of the price.
The autofocusing of the 7Artisans 35mm f/1.8 has room for improvement in low light. It can hunt. In outdoor daylight situations, the autofocus speed and accuracy were very reliable.
This is the type of lens that is versatile enough to be your daily driver, but can also work in professional contexts. For me, I’ve enjoyed using it for documenting. It’s on the larger size, though, which makes me avoid using it as a daily lens, but I prefer to keep things as compact as possible. If you don’t mind carrying around larger gear for daily photography or dedicated photography, this lens gives you good performance at a very affordable cost.
