7Artisans 35mm f/5.6 pancake lens for Z-mount

[BF Hammer]

This won't be an in-depth review, but let's dive in and see some actual real-world photos and try to compare to a baseline Nikon lens.

7Artisans 35mm f/5.6 full-frame lens for mirrorless. This is a full manual pancake-style lens with a fixed f/5.6 aperture. No AI, manual focus and an integrated front lens cover that deploys as you focus past infinity. These normally are retailing around $100, but discounts are frequently available. I'm invested for under $60 with a used lens.

I am not going to bother talking about using it much. It's full manual. You can create a non-CPU lens entry in a Nikon Z camera set to 35mm and f/5.6 max aperture. This does allow you to use Aperture-Priority mode, but you cannot adjust the aperture. The camera reports F-.- as you use it, but it does meter and adjust the shutter speed and ISO if you are set to auto. Focus peaking works and really helps you out here. It feels heavier than you might expect with more metal than plastic in construction.

But keep in mind it is a cheap Chinese lens with serious limitations. However I am going to say it is not terrible. It's not bad either. I give it an OK.

Next I'm going to create sub posts with photos I took with some sunlight at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (Wisconsin). I also switched to my Nikon Z24-70mm f/4 and took comparison photos at f/5.6 adjusted to 36mm. This should give a fair comparison.

 

[BF Hammer]

A steel sculpture, first the jpeg files straight from camera and resized smaller.

Now the RAW images from both lenses with the full adjustments I would normally make.

And I am cropping in to 1:1 for pixel-peeping the details.

So apologies for not noticing that I had Exposure Compensation adjusted +2/3 stop as I took all my photos. I corrected that in the post of the RAW files.

I am seeing some light vignetting on the 7Artisans lens, and the color tends to be cooler. But I do not see a reason to complain about sharpness ore even the contrast really.

 

[BF Hammer]

Different angle on the scupture with the full scene. No 1:1 crops here. Starting with the unaltered jpeg files and then the fully processed RAW files.

With the sun behind clouds here, less differences are there to see.

 

[BF Hammer]

And here I overlook the marsh. Just the 7Artisans lens, other visitors blocked the scene as I changed lenses.

I pretty much nailed focus on this Little Library and it shows on the 1:1. Pretty nice for what is basically a novelty lens.

Briefly, I do have a purpose in mind for this lens. It's compact, and makes the Z5 not much larger than my Panasonic Lumix point-n-shoot in this configuration. Especially if I remove the L-bracket. But the bigger purpose I am trying out is that I want to stop transporting my camera using my backpack case with big, heavy telephoto lenses attached. I know, I could just use a Z body cap. But I have a bad way of misplacing those for days or weeks at a time. Think of this lens as a body cap I can take photos with. When I set-up at location, I just transplant the rear cap from the lens I'm intending to use to this lens and it has a home without getting misplaced (I hope).