7Artisans 40mm f/2.5: Remarkable Performance for The Price

I love small prime lenses and cameras for travel and street photography, so I was curious to test the new 40mm f/2.5 from 7Artisans. It's a tiny full frame lens for Nikon Z cameras, weighing a mere 97 g and measuring just 2 inches long. And at $159, it's also considerably cheaper than Nikon's 170 g NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2, which currently sells for around $277. Sony E and L-Mount versions are also available.

There are some obvious differences between the two. The Nikon is about two-thirds of a stop faster and has a minimum focus distance of 11.4 inches compared to the 7Artisans' 15.7 inches. But the 7Artisans has a few features that I find particularly appealing.

The 7Artisans uses a metal lens mount. The NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 uses a plastic mount. I'm not suggesting the Nikon's mount is going to fall apart, but I do prefer metal mounts, particularly on a lens that's likely to spend its life continuously going on and off a camera and being carried around everywhere.

The 7Artisans also has an aperture ring, a programmable function button, and, most importantly for me, an AF/MF switch. This last feature might not sound particularly exciting, but I think it's one of the things that makes this lens useful for street photography.

I recently reviewed the Viltrox 40mm f/2.5 Z, which is another inexpensive 40mm autofocus lens. The 7Artisans has an advantage for the way I like to work because I can autofocus normally and then simply flick the switch to manual focus when I want to lock the focus. If I'm walking around photographing the street, that can be very useful.

The ability to change aperture on the lens is a nice feature too.

40mm is a focal length I’m really liking these days. I’ve always called it the “compromise focal length.” It's a little wider than the 50mm I've traditionally used, but not as obviously wide as 28mm or 35mm. It gives me enough room to include some of the environment while still allowing me to isolate a person or detail when I need to.

It's also a very compact combination. Put this lens on a small Nikon Z body and you've got a camera that's easy to carry all day. I popped it on my Nikon Z6III and went to the local fall fair to see how it performs as an “EDC” lens, shooting a variety of subjects. I was very impressed.

Optically, this little lens isn't going to compete with an expensive professional prime, nor should we expect it to at this price. Although, it’s not far off. It's reasonably sharp in the center at maximum aperture and improves when stopped down. There is some vignetting at f/2.5, which is a non-issue, chromatic aberration is handled very well, and there’s a lovely highlight roll-off when shooting into bright light. Background blur is very nicely rendered when shooting wide open—there’s a little character, which is appealing.

One thing I noticed is blooming when shooting a dark scene with a bright area. A dark building interior with an open door leading to bright daylight in the background, for example. The intense patch of light creates a lovely dreamy diffusion. I really like it; it’s like having a built-in mist filter.

A lens like this doesn't need to be optically perfect to be useful. In fact, I rather like the idea of a small, inexpensive lens that encourages me to get out and photograph rather than worrying about whether I've got the technically best lens available. And that's perhaps the most important thing about the 7Artisans 40mm f/2.5.

• Focal Length: 40mm
• Maximum Aperture: f/2.5
• Minimum Aperture: f/16
• Lens Mount: Nikon Z / Sony E / L-Mount
• Format Coverage: Full Frame
• Minimum Focus Distance: 15.7 inches / 0.4 m
• Optical Design: 7 elements in 6 groups
• Aperture Blades: 9
• Focus: Autofocus with AF/MF switch
• Filter Size: 46 mm

Conclusion

It's an inexpensive, tiny lens that gives you autofocus when you want it, manual focus when you want it, a physical aperture ring, and a metal mount.

For me, the AF/MF switch is the standout feature, something not enough of these new AF lenses have. It makes this a particularly interesting option for street photography, where being able to switch quickly between autofocus and a preset manual focus distance can be more useful than having another fraction of a stop of aperture.

Is it better than Nikon's 40mm f/2? Not necessarily. It's different. I prefer it because it’s considerably less expensive, with a metal mount and some useful physical controls.

The 7Artisans 40mm f/2.5 deserves a serious look if you're after a small, everyday budget lens for Nikon Z.

40mm really is a great everyday focal length, and I think this is one of the best deals on the market right now. It gets a 9/10.