7artisans 25mm f1.8 Lens Fujifilm X-Mount First Impressions

7artisans 25mm f1.8 Lens Fujifilm X-Mount First Impressions:

Being that this is Memorial Day weekend, I’ll make this short and sweet.  I finished my Fuji XF 80mm f2.8 Macro review, and I will post it in the beginning of next week but now, I’m going to talk to you a little about the Photoelectric 25mm f1.8 by 7artisans.  Why is this anything special?  The truth is, there are plenty of 25mm lenses that we can use on the Fuji X Series bodies.  Well, for one, this specific lens comes in at less than $70.  I have to say, I haven’t felt the need for a 25mm lens but at this price, even I’m tempted to buy one :).  So let’s take a closer look at it.

For $70, I didn’t really know what to expect but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall feel of the lens when I first took it out of the box.  Sure, there are lenses built better but for this price, it’s pretty decent.  For one, you’re getting an all metal body that comes in either black or silver.  It feels pretty tight overall with no loose parts or any play, at least from what I’ve experienced so far.  The focus ring is very smooth with just the right amount of resistance to help with precise focusing.  Unfortunately (at least for me), the 7artisans 25mm f1.8 has a de-clicked aperture ring.  It is equally as smooth as the focus ring though.

When the 7artisans Photoelectric 25mm f1.8 is mounted on my X-T2, the combo feels great because it’s really well-balanced.  Weight wise and size, it really is nice on the X-T2.  It’s great on the other Fuji bodies as well (I’ve tried it on an X-E1 as well).  My X-T2 almost feels pocketable yet at the same time, the lens doesn’t feel so compact that its hard to use.  In fact, the 7artisans 25mm f1.8 is one of the easiest lenses to manually focus in my opinion.  Focusing is quick thanks in part to a short focus throw.

Image wise, this lens is pretty sharp at least in the center.  Of course, when you stop it down, sharpness does get better especially in the corners.  Color also seems pretty good with okay contrast.  The optics don’t quite measure up to Fuji branded lenses but I think a lot of us assumed that; nevertheless, it’s better than I thought it would be that’s for sure.  You can definitely still get great results, and unlike the Fuji branded lenses, the 7artisan 25mm f1.8 comes in at less than $100.

So, I’ll post a review soon with more details about the lens and of course, pics to back it up.  What I particularly like about the 7artisans Photoelectric 25mm f1.8, is how handy and fun it is to shoot with.  I can’t get over it; I love the size and weight of this lens.  It’s such a nice match for the Fuji bodies :).  Given the price, I can also see this as a lens for someone who may want to experiment with manual focus lenses but isn’t necessarily ready to put down a lot of money for a manual lens.  Anyway, more soon, and thanks for stopping by.  Have a great weekend!

10 comments… add one
  • Finally you get the 7 artisan lens 😀
    Look positive….btw get the 35 1.2,it will be interesting.

    • Patrick Link Reply

      Hi Meng!

      Yes, I finally got one lol…well, on loan at least :). Maybe I will try the 35mm f1.2 next time although I’m tempted by the 55mm f1.4. Have you seen that?

      Best,

      Patrick

      • Hello patrickmu definitely should test the 35 1.2 😁.
        The 55 1.4 have alot of positive review but i have alot of 50s already.along with Fujinon 56. So did not put much attention on it.

      • Patrick Link

        Hi Meng!

        The 35mm will have to be next on my list then! Currently, I may be getting the 55mm first. It might be fun comparing it to the XF 56mm f1.2 APD :). I also have plans to finally post my Leica 90mm Summicron-SL review. I will also have to post my M10 review soon.

        Best,

        Patrick

  • Hello Patrick
    As a huge fan of manual shooting with all it’s high and low results i am really interested in this lens because it’s hard to find the same focal on vintage lens, I can’t wait to see your review to know if it’s worth buying one to equip my XE-1

    • Patrick Link Reply

      Hi Cedric!

      Great to hear from you! I’ll be posting the review pretty soon…right after my XF 80mm review, so probably either the end of this week or next week. It’s a nice little lens…it has its faults but it’s easy to use, it can deliver decent results, and it comes with a very nice price :).

      Best,

      Patrick

  • Nigel Link Reply

    Thanks for your write up, I’ll look forward to your full review. I haven’t tried the 25mm but I’ve got the 12mm f2.8 which although far from perfect I love it. This came in at around 130euros which is a bargain & it pretty much lives on my x-t1. Cheers

    • Patrick Link Reply

      Hi Nigel,

      Appreciate you stopping by! This is actually my first 7artisan lens that I’ve tried, and I like it. Like you said, far from perfect but the price is hard to argue with. I’ll have the review out either at the end of the week or next week. Talk to you soon!

      Best,

      Patrick

  • Fatih ARAT Link Reply

    Hi Mr. Leong,

    Thank you very much, i’m waiting for the detailed review. I’m using this lens all-day with my X-E1 camera. I can say i’m not using my XF 35mm f1.4 anymore. I noticed the quality difference, XF35mm is extremely sharp and correct in every corner of course, but i realize that my focal length is this 25mm lens 🙂 It can be the leader of the price/performance chart.

    But i have some difficulties with focusing on this lens. For precise focusing i should always press the magnification button, and while i’m focusing i miss the whole frame 🙂 Then i’m going back to full view, framing again, then press the magnification, focusing, full view again, …..

    I heard that X-T1 and X-T2 has split screen mode in viewfinder, which displays the full view in the left of the viewfinder, and split the the view with vertical line, in the right it displays the 10x magnified center of the image.

    Which way do you use for fast precise focusing with your manual lenses? If the X-T1 will make it easier for me, i’ll consider to buy one.

    Thank you so much!

    • Patrick Link Reply

      Hi Fatih!

      I hope you’re doing well. My review should come out soon…probably next week.

      With a lens of this focal length, I shoot it a lot with smaller aperture settings. So most of the time, focus peaking works fine with me, and with a little practice, it gets quicker. However, for the times when I am shooting wide open, I found focus peaking isn’t enough; so I’ll magnify the image in the viewfinder, and use it with focus peaking. The split screen is a personal preference; some will like it, and depending on the situation, it can be beneficial but I personally don’t use it much.

      So, my suggestion is to go to a store, and give an X-T2 or X-T1 a try, and see if you’re comfortable with the split screen feature. If it works out for you, it might be worth upgrading to an X-T1. I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions, please feek free to ask. It’s good to hear from you!

      Best,

      Patrick

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