7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens Review

7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens Review:

If you’re in the market for a large aperture lens for taking photos in dimly lit areas or for ultra shallow depth of field work, there are plenty to choose from these days that are also reasonably priced for what you’re getting.  For instance, 7artisans has some cool lenses, and if you’re with the Fujifilm X-Series system, you might want to take a look at the Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 lens.  With such a large maximum aperture, this lens is quite flexible as to what it can shoot, and how it can render an image.  I had the opportunity to give this lens a try with my Fuji X-T3, and here’s what I think of it.

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7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens Build Quality:

So, let’s take a closer look at the lens starting with the overall build.  I’m happy to report that the 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens is one solid piece of glass.  The lens is all metal, and has a very nice, hefty feel to it.  To top it off, the focus ring is extremely smooth, with a nice, dampened feel, which is great for critical focusing, especially at f0.95.  The lens also has an aperture ring but for those who prefer a clicking type like me, I have some not so great news.  It’s a de-clicked version but the good news is it’s still just as smooth in terms of feel as the focus ring.  The only thing is, if you plan on shooting at f0.95, just double check it is at the wide open setting because, at least from my experience, it has a tendency to move off of 0.95 just a slight bit.  But it’s not a huge deal and overall, this lens is really beautifully made, especially when you consider it costs just $249.  That is not only significantly cheaper than Fujifilm’s own 35mm f1.4, it’s even slightly lower in price than the f2 version as well.  This lens could easily pass for something that costs a lot more.

↑ The 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens attached to the Fuji X-T3.

Ergonomically, this lens is also very impressive.  One downside too many large aperture lenses is the size.  To suck in all that light, they tend to be larger than their smaller maximum aperture siblings.  The 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens is not only a lens with a max aperture of f0.95, it’s also about the size of Fujifilm’s own 35mm f1.4 lens.  This means several things: for one, it is easier to carry around all day.  Besides the compact size, it weighs only 369 g, so you won’t be tired because you’re lugging around something huge.  Therefore, you will probably take it out with you  to shoot more often, especially since it balances beautifully on a Fujifilm body.

↑ The lens cap is metal and felt lined inside.

The other great thing about its size is it can still be discreet, and unobtrusive for activities like street shooting where stealth can often be the key to some great images.  This lens is so compact that I think the silver color of my X-T3 attracts more attention than the lens itself.  The lens is also great for candid portrait work because it’s not as intimidating as a larger lens.  The person you’re photographing won’t just see all glass staring back at them.

7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens Focusing:

As for focusing, it’s all done manually, which is probably also why they were able to keep the size of the lens down.  It’s something you either enjoy or don’t enjoy.  I’ve done enough manual focusing to last me a lifetime when I was a Leica M user, so truthfully, I am not a fan haha but it’s still not as difficult as it may seem.  In other words, don’t get intimidated by the f0.95 aperture.

One reason for this is because the focus throw is short, so it’s something that can even be used for daily shooting.  In other words, even though some may think this is more of a specialty lens because of the f0.95 aperture, it’s not a lens that is just reserved for specific moments.  Yes, it can be used for those special moments but it’s also something that can be used for “normal” shooting as well.  You should feel free stopping it down for street photography, for example.

Focusing is also made easier thanks to the technology in most mirrorless cameras these days.  For instance, I was using focus peaking, and the magnification features in my Fuji X-T3.  I either used those two features together or separately depending on my situation, and type of subject.  I’ll admit it still isn’t as fast as autofocus, and I did get some missed shots but overall, this lens is pretty easy to focus considering it’s larger aperture of f0.95.

7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens Image Quality:

Quick note about the images: Covid cases are very high in NYC now, so I’ve been keeping my picture taking down to a minimum.  There are less pics (and variety) than what I would normally post for a review.  Also, I canceled my shoots, so no portraits with this lens.  Still, there are plenty of pics that will show what this lens can do.

Let’s take a look at the image quality now.  In addition to the build, ergonomics, and price, I’m happy to say that the 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens also impresses in terms of image quality.  It’s really hard to believe this lens only costs $249.

↑ Here’s a photo taken with f8 and 400 ISO.

↑ This was taken using f0.95 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s a quick snap I took at f0.95 around the Oculus.

For instance, this lens is quite sharp.  Even at f0.95, you’ll get very sharp images in the center with the corners being slightly softer, which is nothing out of the ordinary.  The key to getting those tack sharp results at wide open aperture is that I think one really has to pay a bit more attention when focusing.  As you stop down a bit, sharpness only gets better with f5.6 to f8 being ideal, in my opinion.  Overall though, this lens can be used throughout its aperture range to yield great results.  I love that kind of flexibility because when you combine it with the overall size, this one lens could be your only 50mm equivalent as opposed to buying two lenses, so you have one smaller version for general photography.

↑ This was taken using f8 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.

↑ This was taken using f5.6 and 800 ISO.

↑ Here’s a 100% crop of the photo above.

↑ This was taken using f5.6 and 640 ISO.

Besides sharpness, the lens has many other great optical features.  Color and contrast rendering are great.  The 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens doesn’t come with a lens hood but I’m happy to report that I didn’t need one.  I didn’t really experience any flare under normal conditions meaning not aiming the lens in a way to make it purposely flare.  There was some vignetting at wide open aperture but significant improvement was made by stopping the lens down just one stop.  Overall, the image quality is great, and if you have Fuji lenses, know that the images coming from the Photoelectric are comparable, so it won’t mess with your workflow.  In fact, I was actually reviewing the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f1.2 while I had the 7artisans, and I felt the Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 really held its own, and I keep in mind the Voigtlander costs $649.

↑ Here’s another taken with 160 ISO and f0.95.

↑ This was taken using f4 and 2000 ISO.

↑ I took this photo using f8 and 6400 ISO.

7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens Bokeh:

Besides using this lens for shooting in conditions where light is a luxury, there is another reason to buy this lens: It’s ability to produce shallow depth of field and bokeh.  With its 12 blade diaphragm, the  7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens produces stunning, and silky smooth bokeh.  Do to the sudden rise in Covid cases in NYC, my shoots have been canceled, so I wasn’t able to test this lens with a model but if you do have the opportunity to try this lens with someone, I am sure you will be very happy with the results.  The bokeh is some of the best I’ve seen for lenses in the Fujifilm system.  At least from what I photographed, I didn’t see anything that was particularly harsh or uninviting.  The background was just a beautiful blur.

↑ The settings I used in this photo were f0.95 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s one more photo taken using f0.95 and 160 ISO.

↑ This was taken using f0.95 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s another shot taken at wide open aperture with 160 ISO used.

Pros And Cons:

Pros:

• Great build.
• All metal.
• Smooth focus ring.
• Shorter focus throw makes it easier to use this lens for general photography as well.
• Great image quality.
• f0.95 adds flexibility to what you can shoot.
• Excellent bokeh.
• Great price.

Cons:

• Not a huge fan of the de-clicked aperture ring.
• A lens hood would be nice but it isn’t a requirement.

Verdict:

Overall, if you’re looking for a large aperture lens in the normal focal length range, the 7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens truly has a lot to offer.  It has the build going for it, the features like the focus ring are very smooth, and the image quality is great.  Best of all, the price makes this lens a real bargain.  In fact, if I was new to the Fujifilm world, I would have a difficult time deciding on whether I should spend the money on a Fujifilm branded lens like the 35mm f1.4 or the f2 version instead of the 7artisans.  Having a lens with such an increase in flexibility, thanks to the f0.95 aperture, without really any downside (it’s still roughly the same size as the Fujifilm 35mm f1.4) is plain out awesome, especially for the price of just $249.  With the extra money, I could buy another focal length, which might be better for me, especially if I was completely new to the system.  Of course, it would also come down to whether or not one would be happy with just manual focus.

↑ This photo was taken using 1250 ISO and f5.6.

↑ Here’s one taken using f0.95 and 160 ISO.

↑ Here’s one more taken with wide open aperture.

↑ Here’s another photo of the X-T3 with the 35mm f0.95 lens attached.

Bottom line is the Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 is a great buy.  It’s really nice to see third party lenses like this one come out for the Fujifilm system, and it just increases the overall versatility of the X Series.  If you’re in the market for a 35mm f0.95 lens, this one should definitely be at the top of your list.  By the way, you are also more than welcomed to see my review of the Mitakon 35mm f0.95 as well :).

Thanks for taking the time to read my review!  If you’re considering purchasing the Photoelectric 35mm f0.95, and my review helped you decide, please help support this site by purchasing from the links below or any mentioned in this review.  It will not cost you anything extra. Thank you for your support!

7artisans Photoelectric 35mm f0.95 Lens at B&H Photo

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