7Artisans has recently launched the fourth member of their Vision Series APS-C cinema lens lineup – the 12mm T2.9. The lens comes in 6 mount options (RF/X/L/MFT/Z/E), features geared focus and iris rings, has a de-clicked aperture and offers a 270° focus throw. It retails for $319. Let’s take a closer look!
Chinese lens manufacturer 7Artisans introduced two new families of cinema primes this year, the Vision and Spectrum series, which are engineered for APS-C and full-frame mirrorless cameras respectively.
While the Vision series already includes three super-fast T1.05 focal lengths (25, 35, and 50mm), the company has decided to expand this lineup by adding a 12mm on the ultra-wide end.
7Artisans 12mm T2.9 Vision: features
Like its siblings, this new 12mm T2.9 is a fully manual cinema prime lens that is designed to cover the APS-C format. The lens comes in no less than 6 different mirrorless mount options, including Canon RF, FUJIFILM X, Leica L, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon Z, and Sony E.
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This new wide-angle option is not as fast as the existing T1.05 models. Nonetheless, its maximum T2.9 aperture is still suitable for a lens in its class. The glass also sports great close-up capabilities, since it has a close focus distance of only 0.14m/0.46ft.
The Vision series lenses feature industry-standard 0.8MOD gears with unified position across the whole lineup, which is essential to speed up the process of switching focal length when working with lens accessories. The lens reports focus distance in both metric and imperial units, offers a long focus throw (270°), and its aperture is de-clicked.
Optical and physical design
The optical scheme of this ultra-wide angle lens consists of 12 elements arranged in 10 groups. The T2.9 aperture features a 9-blade design that should deliver images with a nice, smooth bokeh, according to the manufacturer.
The lens has a diameter of 89mm/3.5” and measures about 70mm/2.76” in length. Its body has an all-metal construction for a total weight of approximately 600g/21.1oz. The lens barrel features an 82mm filter thread at the front to accommodate filters.
Price and availability
The new 7Artisans 12mm T2.9 Vision APS-C cine lens is available now and is the most affordable model in the series. Indeed, all mount options share the same official retail price of $319. However, it currently seems like the lens is only available to purchase by itself and not as part of a 4-piece kit.
For more information, please visit 7Artisans’ website here.
Have you ever shot with 7Artisans lenses? What do you think about their Vision series for the APS-C format? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
