Good news for L-Mount and Nikon Z shooters who like their glass small and their spending smaller: 7Artisans is expanding its featherweight AF 40mm f/2.5 prime, first shown in February, beyond Sony E-mount. The L-Mount and Z-mount versions arrive August 6, at the same wallet-friendly US$159.
There’s not much mystery here. The lens should look, feel, and behave the same across all three mounts, with only minor design tweaks dictated by the different mount diameters. Z-mount versions tend to gain a touch of weight thanks to the wider throat, but expect the difference to be negligible.
And negligible is the operative word for this optic in general. The E-mount version tips the scales at just 90 grams (under 3.2 ounces), and it measures a mere 40 millimeters long (under 1.6 inches). That is remarkably compact for a full-frame prime — the kind of lens you can leave on the camera and forget it’s there.
Inside sits a modest but sensible optical formula: seven elements across six groups, backed by a nine-bladed aperture. There’s a 46mm filter thread and a body diameter of 63mm. 7Artisans calls it “perfectly balanced between portability and optical excellence,” which is naturally marketing speak — but at $159 and this size, some optical compromises are inevitable, and the sample images hold up better than the price suggests.
The bokeh, though, is a deliberate character choice rather than a compromise. Where pricier, heavier lenses chase perfectly creamy backgrounds, the 40mm f/2.5 leans into “bubble bokeh” — that stylized soap-bubble outlining that some photographers adore and others find distracting. Fair warning either way.
Autofocus runs on an STM stepper motor, promising quick, quiet operation while playing nicely with eye-detect and subject-tracking on most Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, and Leica mirrorless bodies. The one real limitation is the 0.4-meter (1.3-foot) minimum focus distance, which isn’t especially close, so don’t expect tight detail work.
One important caveat before you reach for your card: the lens is not compatible with the Sigma BF or Leica SL3-S, for reasons 7Artisans hasn’t explained. There’s no word on the Leica SL3-P either. The full compatibility list lives on 7Artisans’ website, and anyone considering the lens should confirm their exact camera works with it first.
As for availability, the E-mount version is on sale now for $159. The L-Mount and Z-mount editions are already listed on 7Artisans’ site but not yet purchasable as of today — that changes tomorrow, August 6.
