7Artisans’ Affordable AF 135mm f/1.8 Prime Arrives on Full-Frame E- and L-Mount Cameras

In May, 7Artisans announced the Max AF 135mm f/1.8 full-frame portrait prime, but only for Nikon Z mount. Now Sony E-mount and L-Mount cameras are getting some love.

The brand-new 7Artisans AF Max 135mm f/1.8 prime is now available for E- and L-Mount cameras, arriving with the same relatively affordable and aggressive $689 price as its Z-mount counterpart.

Buy the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 new on B&HBuy the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 used on KEH.com

In the case of Sony E-mount, the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 faces stiff competition. There is, of course, Sony’s own 135mm f/1.8 G Master lens. It’s the cream of the crop and an excellent performer. But this optical prowess comes at a steep price: the lens costs $2,248, over three times as much as 7Artisans’ new lens.

There are some other 135mm f/1.8 lenses much closer in price to 7Artisans’ offering, though, including the very good Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB for $899. As PetaPixel explained in its review last year, the Viltrox LAB 135mm f/1.8 is a superb lens and an excellent value.

Then there are the Samyang and Rokinon 135mm f/1.8 lenses, which are identical, though the Rokinon is $699 and the Samyang is $799.

This makes the 7Artisans AF Max 135mm f/1.8 the most affordable of its kind on Sony E-mount.

That’s also true on L-Mount, but only because the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 is literally the only option. It’s great that L-Mount owners now have an option like this. It’s a little surprising that Samyang and Rokinon haven’t brought the 135mm f/1.8 to L-Mount, given that they are in the L-Mount Alliance.

In any event, the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 standard telephoto prime promises high-end performance, sharp rendering, and a fast aperture.

7Artisans says the lens delivers “soft, dreamy” bokeh and “exceptional clarity across the entire frame.” The lens features 16 elements arranged across 13 groups, including five HR and six ED elements to reduce aberrations. The lens has a 12-bladed aperture.

Autofocus is driven by a high-performance, quiet stepping motor (STM), and the lens can focus as close as 0.68 meters (2.2 feet), offering reasonable close-up performance.

The 7Artisans AF 135mm f/1.8 Max is not an especially compact lens. It weighs approximately 1,014 grams (2.2 pounds), is 136 millimeters (5.4 inches) long, and has an 82mm front filter thread. While not exceedingly small or lightweight, 7Artisans got pretty close to Sony’s G Master lens. Sony’s premium prime weighs 950 grams (2.1 pounds) and is 127 millimeters (3.5 inches) long. It also takes an 82mm filter.

The lens has a clicked aperture ring on E- and L-Mount, whereas the prior Z-mount iteration had a smooth “multi-function control ring” specifically designed to mimic Nikon’s own control ring functionality. The lens has an AF/MF switch on the barrel, plus dual function buttons. It also includes a USB-C port in the weather-sealed mount for firmware updates.

Sample Images

Pricing and Availability

The 7Artisans AF Max 135mm f/1.8 lens is available now for Sony E and L-Mount cameras for $689. The Nikon Z version released in May is also $689.

Buy the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 new on B&HBuy the 7Artisans 135mm f/1.8 used on KEH.com

Image credits: 7Artisans