No sooner did 7Artisans launch a 27mm f/2.8 autofocus lens for APS-C cameras than it killed it off, to be replaced by a slightly smaller, slightly lighter but otherwise virtually identically specced upgrade. The 7Artisans AF 27mm f/2.8 II is coming less than a year after the original lens launched in April 2024, and will be available in Fujifilm X-mount, Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount.
It has the same count of six elements in five groups, offers the same 0.3m minimum focus distance and six-bladed aperture design. Both lenses have an STM autofocus motor, f/2.8-f/22 aperture range, are exclusive to APS-C sensor cameras, and have a USB port for firmware upgrades.
However, the Mark II edition is a little smaller, measuring 61 x 42mm compared to 64 x 48mm on the older lens, and sheds a few grams too, weighing 144g as opposed to 172g. The filter thread is also smaller, taking 39mm filters rather than 52mm ones.
We won't know if there have been any enhancements to image quality until we get the lens into our labs to run through our testing regime, but rarely does a manufacturer create a new-edition lens that doesn't offer superior performance over the one it is replacing.
A 27mm APS-C lens has an effective focal length of 40.5mm when the 1.5x multiplier is taken into account, so in practical terms it sits somewhere between a 35mm wide lens and a nifty fifty, and should prove useful for street, architecture and general photography.
The new lens is priced at 499 Chinese Yuan, which roughly translates to $68 / £56 / AU$110 with a direct currency exchange, though I would expect the eventual price in these territories to be higher when import fees, distribution costs and local taxes are taken into account. I don't have information about exactly when the new lens will be available to buy either, but I'll update this when I have it – along with any other info that comes my way. In the meantime, see our guide to the best cheap lenses.
