The 7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 II takes its astro credentials further, with glow-in-the-dark paint to aid shooting when light is low
Photorumors.com image of the leaked 7Artisans 10mm f/2.8 II Fisheye(Image credit: 7Artisans / photorumors.com)
Cheap-and-cheerful Chinese lens maker 7Artisans is rumored to be working on an updated version of its 10mm f/2.8 full-frame fisheye lens, according to rumor-monger photorumors.com (thanks for the heads-up!). The 7Artisan's 10mm f/2.8 II is said to be available in Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon R and Leica L mounts, and is set to retail for US$278 (other territories to be confirmed).
The lens is rumored to be an all-new design, which is primarily aimed at giving sharper images on cameras with higher-res 40Mp-plus sensors. It is claimed to have a wider field of view than the previous incarnation too, reaching 185 degrees as opposed to 178 degrees on the Mark I lens.
The lens markings are now fluorescent, making it easier to use in the dark, which alongside its ultra-wide 10mm angle of view and fast f/2.8 maximum aperture could help it compete with the best lenses for astrophotography on the market.
The remodeled lens has fluoro markings to aid shooting in the dead of night (Image credit: photorumors.com)
Like its predecessor, it's a fully manual lens with no built-in autofocus. However, there's a generously sized manual focus ring and focusing is internal, meaning it doesn't extend as you move through the focus range. It will focus from 0.15m to infinity.
An 11-bladed aperture should keep bokeh smooth, and the lens has 11 elements in eight groups, including two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and one aspherical element. Being a fisheye lens with a bulbous front element, there's no filter thread for the attachment of filters.
The lens barrel has a metal construction, and a declicked aperture ring moves from f/2.8 through to f/16, with depth-of-field markers showing the degree of focus through the full-stop range.
The Sony E-mount version is said to measure 75x95mm and weight in at 602g, and other mounts are likely to vary slightly.
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We have no news on a release date, and as this is an unverified rumor, it might not even see the light of day at all. In the meantime, we gave the original lens a five-star review, and it's a bargain!
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Prior to joining digitalcameraworld.com as News Editor, Adam was the editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine for seven years, and as such is one of Digital Camera World's leading experts when it comes to all things Nikon-related.
Whether it’s reviews and hands-on tests of the latest Nikon cameras and lenses, sharing his skills using filters, tripods, lighting, L brackets and other photography equipment, or trading tips and techniques on shooting landscapes, wildlife and almost any genre of photography, Adam is always on hand to provide his insights.
Prior to his tenure on N-Photo, Adam was also a veteran of publications such as PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, so his wealth of photographic knowledge isn’t solely limited to the Big N.
