7Artisans’ New 75mm f/1.4 Portrait Prime

credits: 7Artisans

7Artisans just launched a new 75mm f/1.4 portrait prime lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It comes in E, L, RF, and Z mounts and skips autofocus entirely, aperture and focus are controlled using solid-feeling metal rings. That makes it a different kind of tool than most modern lenses, but it also helps keep the size and weight down.

At 408g and 77mm in length, it’s a compact alternative to bulkier portrait primes, while still offering a long enough focal length for good subject separation. Optically, it’s a pretty straightforward design: six elements in six groups with a 13-blade aperture diaphragm. That’s a relatively low element count compared to high-end portrait glass, but that also means less glass to move and potentially a more distinctive rendering (good or bad depending on your taste). The company claims it delivers “dreamy bokeh,” and with a fast f/1.4 aperture and medium-telephoto reach, you should definitely get some nice background blur.

Minimum focus distance is 0.8 meters, which isn’t great for close-ups, but normal for a lens in this category. There’s no weather sealing, and no electronics of any kind, so you won’t get EXIF data or focus assist without in-body peaking. Pricing for the lens is at $189.

You can see full details and sample shots on 7Artisans’ website here