7Artisans x Seagull’s New 35mm f/1.7 Lens

credits: 7Artisans

7Artisans and Seagull have teamed up on a new limited-edition lens, introducing the Seagull × 7Artisans M 35mm f/1.7 for Leica M-mount rangefinder cameras. The lens combines a classic manual-focus design with styling inspired by Seagull’s long history in the camera industry. Production is limited to 500 units worldwide, with each lens receiving its own serial number and commemorative badge. The collaboration is also notable because it sort of marks Seagull’s return to large-aperture manual-focus lenses, a category the company has largely been absent from since its revival.

The lens itself is built around a 35mm focal length and f/1.7 maximum aperture. Optically, it uses eight elements arranged in six groups, paired with a 10-blade diaphragm designed to produce smoother out-of-focus rendering. The lens provides a 64-degree angle of view, supports focusing distances from 0.7m to infinity, and is fully compatible with Leica M rangefinder focusing systems. Unlike mirrorless autofocus lenses, focusing is handled through the camera’s rangefinder mechanism, with a traditional focusing tab built into the lens barrel for quicker manual adjustments.

Weight comes in at 145g, so it remains pretty compact for a full-frame 35mm f/1.7 design. The lens features an all-metal construction with an anodised finish, a clicked aperture ring covering f/1.7 to f/16, a 40.5mm filter thread, and an included metal lens hood with a matte-threaded interior intended to help reduce flare. The Seagull × 7Artisans M 35mm f/1.7 lens is priced at $369.