7Artisans 14mm F2.8

Comparative testing on a high-resolution Sony body puts its average sharpness roughly level with the long-running Samyang 14mm F2.8: respectable in the centre, weaker toward the corners wide open, and far behind Sony's 14mm f/1.8 GM. The same testing rates 7Artisans' own 15mm f/4 as clearly better optically, at the cost of more than a stop of light.

Hands-on reviews describe it as well built, easy to use and capable of good output for landscapes, interiors and night skies. The usual reservations for a contact-less manual lens apply: no EXIF data, no in-camera profile, and corrections have to be done by hand.

Owners shooting landscapes and astro like getting f/2.8 and 77mm screw-in filters for well under $300, and video users appreciate the de-click switch. Many see it as a well-machined lens that fills an ultra-wide gap without the bulk and cost of a 14-24mm zoom.

The common reservations are the 504g weight, which is heavy for a manual prime, corners that trail the centre at f/2.8, and the extra post-processing work that comes with having no lens data. Because there are no contacts, focus magnification has to be triggered manually on Sony bodies.