7Artisans’ New 60mm f/2.8 Is an Affordable 2x Macro Lens for Full-Frame Cameras
7Artisans announced a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens for full-frame cameras. The manual lens offers a maximum magnification ratio of 2:1, enabling photographers to get extreme close-up images.
A typical macro lens offers 1:1 magnification, sometimes even a lesser 0.5:1, so a 2:1 ratio is quite extreme. To achieve this feat, the new 60mm f/2.8 lens has a minimum focusing distance of just 0.17 meters (6.7 inches). It is worth reiterating that the lens is fully manual, meaning that both focus and aperture are controlled using rings on the barrel. The aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/22, by the way, and has a nine-bladed diaphragm.
The lens includes 14 elements arranged across a dozen groups. Among these elements are two extra-low dispersion elements and a pair of high-refraction elements.
The lens weighs approximately 550 grams (19.4 ounces) and is 109 millimeters (4.3 inches) long. The maximum diameter is 70 millimeters (2.75 inches), and the macro lens accepts 67mm front filters.
Per 7Artisans, its new macro lens delivers high-quality macro images with soft, blurry backgrounds. The company says its all-metal macro lens is well-suited to a range of photographic applications, including photographing flowers, food, insects, products, and even portraits.
The company is no stranger to making good macro lenses. Its 60mm f/2.8 Macro II for APS-C cameras, released in 2022, proved to be a solid performer for its price in PetaPixel‘s hands-on review. The company’s other non-macro lenses have typically impressed as well, delivering strong value and overall image quality.
For full-frame photographers seeking a macro lens, there are plenty of options these days. Competing Chinese lens maker TTArtisan announced a 100mm f/2.8 2:1 macro lens for full-frame cameras this summer, which removed the tilt-and-shift functionality from the same lens released in late 2023.
Pricing and Availability
The 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 2x Macro Lens is available now for $335 directly from 7Artisans and through Pergear. The lens will also be available through B&H, although it is not yet listed. The new macro lens is available in three mounts: Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon RF. Additional sample images are available on the official 7Artisans website, although are not suitably formatted for inclusion in this article.
Image credits: 7Artisans