7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 Mark II 18mm
Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm
What Buyers Say
7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 Mark II 18mm
This 7artisans 18mm f/6.3 lens is a tiny, all-metal pancake that delivers a filmic, character-rich look rather than clinical sharpness. Users love its compact size and hyperfocal ease for street photography, but note soft focus, strong vignetting, low contrast, and compatibility quirks with IBIS systems. A few report severe quality control issues making the lens unusable, while most see it as a fun, creative tool for the price.
Pros
- Extremely compact and lightweight
- Solid all-metal construction
- Filmic, character-rich image quality
- Hyperfocal ease for street photography
- Great value for the price
Cons
- Soft focus at all distances
- Strong vignetting
- Low contrast
- Compatibility issues with IBIS
- Severe quality control problems
Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm
The Meike 55mm f/1.4 AF lens for APS-C Nikon Z cameras is a compact, fast-aperture portrait lens that delivers excellent sharpness and creamy bokeh at a very affordable price. Autofocus is quick and reliable, with good eye detection, and the lens handles well on smaller bodies like the Z30. Some users noted the minimum focus distance is a bit limiting and the build feels plasticky, but overall it offers outstanding value for money.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Creamy bokeh
- Fast and reliable autofocus
- Great value for money
- Compact and lightweight
Cons
- Plasticky build feel
- Limited minimum focus distance
- No image stabilization
- Some chromatic aberration wide open
- Vignetting at wide apertures
Scores
Specifications
| 7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 Mark II 18mm | Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 18 mm | 85 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 18 mm | 85 mm |
| Elements | 6 | 13 |
| Groups | 5 | 8 |
| Aspherical Elements | — | 1★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | — | Multi-layer coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/6.3 | f/1.4 |
| Min Aperture | f/6.3 | f/1.4 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | — | 11★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.06 kg★ | 0.91 kg |
| Filter Thread | — | 77 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Hyper STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 300 mm | 85 mm★ |
Pros & Cons
7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 Mark II 18mm
- Strong build (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong macro (70th percentile)
- Strong social proof (67th percentile)
- Below average optical (1st percentile)1st %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (16th percentile)16th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Meike 85mm F1.4 II 85mm
- Strong bokeh (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong macro (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 Mark II 18mm offers 3.5x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 92 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 20 specs.
