7Artisans Presents New 6mm f/2 APS-C Fisheye Lens
7Artisans’ latest release, the MF 6mm f/2, is an ultra-wide, manual-focus fisheye lens designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras. With a claimed 220-degree diagonal field of view, it is currently the widest lens produced by the Chinese company and among the widest diagonal fisheye options for APS-C formats.
Unlike circular fisheye designs that project a round image within the frame, this lens fills the sensor, producing strong geometric distortion and an exaggerated sense of depth across the entire image, reducing at the same time the practical difficulty of manual focusing. The minimum focusing distance of approximately 0.1 meters allows subjects to be positioned very close to the front element, further emphasizing perspective distortion. This behavior makes the lens usable in confined environments such as interiors, vehicles, and narrow urban spaces, where conventional wide-angle lenses may be insufficient. The same characteristics can also be applied to experimental photography and video, where spatial exaggeration is an intentional element rather than a flaw.
The maximum aperture of f/2 provides relatively high light-gathering capability for a fisheye lens of this size and price class. This allows its use in low-light situations, including night scenes and astrophotography, where the wide field of view can capture large portions of the sky. While optical correction is not the primary goal of this type of lens, 7Artisans states that the optical construction—comprising ten elements in eight groups, including extra-low dispersion and high-refractive elements—is intended to limit chromatic aberration and maintain acceptable sharpness. The nine-blade diaphragm influences the rendering of out-of-focus areas, though depth separation is limited by the focal length.
The lens body is constructed entirely of metal and finished in matte black with a silver accent ring. Its design follows the company’s recent emphasis on simple mechanical operation, with a smooth manual focus ring intended to offer consistent resistance for both still photography and video use. There is no autofocus or electronic communication beyond basic mount compatibility.
Here are some sample pictures, courtesy of 7Artisans:
The 7Artisans MF 6mm f/2 is positioned as a low-cost entry point into extreme wide-angle fisheye photography for APS-C users. It is available for Sony E, Fujifilm X, Canon EOS R, Nikon Z, and Micro Four Thirds mounts, at prices ranging between $179 and $199, depending on retailer and mount, placing it among the most
