FINALLY: The Perfect Budget Cine Lenses? - 7Artisans Hope Primes Review

This set of cinema lenses showcases remarkable sharpness wide open, exhibits minimal focus breathing, and displays almost perfect color matching throughout the range. These are standout features unheard of in budget cinema lenses at this price point. In this article, we'll delve into the details of these lenses, compare them with the Sur Night Walker series and the Seven Artisans' own Vision series, which are available at a similar price point.

Despite some confusion around the final pricing during the time of making this video, it is anticipated to be akin to the Sur Night Walker or Seven Artisans Vision lenses. Accurate pricing should be available in the links provided in the description. It is crucial to highlight that previous budget cinema lenses aimed to deliver maximum value by offering a T 1.0 and a T 1.2 maximum T-stop. However, this often came with drawbacks in build quality and optical performance.

The new set of lenses surpasses those previous offerings, though they start at T 2.1. Available in five focal lengths—10 mm, 16 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, and 85 mm—these lenses were sent to me at no cost, without any obligation to offer positive feedback.

Build and Handling

The iris and focus gears align, which is expected in cinema lenses. Although they vary slightly in size and weight, it's not significant enough to interrupt regular use, unless switching lenses on a gimbal. They come in both silver and black, with fluro lettering that glows in dim conditions, making them easy to read. The engravings for T-stops and focus distance ensure longevity.

The dampening of focus and iris adjustments is consistently smooth across the set, albeit with minor variations. Designed for Super 35 or APS-C sensors, these lenses are compatible with Sony E-mount, Fuji X-mount, Canon RF, and Micro Four Thirds mount.

Performance

Focus Breathing: Control of focus breathing is crucial for achieving the intended framing during focus pulls. This lens set demonstrates between none to very little focus breathing. This level of control rivals higher-end and more expensive lenses, ensuring professional-looking focus pulls.

Distortion: Despite some expected levels of distortion in budget cinema lenses, these lenses deliver virtually no distortion across the focal lengths, even on the 10 mm lens.

Vignetting: Only minor vignetting is present, except for the 10 mm lens, which shows heavier vignette. Additionally, the 10 mm at T 2.1 appears darker, likely due to aggressive vignetting or an incorrect T-stop value.

Chromatic Aberration: Chromatic aberration, both in-focus and longitudinal, is well-controlled. High-contrast scenes show virtually no color fringing, even when wide open at T 2.1.

Flare: Flare performance varies across focal lengths. Wider lenses exhibit better control with minimal artifacting, while longer focal lengths show interesting, cinematic flares. This characteristic can be creatively utilized in filmmaking for certain visual effects.

Close Focus Ability: Each lens allows for exceptionally close focusing, rendering detailed images that make this set particularly compelling for shooting close-up scenes.

Sharpness: The lenses maintain high sharpness wide open, showing consistency across focal lengths. This minimizes concerns about selecting the right lens based on sharpness, as all perform well.

Bokeh: Background blur is generally smooth with a slightly geometric bokeh effect when stopped down. Higher focal lengths may exhibit a subtle swirl at the edges, which can enhance the cinematic quality of the footage.

Color Match: The color match across the lens set is crucial in cinema lenses. While the performance is generally excellent, with the 10, 16, 35, and 50 mm lenses matching closely, the 85 mm is slightly warmer by about 200 Kelvin. The 25 mm lens, however, is noticeably warmer by 400 Kelvin, potentially posing a problem. If this discrepancy remains in the final production models, it may affect the overall recommendation of this set.

Final Thoughts

The 7Artisans Hope Primes offer exceptional optical performance that far exceeds what is typically expected at this price range. Their sharpness, minimal focus breathing, chromatic aberration control, and close focusing abilities are outstanding. However, the significant color shift in the 25 mm lens is a notable drawback. Given assurances from 7Artisans about tighter color temperature tolerances in production models, this issue might be resolved. Should the color matching prove consistent in final products, this lens set could easily be recommended as an exceptional option for budget-conscious cinematographers.

Keywords

Budget cinema lenses
focus breathing
chromatic aberration
sharpness
close focus ability
color match
7Artisans Hope Primes
T-stop
flare control
vignetting

FAQ

Q1: What differentiates this set of lenses from other budget cinema lenses?

A1: These lenses stand out due to their exceptional sharpness wide open, minimal focus breathing, and nearly perfect color matching across the set.

Q2: Are there any concerns regarding color consistency within the set?

A2: While most lenses in the set have excellent color matching, the 25 mm lens is approximately 400 Kelvin warmer, which could be a concern if it persists in the final production models.

Q3: How is the focus breathing performance in this lens set?

A3: The focus breathing is exceptionally well-controlled, rivaling much more expensive lenses, ensuring smooth and professional focus pulls.

Q4: What mounts are compatible with these lenses?

A4: The lenses are compatible with Sony E-mount, Fuji X-mount, Canon RF, and Micro Four Thirds mount.

Q5: How do these lenses handle chromatic aberration?

A5: Chromatic aberration is very well controlled, with virtually no color fringing in high-contrast scenes, even at T 2.1.

Q6: Is there variability in the size and weight of these lenses?

A6: Yes, there is slight variability in size and weight across the lenses, but it’s not enough to significantly impact regular use, though minor adjustments might be needed on a gimbal.

Q7: Do these lenses exhibit any vignette?

A7: Minor vignetting is present across the set, but it’s particularly noticeable in the 10 mm lens.

Q8: How does the lens set perform in controlling flare?

A8: Flare control is generally good. Wider lenses show minimal artifacting, while longer lenses exhibit more cinematic flares, which can be creatively utilized.