A Review of the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Mark II Macro Lens

Macro photography in the field is not always easy or comfortable, often requiring long hours outdoors in the heat. So now more than ever, I’m seeing the benefits of lightweight lenses and bodies. Something as simple as being less burdened by a heavy camera in the field can help you brave the heat just a bit longer, and get more successful shots.

As a long-time Pentax user, I’ve become reliant on heavy traditional DSLRs and their pentaprism viewfinders, and haven’t gotten too deep into the mirrorless game yet. Although, a few years back, I did buy an old used Canon EOS M body (Canon’s first mirrorless offering) off eBay on which I installed Magic Lantern so I could use it to shoot RAW video.

Despite the poor ergonomics, lack of a viewfinder, and being a bit dated now, at only 262 grams, the Canon EOS M is still one of the lightest APS-C camera bodies (with a hot-shoe!) you can find out there. From the moment I got it, I dreamt of making a tiny lightweight macro setup with it. So when 7Artisans reached out asking if I wanted to review an EF-M mount version of their upcoming mkII 60mm macro, I jumped at the opportunity.

At only about 340 grams, the lens feels very lightweight, and paired with my Canon EOS M and Meike MK300 flash, I can get a very capable (and cheap!) macro setup that only weighs a total of about 800 grams.

Although the overall quality is nowhere near as good as the full-frame Pentax (largely a fault of the Canon’s dated APS-C sensor), the little setup is a welcomed relief from my usual Pentax K-1 setup, which weighs in at a whopping 2,200 grams!

This has honestly changed the way I shoot this summer, as opting for a lighter-weight mirrorless setup has made spending more time outdoors less of a burden. I can't overemphasize how valuable a lightweight macro setup is when you're out in the sun for hours, covered in sweat and battling mosquitos!

I also appreciate the simplicity of the lens: it has no shake reduction, no autofocus, and no electronic coupling. These things are nice, but just add weight and cost, and are not necessary to take nice macro photos.

Maybe I’m a bit spoiled and used to higher magnification lenses now, but the max magnification of 1x feels a little basic or underwhelming with so many nice 2x macros on the market right now. If anything though, the lens has got me more excited about mirrorless setups and little lenses, notably the 335 gram Laowa 65mm 2x macro. I’m sure there are even smaller, lighter macro setups to be achieved in the Micro Four Thirds realm, but I’m not sure if I’m willing to compromise with a sensor that small just yet.

In summation, the 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 Mark II Macro Lens is a sharp, small, lightweight, and inexpensive macro that would pair well with a modern mirrorless body and has got me hooked on putting together smaller macro photography setups. One of the primary joys in macro photography for me is the time spent outdoors enjoying nature at my own pace, so any tool that can help me do that more comfortably is a huge plus.

About the author: Thomas Shahan is an artist and photographer based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who specializes in high-magnification macrophotography and has a particular interest in Oklahoma’s jumping spider diversity. He has worked as a co-instructor of BugShot macro photography workshops, imaging specialist for the Oregon Department of Agriculture, video game artist, and book illustrator. For more from Shahan, subscribe to his YouTube Channel.

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Canon is Debating if Bringing APS-C to the RF Mount is Worth it: Report

According to a new report, Canon is in the midst of an internal debate on whether or not it should bring an APS-C camera to its RF line. Since moving to mirrorless, Canon has thus far separated its APS-C line (the EOS M series) from its full-frame offerings (R series).

Canon Rumors reports that it was made aware that Canon has been performing market research with "select pros and others" to see if there is actual demand for an APS-C RF-mount camera. Additionally, the report alleges that Canon already plans to let the EOS M cameras go in favor of a focus on the EOS R cameras, whether or not APS-C comes to the mount.

Canon also apparently has "zero plans" to produce any RF-S lenses.

According to a second Canon Rumors report, Canon is looking at three possible APS-C camera designs with the names the R7, R8, and R9.

While historically its flagship models like the 5D series and now the R5 steal most of the spotlight, most of Canon's user base came from its lower-end interchangeable cameras. Canon continued to make and sell the Rebel SL series cameras -- most recently the Canon SL3 which was released in 2019 -- because the models were so affordable and, as a result, popular. But as DSLRs have fallen in popularity and have become less of a moneymaker for any camera brand, Canon has begun to focus on its higher-end models as it admits the market has become saturated.

As reported by Petapixel 's David Crewe earlier this year, Canon was able to see some growth in its camera division due mainly to an increase in the average selling price per camera. These financial realities explain the company's choice to move towards a focus on full-frame mirrorless systems instead of entry-level DSLRs. It could also explain why the EOS M series has not seen much innovation in recent years.

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II, its most recent EOS M camera announced at the end of 2020, sells for the exact same $600 as Canon's entry-level SL3 DSLR. Given that Canon has admitted that low-end cameras don't contribute to its profitability as much as higher-end models do, Canon has plenty of reasons to abandon the platform. Meanwhile, Canon's cheapest RF camera, the EOS RP, costs $1000 without a lens.

Canon may see that unifying its APS-C and full-frame mounts makes a lot of sense. Not only is it a decision the company has made in the past with its EF-mount DSLRs, but it would also encourage newcomers to the brand to try higher-end glass that could be treated as an investment and would move with them to more expensive camera bodies when they were ready to upgrade.

Another factor Canon may be considering is existing competition: both Sony and Fujifilm have done extremely well in the APS-C market, leaving little room for Canon to muscle its way in without significant additional investment -- its tepid EOS M strategy hasn't been enough to seriously challenge either Fujifilm or Sony. Nikon has tried its hand at a Z-mount APS-C camera, but it isn't clear how well the Z50 is selling. That said, its retro-styled APS-C Z fc does seem quite popular ahead of its release. Canon may be looking at Nikon to see how it does in APS-C over the next year before determining its next move.

Canon's general lack of attention towards the EOS M line in recent years does seem to indicate that the company isn't set on continuing to keep it up, and the number of advantages to moving its full line of cameras to one mount are numerous. It remains to be seen if Canon thinks developing an RF APS-C camera and attempting to migrate its EOS M user base to it is worth the cost and associated risks, however.

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