Overview of YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4

According provided by YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4 lens. Many thanks directly to Yongnuo.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Navigation

1. In short
2. History
3. All lenses from Yongnuo
4. Main Specifications
5. Assembly
6. Focusing
7. Firmware Upgrade
8. Image quality
9. Examples of photos on the camera Kf = 1.0
10. Examples of photos on the camera Kf = 1.6
11. Sample photos in processing
12. Differences from Canon 50 / 1.4 USM
13. My experience
14. Alternatives
15. Price
16. Results
17. User Comments
18. Add your review or question on the lens

In this review, the YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4 will be abbreviated as 'Yongnuo 50 / 1.4'.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

In short

Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is a fifty-kopeck piece from Yongnuo for Canon cameras. Heavy, well-built, with decent image quality. It has a fairly low price tag and is a very attractive solution for amateur photographers. In fact, Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is the cheapest autofocus lens with f / 1.4 for full-frame SLR cameras.

Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 turned out to be a worthy lens, it can be safely used for amateur photography. On full-frame cameras, this is a standard (in terms of focal lengths) lens with a very wide range of applications. On cropped cameras, the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 can perform quite well as a replacement for a portrait lens.

Here I simply must leave a spoiler about fifty dollars. The creative and practical potential of a fast fifty dollars is really difficult to overestimate. It is suitable for a wide range of photo tasks. Photo enthusiasts often use it as a portrait lens, especially on cropped cameras (cameras with an APS-C or 4/3 sensor). Many just want a fast light fixed lens, in addition to its first kit lens. Diaphragm F / 1.4 exactly four steps wider aperture F / 5.6, which is used in the vast majority of 'dark' whale lenses at the long end. In numerical terms, this means that Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is approximately 16 times brighterthan, for example, whale Canon EF-S 18-55 / 3.5-5.6 IS STMwhich uses a maximum relative aperture of only f / 50 at 5.6 mm of focal length. The calculation in the difference of the relative aperture (count the aperture) is performed elementarily: (5.6 * 5.6) / (1.4 * 1.4) = 16.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

History

April 29 2014 at the show 'The 17th China International Photograph & Electrical Imaging Machinery and Technology' was presented prototype Yongnuo 50 / 1.4which outwardly was very similar to the original Canon 50 / 1.4 USM. After this exhibition prototype Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 did not appear anywhere else, mass production and its sales were not adjusted. Data from the official website has been deleted (but the internet remembers everything).

Below is a view of the prototype 'YONGNUO LENS EF 50mm 1: 1.4 YONGNUO LENS MADE IN CHINA':

30 May 2018 On the official website there is a modern Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 for Canon EOS cameras, shown in this review. Some people call this model Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 Mark II, I will not do that.

August 18 2018 was introduced Yongnuo 50 / 1.4NE for Nikon cameras.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

All Yongnuo Lenses

Bayonet mount Sony FE [DF, FULL FRAME] и Sony E[DA,APS-C]:

1. yongnuo 11 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM WL S [announcement]
2. yongnuo 16 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM S [announcement]
3. yongnuo 35 mm 1: 2 DF DSM S [review]
4. yongnuo 50 mm 1: 1.8 DF DSM S [announce]
5. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM S [overview]
6. yongnuo 85 mm 1: 1.8 DF DSM S [review]
7. yongnuo 85 mm 1:1.8 DF DSM S II [announcement]

Bayonet mount Canon RF (mirrorless full frame):

1. yongnuo 35 mm 1: 2 DF DSM R [review]
2. yongnuo 35 mm 1:2 CR [announcement]
3. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 DF DSM R [to be announced]
4. yongnuo 85 mm 1:1.8 DF DSM R (two subversions with different names) [review]

Bayonet mount Nikon Z [DF, FULL FRAME + DA,APS-C]::

1. yongnuo 11 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM WL Z [announcement]
2. yongnuo 35 mm 1:2 DF DSM Z [announcement]
3. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 DF DSM Z [announcement]
4. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM Z [review]
5. yongnuo 85 mm 1:1.8 DF DSM Z [announcement]

Bayonet mount fujifilm x [DA,APS-C]:

1. yongnuo 11 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM WL X [announcement]
2. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM X Pro [Announcement]
3. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 DA DSM X [announcement + overview]

For the system Micro 4 / 3:

1. yongnuo 25 mm 1: 1.7 [review]
2. yongnuo 42.5 mm 1: 1.7 [review]
3. yongnuo 42.5 mm 1:1.7 II [overview]
4. yongnuo 12-35 mm 1:2.8-4 STM ASPH MACRO [announcement]

Bayonet mount Nikon f (mirrored full frame):

1. yongnuo 14 mm 1: 2.8 [overview]
2. yongnuo 35 mm 1: 2 [overview]
3. yongnuo 40 mm 1: 2.8 [overview]
4. yongnuo 50 mm 1: 1.8 [review]
5. yongnuo 50 mm 1: 1.4 E [overview]
6. yongnuo 60 mm 1:2 MACRO MF [overview]
7. yongnuo 85 mm 1: 1.8 [overview]
8. yongnuo 100 mm 1: 2 [overview]

Bayonet mount Canon EF (mirrored full frame):

1. yongnuo 14 mm 1:2.8 [review N]
2. yongnuo 35 mm 1: 2 [review]
3. yongnuo 35 mm 1: 1.4 [overview]
4. yongnuo 35 mm 1: 1.4C DF UWM [announce]
5. yongnuo 50 mm 1: 1.8 [overview]
   
6. yongnuo 50 mm 1:1.8 II [overview]
7. yongnuo 50 mm 1: 1.4 [overview]
8. yongnuo 60 mm 1:2 MACRO MF [review N]
9. yongnuo 85 mm 1: 1.8 [review]
10. yongnuo 100 mm 1: 2 [overview]

Cameras:

1. Yongnuo YN433 (2023, Micro 4/3, 20 MP, 4K)
2. Yongnuo YN455 (2021, Micro 4/3, 20 MP, 4K)
3. Yongnuo YN450/450M (2019, Micro 4/3 -> Canon EF, 16 MP, 4K)

Lenses and cameras and many other products from Yongnuo can easily be found at Authorized Yongnuo Dealer / Store on Aliexpres.

My video on all Yongnuo lenses here.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Main technical characteristics of YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4

Review Instance Name	Near the front lens: YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4 Ø58mm YONGNUO LENS MADE IN CHINA. On the YOUNGNUO DIGITAL 50mm. On the box: YOUNGNUO DIGITAL Standart prime lens YN50mm F1.4
Basic properties	The lens uses a Canon mount EF (Eelectro-Focus) - primarily designed for Canon EOS full-frame cameras. Suitable for Canon mount DSLRs EF / Ef-s and mirrorless cameras RF / Ef-m with appropriate adapter The lens uses a micro motor for auto focus and is a counterpart to Canon MM (Micro Motor) AF / MF (Auto Focus - Mannual Focus) - the lens is equipped with a focus mode switch USB port to upgrade lens firmware Multi-Enlightened Optics Microprocessor Gold Plated Contacts Metal mount Separate window focusing distance scale DOF Scale The optical design uses high refractive index optical elements Important: a lens from a third-party manufacturer, which imposes some restrictions on its practical use
Front Filter Diameter	58 mm, metal thread for filters
Focal length	50 mm EGF for Canon cameras with APS-C sensor is 80 mm EGF for Canon cameras with APS-H sensor is 65 mm
Zoom ratio	1 X (this is a fixed lens, it does not have a zoom)
Designed by	for full-format digital cameras. The lens is suitable for everyone. Canon EOS cameras
Number of aperture blades	7 rounded petals
Tags	bayonet mount tag, window with a scale for focusing distances in meters and feet, DOF scale (only for F / 22)
Diaphragm	F / 1.4 to F / 22
MDF	0.45 m, maximum magnification factor 0.15x (1: 6.67)
The weight	572 g
Optical design	9 elements in 7 groups. The lens uses special optical elements with an extremely high refractive index (shown in blue)
Lens hood	Bayonet type hood. The hood is not included in the delivery, the instruction does not indicate its type / marking. Fit Canon ES-71II or any clone of it
Manufacturer country	MADE IN CHINA (Made in China)
Period	May 30, 2018
Instructions	View my scan (English only)
Price	Aliexpress prices (cheapest)

The optical design of the lens attracts a massive concave front element. Most likely the optical design takes its roots from Carl Zeiss 1,8 / 50 UltronVoigtlander Color-ultron 1.8 / 50. Of modern autofocus lenses, a similar concave front element can be found in Carl Zeiss Sonnar FE 1,8 / 55 ZA T * (Aka Sony SEL55F18Z FE 1,8 / 55) Most likely, the optical scheme of the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 belongs to some old and unreleased Nikon / Canon lens, which did not reach mass production. thanks Dmitry Evtifeev for thoughts about the origin of the optical design of this lens.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Assembly

The lens came to the review completely new.

In a small box is a warranty card, instructions in Chinese and English, a card with a production date of 30-07-2018, a desiccant and the lens itself with a front (YN-58) and a back cover. The front and rear lenses of the lens are initially covered with special transport films of blue color. Unfortunately, one of these films left a small mark on the front lens, which I easily cleaned with a special cloth for optics.

In general, the lens is well assembled. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 has metal mount mount. The focus ring is not rubberized, plastic, but wide enough and pleasant to use. The lens housings are made mainly from metal. The thread for the filters is also metal. It is stated that the contacts of the microprocessor are gold-plated.

The weight of the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is almost 600 grams. In the hands of the lens, it feels like a solid thing, many times better than Yongnuo 50 / 1.8 II. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 lens weighs about the same as TOP original Canon 50 /1.2 L USM. Paired with fairly heavy cameras, the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 allows you to get a good weight balance of the camera + lens bundle.

The design of Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is very similar to Canon Compact-Macro 50 / 2.5.

Diaphragm consists of 7 petals and form a hole in the shape of a regular heptagon, while in the photographs in the blur zone rather round discs of blur appear in the range F / 1.4-F / 2.5.

The lens has a USB port in the lower rear of the lens (in the bayonet area). The port serves to update the firmware (described in detail about this in the relevant chapter) The USB port does not have a rubber plug.

Unfortunately, the bundle does not include a hood, a bag for transportation, a USB cable and a software disk (software can only be downloaded from the official website).

Canon ES-50 II hood is suitable for Yongnuo 1.4 / 71. I used analog Hoods Canon ES-71 II (for original lens Canon 50 / 1.4 USM). The hood mounts on the lens barrel rather than the retractable 'trunk', which adds strength to the structure and also makes front lens movement less noticeable. Important: this lens hood is not installed in the opposite direction (in transport mode), the lens is too thick and the lens hood is stuck in the middle.

Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 does not have a rubber mount mount and is not an all-weather lens.

UPDATE 1: Once I partially unscrewed the front lens block together with a polarizing filter, after which I screwed the block very tightly back and the similar embarrassment was no longer repeated.

UPDATE 2: I visited the review version YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N E for Nikon cameras, which was immediately out of the box with a loose, half-unscrewed trunk. I tightly twisted my arms around the trunk and a similar problem was no longer repeated.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Focusing

For focusing, Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 uses micro motor and is an analog of Canon MM (Micro Motor). Auto focus will work with any SLR camera Canon EOS. Most likely, mirrorless cameras with an appropriate adapter should not have any special problems.

Focus speed average (closer to low), significantly lower (about 2 times) than the original lens Canon 50 / 1.4 USM. Auto focus is very noisy.

When shooting a video using auto focus and the built-in microphone in the camera, the noise level is very strong. This noise from the focus motor makes viewing the captured video unpleasant.

I worked with the lens on the camera Canon EOS 5D с simple 9-point focusing system and on camera Canon EOS 750D (aka Canon Digital Rebel T6i, aka Canon Kiss Digital X8i) from 19-point advanced focusing system and Hybrid CMOS AF III for live view focus. Focusing tenacity is not bad, but still there are more focus errors than you might expect. Focusing errors are unsystematic and are often associated with low depth of field at F / 1.4.

On camera Canon EOS 750D I checked the presence of the back and focus front at different focusing distances (infinity and MDF as well). The shots taken using the Live View mode (which theoretically does not suffer from back / front focus) were used as a measure. Focusing accuracy using phase focus sensors, both central and lateral, completely coincided with the Live View mode. On camera Canon EOS 750D all focus modes in Live View work well, including focus with automatic face detection.

The focus ring is plastic, wide, in manual focus mode it rotates approximately 225 degrees (5/8 of a full 360 degree view). When extreme positions are reached, the ring does not abut, but continues to rotate very slowly and very tightly. Manual focus is convenient. During manual focusing is heard annoying sound like 'plastic rubs against plastic or metal', while the ring rotates smoothly and quite pleasantly. When changing the direction of focus, there is small lag (delay), but it does not cause much discomfort.

I used manual focus on the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 for two days, shooting more than two thousand frames in this mode. Manual focus is really convenient, although there are unpleasant little things described above.

There is an 'AF-MF' (auto focus / manual focus) focus mode switch on the lens barrel. Switch positions are reversed compared to original lenses ('AF-MF' <-> 'MF-AF'). During auto focus focus ring remains stationarywhile it can be freely rotated 360 degrees without any effect on focusing. Unfortunately, unlike many original Canon lenses, the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 does not support Canon FTM (or similar) manual focus control. The direction of rotation of the focus ring is opposite to the original Canon 50 / 1.4 USM.

Lens does not have internal focus, during focusing, the frame of the body ('trunk') moves forward about 1.5 centimeters, while front lens does not rotate. It is possible to use various filters without any problems.

The minimum focusing distance is 45 cm, while you can get the maximum magnification for macro photography 1: 6.67, which is typical for a large number of such fifty dollars.

Very important: During focusing to infinity, when the focusing ring is fully extended (with a slight overshoot beyond the 'infinity' mark itself), the mirror of full-frame cameras such as the Canon EOS 5D clings to the rear lens or the rear lens barrel. Usually, the mirror does not fall back, resting on the lens or rear lens frame of the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4. When the lens is focused to infinity without this slight overshoot, there are no problems with the mirror.

The lens has a window with a distance scale with marks in meters and feet. The scale is small, on it there are marks for 3, 1.5, 1, 0.8, 0.6, 0.5, 0.45 meters and a label of 'infinity'. There is also a label with the depth of field scale, but only for the value of F / 22. There is no tag for working in the infrared spectrum.

Other focusing features:

1. on the distance scale, the focus ring has a large 'travel beyond infinity'. The Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 does not have a hard infinity mechanical stop that allows you to accurately and quickly focus the lens to infinity under any external temperature conditions. For accurate aiming at infinity, you cannot just bring the focusing ring to its extreme position.
2. Focus shift (shift-focus) is missing.
3. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 has a tangible 'Focus Breathing' effect (changes in viewing angle during focusing). During focusing towards the MDF, the viewing angle decreases.
4. Teleconverter compatibility unknown
5. Focusing is performed by simultaneously moving the entire lens block (all lenses) relative to the focal plane

Important: Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 - a lens from a third-party manufacturer. It may happen that it will not work correctly with some Canon cameras. It is authentically known that the lens has focus problems including Live View on cameras Canon 6D, 6D Mark II, 5D, 5D Mark II, 5D Mark III, 60D.7D 750D.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

USB firmware update

On the lens housing of the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 there is a USB port with which you can update the lens software (firmware / firmware). Unfortunately, the functionality of the YNLensTool Updater Version 1.00 program, which is responsible for working with the lens, is very meager. You can only see the current firmware version and update it to a new one. Firmware versions can be found on the official website. I found firmware v1.03 for my Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 here.

A widespread USB 2.0 MICRO-B port (like mobile phones) is used for connecting to the lens. A USB cable is not included. To connect, I used a USB cable for my android phone. My lens had the latest firmware V1.03 (2018.6.27), and therefore I did not update it.

Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 firmware version and YNLensTool Updater Version 1.00 program window view

A firmware update, most likely, allows you to improve the compatibility of the lens with new cameras, improve the autofocus, eliminates some other errors. I appreciated the usefulness of this function when working with the lens Yongnuo 100mm 1: 2  for Nikon cameras. But still it’s very bad that there is no way to roll back (restore) the original firmware that came out of the box.

To upgrade the firmware (software) of the lens:

1. Turn off the camera, detach the lens
2. Open program YNLens Updater for updating (program for Window or MacOs can be downloaded on the official website here)
3. Attach the lens to the computer using a USB cable. If everything went well, the program will automatically detect the connected lens
4. Click [Browse] and select the file with the desired firmware
5. Click [Start] to start the update. Wait for the update to finish
6. Disconnect the cable, attach the lens to the camera and start shooting

UPDATE: some users have noted a deterioration in the quality of autofocus with the new firmware. I found the archive with the old firmware, you can download from this link.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Image quality

As for its class, Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 shows quite acceptable quality of the created image.

Sharpness

1. in the center of the frame at F / 1.4 for resolution, nothing surprising, but still it is enough for many photo tasks
2. F / 1.4 aperture at 24 megapixels of the cropped sensor shows itself weakly, at 12 megapixels full frame - good
3. there is a noticeable drop in sharpness to the edges of the frame at f / 1.4
4. good resolution in the center of the frame on covered apertures after F / 2
5. good resolution at the edges of the frame on covered apertures after f / 4
6. good contrast

Distortion

1. small barrel distortion
2. the overall level of distortion is at a level typical for such lenses
3. the nature of distortion is unified, easily corrected in the editor

Vignetting

1. general level vignetting is at the level typical for such lenses
2. noticeable vignetting observed most strongly at F / 1.4-F / 2
3. vignetting amplified with focus towards MDF
4. on APS-C cameras with a sensor vignetting practically disappears at F / 2.0-F / 2.8
5. vignetting easily fixable in the editor
6. vignetting not amplified when using a sufficiently thick filter (with high sides)

Aberration

1. open diaphragms have a noticeable amount of spherical and chromatic aberrations
2. the strongest chromatic aberration visible at the edges and corners of the image
3. general level HA is at the level typical for such lenses
4. there is strong friging (HA in the blur zone) and blooming (HA on very contrasting small details)
5. there is a strong coma in the corners of the image on f / 1.4-f / 2.0

Rest

1. diaphragm forms fairly smooth discs of blur only in the range of F / 1.4-F / 2.5, at values ​​of F / 2.8-F / 22 you can clearly trace the regular polygons from point light sources in the blur zone.
2. color rendering is neutral, pleasant. The lens uses front lens enlightenment, which casts green shades. Many modern lenses have enlightenment that shimmers like the Yongnuo 50/1.4.
3. in some situations, the lens is very afraid of side and back light. The lens can catch a noticeable flare of the frame.
4. the wide aperture of F / 1.4 creates a strong blur of the front / rear plan, while the nature of the bokeh is quite even and pleasant. It should be noted that bokeh perception is mostly a subjective factor.

On covered apertures starting at about F / 2.8, distinguish between Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 and Canon 50 / 1.4 USM it will be extremely difficult.

Important: at the time of writing this review, there was no Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 profile for popular RAW converters. But I noticed that for Yongnuo 50 / 1.8 lenses for Nikon / Canon, as well as for Yongnuo 35 / 2.0 for Canon, lens profiles for Adobe Camera Raw and Adobe Lightroom of the latest versions have already appeared, therefore, most likely, the appearance of a lens profile for Yongnuo 50 /1.4 is just a matter of time.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Full frame sample photos

All sample photos in the gallery below were shot using a camera Canon EOS 5D and the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 lens. Photos taken using RAW ('.CR2') file conversion with Canon original utility Digital Photo Pprofessional 4 (Canon DPP) without any changes (without treatment).

RAW source photos ('.CR2') can be downloaded at this link... Original 'JPEG' photos can be download from this link.

Manual baby fifty dollars INDUSTAR-50-2 3,5 / 50 and modern Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Sample photos on crop

All sample photos in the gallery below were shot using a camera Canon EOS 750D (aka Canon Digital Rebel T6i, aka Canon Kiss Digital X8i) and a Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 lens without a hood. On-camera JPEG without additional processing. Let me remind you that the pixel density of 750D 20% higher than fifty megapixel Canon EOS 5Dsr/Canon EOS 5DS. Some photos were taken using a polarizing filter. HOYA 58mm PL-CIR.

Photos in the gallery are reduced in size, resize up to 2048 X 1535 pixels (about 3.1 MP) was taken using the free software FastStone Photo Resizer 3.1. Data was imprinted at the bottom of the photos. EXIF (excerpt, aperture, ISO). When reducing the size of photos, I use a quality equal to 80% of the original. This percentage of quality is more than enough to convey all the details in the photo without the excess weight of the file in the 'JPEG'. With 3 MP, you can print photos up to A4 without any problems. The light weight of the photos allows you to quickly view sample photos for general acquaintance with the capabilities of the lens and allows you to save photo loading time and disk space on my site. When viewing photos on the display of different devices, the site automatically adjusts the photos to the size of the device used. To view a 1: 1 photo pixel by pixel, just open it in a new browser tab, do it as easy as clicking on the photo thumbnail with the middle mouse button (by scrolling) or using the 'open link in a new tab / window' context menu.

'JPEG' source photos can be download from this link... Original RAW ('.CR2') photos can be download from that link.

UPDATED

More sample photos for this lens can be found in the Canon EOS 5D review.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Sample photos in processing

Photos in small processing can look in my gallery on the service 500Px.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Differences from Canon 50 / 1.4 USM

At the time of this review, Canon only had one such lens, namely Canon 50 / 1.4 USM, with him I will compare Yongnuo 50 / 1.4.

Advantages of Canon 50 / 1.4 USM over Yongnuo 50 / 1.4:

1. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM uses 8 aperture blades. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 aperture blades have only 7
2. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM significantly smaller in size
3. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM approximately twice as easy
4. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM focuses much quieter
5. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM focuses significantly faster
6. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM uses Micro USM Ultrasonic Focusing Motorand Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 uses a conventional micro-motor
7. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM has a feature continuous manual focus control Canon FTM
8. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM additionally has infrared label
9. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM has rubberized focus ring no lag
10. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM has more usual directions rotate the focus rings and focus mode switch AF / MF
11. Canon 50 / 1.4 USM Profile sewn into modern camerasthat can automatically correct some types of distortion, such as distortion or vignetting. Also, the profile for the Canon 50 / 1.4 USM is present in almost all modern RAW converters and allows you to quickly get rid of some distortions.

Advantages of Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 over Canon 50 / 1.4 USM:

1. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 25 years newer. Original Canon 50 / 1.4, which was introduced back in 1993
2. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 costs approximately half as much
3. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 uses more complex and unusual optical design... Canon 50 / 1.4 USM uses the classic Gaussian dual lens design, inherited from Canon FD 50mm f / 1.4 and used in a huge number of old 50 / 1.4 class XNUMXs (as an example - Nikon 50 / 1.4D)
   
4. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 has USB port for firmware upgrade
5. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 has more long stroke focus ringwider focus ring

The optical performance of both lenses is at a similar level. The network has user reviews where you can find information that the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is slightly better at open apertures in the center of the frame and slightly worse at the edges and corners than the original Canon 50 / 1.4 USM.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Alternatives

Below is a list of fifty-fifty lenses and lenses that are very close in their focal length to 50 mm, which support auto focus and are suitable for full-frame cameras Canon EOS.

Canon:

Tamron:

Sigma:

Tokina:

Yongnuo:

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

My experience

Я ecstatic from Yongnuo 50 / 1.4. For a little money, it turned out to be a perfectly suitable fifty dollars with a fully functional F / 1.4 aperture (for some photo tasks).

I will dwell on the price separately. Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is:

• cheapest autofocus fifty dollars for Canon SLR cameras with F / 1.4
• the cheapest fifty dollars among all autofocus fifty dollars with F / 1.4, which you can buy new
• the cheapest autofocus full-frame lens with f / 1.4
• Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is cheaper than not only any full-frame lens with F / 1.4, but also any cropped lens with F / 1.4

Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 costs a little more than the original Canon 50 / 1.8 STM... F / 1.4 aperture is about 2/3 brighter than f / 1.8. As a result, what to choose is a difficult and open question. For myself, in particular for photography (not for video), I would still stick to Yongnuo 50 / 1.4. But for the video, I would still choose the original Canon 50 / 1.8 STM.

Not so long ago I had a brand new star super monster on the review HD PENTAX 1: 1.4 50mm SDM AW DFA * and I should note that Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 has much less pronounced longitudinal aberrations (fringing), which color contrast transitions in the blur zone in green and purple. Although, of course, in general HD PENTAX 1: 1.4 50mm SDM AW DFA * significantly better than the budget Yongnuo 50 / 1.4.

I took Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 several times for shooting as a lens for the second camera. Behind three weeks of viewing time I took about 6000 frames and did not notice any glitches or malfunctions in the Yongnuo 50 / 1.4.

Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Prices

Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is not a very expensive lens. Easiest and cheapest Buy Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 on aliexpress.comfor example verified seller here at this link.

Yongnuo YN 50mm f / 1.4

Results

The Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 is a very functional lens for little money. Yongnuo has recently been producing increasingly sophisticated lenses with good capabilities. In many situations, Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 can be an excellent replacement for the original Canon 50 / 1.4 USM.

Advantages

1. low cost ($ 150-180 for the new Yongnuo 50 / 1.4). It is the cheapest F / 1.4 AF lens of any AF lens.
2. high aperture
3. unusual / unique optical design. The optical scheme uses special elements with an extremely high refractive index. The front element is concave (a rarity for this kind of lens)
4. USB port for firmware upgrade
5. convenient manual focus, the focus ring rotates 225 degrees
6. there is a window with a scale of focusing distances
7. the filter frame does not rotate during focusing
8. fixed focus ring during auto focus (e.g. Canon 50 / 1.8 II the ring rotates and cannot be touched)
9. good build quality: metal bayonet mount, most of the body is metal, reliable and comfortable covers, bayonet type hood, hood is not mounted on the trunk
10. depth of field scale, no focus shift
11. seven-petal diaphragm, round discs of blur in the range of F / 1.4-F / 2.5
12. nice / neutral drawing, which can be used as a good artistic technique during portraiture
13. Confident sharpness starting at f / 1.4 in the center of the frame. Moderate level of basic optical distortion (aberration, vignetting, distortion) comparable to the original Canon 50 / 1.4 USM

Disadvantages

1. limited options for adjusting the lens via the USB port. You can only upgrade the lens firmware. Cannot roll back firmware to previous version
2. rear lens or rear lens barrel may interfere with the mirror of some full-frame Canon EOS cameras during 'infinity flight' focusing
3. I once unscrewed a light filter along with the front of the lens (the problem was easily solved by more tightly screwing the front lens unit)
4. high weight (572 grams in Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 versus 290 grams in Canon 50 / 1.4 USM)
5. during focusing towards MDF, the front of the frame (trunk) moves forward
6. average focusing speed, significantly lower than that of Canon 50 / 1.4 USM
7. the usual micro focus motor and, as a result, the lack of the function of constant manual focus control similar to, for example, the FTM mode Canon 50 / 1.4 USM
8. tangible noise from the focus motor
9. unsystematic focusing errors (but it cannot be said that there are tangible problems with focusing)
10. plastic focus ring, unpleasant rubbing sound during focusing
11. a small lag of the focus ring during manual focus when changing the direction of rotation
12. the direction of rotation of the focus ring is opposite to the original Canon 50 / 1.4 USM.
13. no hoods included, no official information on compatible hoods
14. there is no basic dust and moisture protection (for example, Nikon 50 / 1.4G there is a rubber mount seal)
15. tangible effect of 'Focus Breathing' (changes in viewing angle during focusing)
16. hole aperture at values ​​F / 2.5-F / 22 it is poorly rounded and is a regular heptagon
17. there is no tag for working in the infrared spectrum, the depth of field and focusing distances are small
18. there is incompatibility with some cameras and / or teleconverters (no exact data)
19. lack of data about the lens in modern cameras, which makes it difficult to automatically correct some types of optical distortion (distortion, vignetting etc.)
20. lack of a lens profile in popular RAW converters (temporary drawback, you can create a profile yourself or wait for its release)
21. the survivability of this lens and the variation in quality are unknown. Little information on Yongnuo Certified Lens Service Centers
22. certain imperfections in the image (poor sharpness at F / 1.4 at the corners and edges of the image, poor resistance to side light without a lens hood, a set of optical distortions characteristic of such fifty dollars)

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram