Overview of YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N E (for Nikon)

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

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N. The lens is shown in film slr camera Nikon EL2. Enlarge image.

Navigation

1. In short
2. History
3. All lenses from Yongnuo
4. Main Specifications
5. Assembly
6. Focusing
7. Firmware Upgrade
8. Iris control
9. Flash work
10. Image quality
11. Sample Photos on Nikon D700 (Full Frame)
12. Sample photos on Nikon D90 (crop)
13. Sample photos in processing
14. Differences from Nikon 50 / 1.4G
15. My experience
16. Video review
17. Alternatives
18. Price
19. Results
20. User Comments
21. Add your review or question on the lens

In this review, the lens'YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N E'(as written on the lens near its front lens) I will abbreviate as -'Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N'.

Spoiler: Radozhiv already has a review of this lens for Canon cameras - YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4, because a lot of information in this review will be repeated from YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4 .

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

In short

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is a fifty-kopeck piece from Yongnuo for Nikon 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 E 50 / 1.4N is the cheapest autofocus lens with f / 1.4 for full-frame SLR cameras.

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N - something in between Nikon 50 / 1.4D AF (price, noisy focus) and Nikon 50 / 1.4G (image quality, built-in motor). But still, in general, Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is closer precisely to Nikon 50 / 1.4G.

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is a good 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 E 50 / 1.4N can perform quite well as a replacement for a portrait lens.

Here I simply must leave 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 wideraperture 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 E 50 / 1.4N is approximately 16 times brighterthan, for example, whale Nikon 18-55 / 3.5-5.6G VR AF-Pwhich 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 LENS YN50mm F1.4N

History

April 29 2014 was presented at one of the exhibitions prototype Yongnuo 50 / 1.4which outwardly was very similar to Canon 50 / 1.4 USM. After the announcement prototype Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 did not appear anywhere else, mass production and its sales were not adjusted. Data about this lens has been deleted from the official site.

30 May 2018 on the official website appeared modern Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 for Canon EOS cameras. Some users call this model Yongnuo 50 / 1.4 Mark II.

August 18 2018 Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4NE was introduced for Nikon cameras shown in this review.

Let me remind you that the first lens from Yongnuo Digital was a fifty dollars for Canon EOS cameras - Yongnuo Lens EF 50mm 1: 1.8 (YN50mm F1.8), introduced already in 2014, and the first lens for Nikon was Yongnuo 50mm 1: 1.8 (YN50mm F1.8N) introduced in 2016.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

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 LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Main technical characteristics of YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N E

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	N (Nikon) - lens designed for full-frame cameras Nikon fx E – (Electromagnetic Diaphragm) - Electromagnetic diaphragm DC motor - built-in micro focus motoranalog Nikon AF-I / AF-S Lack of aperture control ring, analog Nikon G 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 Nikon DX cameras is 75 mm
Zoom ratio	1 X (this is a fixed lens, it does not have a zoom)
Designed by	for full and cropped Nikon digital 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	577 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	From August 18, 2018
Instructions	View my scan (English only)
Price	Aliexpress prices

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 Ultron / Voigtlander 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 circuit of Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N (as well as YN50mm F1.4 for Canon) belongs to some old and unreleased Nikon / Canon lens, which did not reach mass production.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

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 15-10-2018, 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 E 50 / 1.4N has metal mount mount. The focus ring is not rubberized, plastic, but wide enough and pleasant to use. The lens body is made mainly from metal. The thread for the filters is also metal. It is stated that the contacts of the microprocessor are gold-plated.

One serious nuisance was still present in the assembly: the lens arrived with a slightly unscrewed front of the frame (trunk). For the sake of interest, I wanted to unscrew the trunk completely, but this did not work for me, after which I screwed it back tightly. This problem did not recur again. Unfortunately, I think this is a complete disgrace.

The weight of the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is almost 600 grams. In my hands, the lens feels like a good thing, better than Yongnuo 50 / 1.8 . The Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N lens weighs significantly more than the TOP original Nikon 58 / 1.4G. Paired with rather heavy cameras, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N allows you to get a good weight balance of the camera + lens bundle.

The design of the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is very similar to Canon Compact-Macro 50 / 2.5. This time, the design was not copied from any Nikon Nikkor lens, as, for example, this could be observed in the case of Yongnuo 50mm 1: 1.8that was externally copied from Nikon 50 / 1.8G.

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).

For the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N, the Canon ES-71 II hood is suitable. I used an analog Hoods Canon ES-71 II (for 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. In general, a funny situation turns out: the lens is for Nikon, and the lens hood must be used from the lens for Canon.

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

From myself I’ll add that to the version of this lens for Canon ( YN50mm F1.4) I took more than 10.000 shots, for which he never failed or failed me. There was only a small embarrassment with the unscrewing of the polarizing filter, which jammed.

UPDATED: camera view lens Nikon D5100 After using it for several days (not by me) it ceased to be detected by the camera. Repair cost about $ 20.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Focusing

The lens has built-in focus motor DC-type (DDirectly Current Motor- ordinary DC motor). To be precise, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is an analog of the Nikon series lenses AF-I. Unlike lenses Nikon AF-Sthat use ultrasonic focusing motors Nikon SWMold lenses Nikon AF-I use a built-in buzzing micro focus motor similar to the Yongnuo DC.

The lens will automatically focus on all Nikon DSLR cameraseven on amateur series models Nikon DXthat do not have a built-in focus motor: D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D3100, D3200, D3300, D3400, D3500, D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D5500, D5600as well as mirrorless cameras Nikon Z with adapter FTZ / FTZ II.

Focus speed average (closer to low), roughly comparable to the original lens Nikon 50 / 1.4G. Focus speed does not depend on the light or type of camera. Some modern Nikon Nikor lenses can change the focus speed depending on the lighting. In poor lighting conditions, for example, when you simply close the lens with the front protective cap, the focusing speed can drop significantly.

With the protective cover installed, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N does not perform focusing from infinity to MDF. If you focus from infinity towards MDF, the lens stops at 0.6 meters. If you focus from MDF to infinity, the lens stops at 1 meter. Sometimes this can happen in cases where the lens is just scouring and cannot focus. Please note that this is just a small feature that in real shooting conditions does not affect the convenience of focusing. This behavior I observed only with some lenses from Yongnuo.

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.

When used on cameras Nikon D90, Nikon D80 (with unpretentious Multi-CAM 1000 focusing system) and with Nikon D700 (with advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX Focusing System) I did not have any particular problems. The quality of work varies slightly from camera to camera. But I must note that the tenacity of focus is worse than that of the original lenses.

On camera Nikon D90 I checked the presence of the back and focus front at different focusing distances (infinity and MDF as well). Pictures taken using the Live View mode (which does not suffer from back / front focus) were used as a measure. Focusing accuracy using phase sensors completely coincided with the Live View mode.

From photo shoot to Nikon D80 and Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N (everything was filmed on an open aperture) of 1000 frames explicit focus errors were about 200 frames that I sent to the basket. I did not experience obvious inconvenience in terms of focusing while working with the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N.

The worst of the named cameras, Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N focused on Nikon D700, best of all - on Nikon D90.

The focus ring is plastic, wide, in manual focus mode it rotates approximately 225 degrees (5/8 of a full revolution of 360 degrees). 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.

There is a 'AF-MF' (auto focus / manual focus) mode switch on the lens body. The switch positions are reversed compared to the original lenses ('M / AM'<->' 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 Nikon lenses, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N does not support continuous manual focus control. Nikon M / A (or similar). The direction of rotation of the focus ring corresponds to the original Nikon 50 / 1.4G.

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.

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 E 50 / 1.4N 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. The Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N has a tangible 'Focus Breathing' effect (changing the viewing angle during focusing). During focusing towards the MDF, the viewing angle decreases.
4. Teleconverter compatibility unknown
5. It's important: This lens does not work with Nikon FTZ / FTZ II adapters
6. Nikon FT1 adapter compatibility unknown
7. Focusing is performed by simultaneously moving the entire lens block (all lenses) relative to the focal plane

Important: Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is a third-party lens. It may happen that it will not work correctly with some Nikon cameras.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

USB firmware update

On the lens housing Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N 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. Firmware for your Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N i Have not found, Including on the official website (maybe she will come out later).

A widespread USB 2.0 MICRO-B port (like a large number of portable devices) is used for connecting to the lens. A USB cable is not included. To connect, I used a USB cable for my old android phone. My lens had firmware V1.01.

Basic firmware for Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N

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 lenses. Yongnuo 100mm 1: 2 и Yongnuo 40mm 1: 2.8 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

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Iris control

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N uses electromagnetic diaphragm control. Only some Nikon digital cameras can correctly handle this lens.

The exact list of digital cameras that support working with 'E'-type lenses:

Nikon D3, D3s, D3x, D4, D4s, D5, D6, Df, D600, D610, D700, D750, D780, D800, D800E, D810, D810a, D850, D300, D300s, D500, D7000, D7100, D7200, D7500, D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D5500, D5600, D3100, D3200, D3300, D3400, D3500

+ Nikon z5, Nikon z6, Nikon z6 ii, Nikon z7, Nikon z7 ii, Nikon z9, Nikon Z fc, Nikon z50 with Nikon FTZ / Nikon FTZ II adapter.

+ Nikon 1 J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, S1, S2, V1, V2, V3, AW 1 with Nikon FT-1 adapter

The exact list of cameras that do not support working with 'E'-type lenses:

Nikon D1, D1h, D1x, D2x, D2h, D2xs, D2hs, D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70s, D80, D90, D100, D200, D3000

+ Fujifilm FinePix S1 Pro, S2 Pro, S3 Pro, S3 Pro UVIR, S5 Pro, IS Pro

+ Kodak DCS PRO 14n и Kodak DCS Pro SLR / n

'E' type lenses on the cameras in this list will always shoot at full aperture. Other features of the work are possible.

• increases aperture value accuracy
• Increases the response speed, which is important for high-speed shooting.
• As far as I know, the old mechanism with the diaphragm lever was designed for a maximum speed of 10 frames per second. The electromagnetic diaphragm can easily work at higher speeds.
• simplifies iris operation during movie shooting
• the mechanism is quieter (at least there is no noise from the aperture control mechanisms built into the camera)
• simplifies the design of the camera itself, as well as macro rings, teleconverters and other adapters. This is very critical for telephoto lenses with a focal length greater than 500 mm.
• third-party lens design is simplified for Nikon / Canon and many other systems, especially mirrorless ones. The manufacturer does not need to globally change the design of the lens for different aperture control mechanisms on different cameras. For all, an electromagnetic diaphragm is used without additional mechanical parts. Let me remind you that, for example, all lenses for cameras Canon EOS equipped with an electromagnetic diaphragm since 1987
• most likely there are other positive features, less obvious, such as improved power consumption or the possibility of having a huge number of aperture blades

Of the minuses of the electromagnetic diaphragm, I would single out only a violation of compatibility with old cameras. For example, with old people, such as Nikon D90, D3000, D2xs iris control on the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N will no longer be possible.

On the the official website stated that the lens fully compatible with the following cameras: Nikon D5, D4,D4s, D3, D3x, D3s, D850, D810,D810a, D800,D800E, D750, D700, D610, D600, D500, D300, D300s, D7500, D7200, D7100, D7000, D5600, D5500, D5300, D5200, D5100, D5000, D3400, D3300, D3100 (and where D3500, D3200, DF?).

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Flash work

The Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is an E-lens, which theoretically means that it includes all the functions available to G lenses, which in turn includes all the functions available to D-lenses. Therefore, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N must correctly transmit the focusing distance to the object to the camera. This information is very important when using external flash units in some automatic modes such as i-TTL. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N accurately conveys the focusing distances and I did not find any problems with the flash.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Image quality

As for its class, Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N 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 12 megapixels of the cropped sensor shows itself normally, at 12 megapixels of a 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 sample shot) 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 E 50 / 1.4N.
3. in some situations, the lens is very afraid of side and back light. The lens can catch a noticeable flare of the frame (sample shot in backlight).
4. The wide f / 1.4 aperture creates strong near / far blur, while the bokeh character is quite smooth and pleasing. I should note that the perception of bokeh is mostly subjective.

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

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Sample Photos on Nikon D700 (FX)

Full-frame shots Nikon D700. The photos in the gallery below are shown without processing, the conversion of the source RAW files by the original Capture NX-D converter without any additional adjustments.

Original photos in 'JPEG' format (Capture NX-D converter) can be downloaded at this link... Original photos in RAW format ('.NEF', 14 bit, normal compression) can be downloaded at this link.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Sample Photos on Nikon D90 (DX)

Pictures taken with a cropped camera Nikon D90. The photos in the gallery below are shown without processing, the conversion of the source RAW files by the original Capture NX-D or ViewNX-I converter without making additional adjustments. Please note that on Nikon D90 the lens can only work on a fully open F / 1.4 aperture, as it does not support lenses with electromagnetic aperture control. Pixel density on old lady D90 higher than Nikon D3x, D600, D610, D750, Nikon Z6.

Original 'JPEG' photos (Capture NX-D converter) can be downloaded at this link. RAW source photos ('.NEF') can be downloaded at this link.

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 saves time for photo loading 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.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Sample photos processed by Nikon D80

Pictures taken with a cropped camera Nikon D80. The photos in the gallery below are shown with a little revision. Please note that on Nikon D80 the lens can only work on a fully open F / 1.4 aperture, as it does not support lenses with electromagnetic aperture control. To work with Nikon D80 it is best to use 'A' (aperture priority) or 'M' (manual exposure control) mode and not change the f / 1.4 value to something else. To summarize, with this camera, shooting will always take place at a fully open aperture and this fact must be constantly taken into account.

Original photos in 'JPEG' format (on-camera JPEG) can be downloaded at this link... The strange file names are due to the fact that after 10.000 frames the frame counter is Nikon D80, as with the vast majority of other Nikon cameras, it is reset and the account starts again, and placing files with the same name in the same folder is not always possible. The archive is 100 files, including 38 portraits. Some photos were captured using a polarizing filter HOYA 58mm PL-CIR.

Also some additional photos can be found in my gallery on the service 500Px... Another photo in small processing on Canon EOS 5D cameras and Canon EOS 750D (aka Canon Digital Rebel T6i, aka Canon Kiss Digital X8i) with the lens YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4 under Canon you can also view gallery 500Px.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Differences from Nikon 50 / 1.4G

According to its characteristics, Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is most similar to the original Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4G AF-S Nikkor SWM

Advantages of Nikon 50 / 1.4G over Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N:

1. Nikon 50 / 1.4G uses 9 aperture blades. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N aperture blades have only 7
2. Nikon 50 / 1.4G uses virtually internal focus
3. Nikon 50 / 1.4G significantly shorter
4. Nikon 50 / 1.4G approx twice as easy
5. Nikon 50 / 1.4G focuses much quieter and more accurately
   
6. Nikon 50 / 1.4G uses ultrasonic focusing motor Nikon SWMand the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N uses a conventional micro motor. Focusing speed is almost equal
7. Nikon 50 / 1.4G has a feature continuous manual focus control Nikon M / A
8. Nikon 50 / 1.4G has tag for infrared more
   
9. Nikon 50 / 1.4G has rubberized ring focusing without lag
10. Nikon 50 / 1.4G has more familiar switch directions focus modes
11. Nikon 50 / 1.4G uses high quality SIC enlightenment (Nikon Super Integrated Coating). The specific type of Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N multi-coating is unknown
12. Nikon 50 / 1.4G has rubber mount sealproviding basic protection against dust and moisture
13. Nikon 50 / 1.4G Profile sewn into modern camerasthat can automatically correct some types of distortion, such as distortion or vignetting. Also, the profile for Nikon 50 / 1.4G is present in almost all modern RAW converters and allows you to quickly get rid of some distortions.
14. Nikon 50 / 1.4G consists on the Nikon NPS list and is a professional lens, which in some cases can significantly simplify its repair or replacement

Advantages of Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N over Nikon 50 / 1.4G:

1. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N 10 years newer. The original Nikon 50 / 1.4G was introduced back in 2008
2. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N costs approximately half as much
3. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N uses more complex and unusual optical design. Nikon 50 / 1.4G uses a more classic design
   
4. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N has USB port for firmware upgrade
5. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N has more long stroke focus ring
6. Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N uses diaphragm electromagnetic device

The optical performance of the lenses is at a similar level, but in general the original Nikon 50 / 1.4G will be better.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

All Nikon 50-58 / 1.4 / 1.2 autofocus lenses

1. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4 AF Nikkor (first version, MK I) - the lens was produced only in Japan from 1986 to 1991
2. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4 AF Nikkor (second version, MK II, also known as the 'N', or the 'NEW' version) - the lens was only available in Japan from 1991 to 1995
3. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4D AF Nikkor (third version, MKIIIbetter known as 'D'-version) - the lens is available from 1995 to this day. There are two subversions that are no different.
   • MIJ (MADE IN JAPAN)
   • MIC (MADE IN CHINA)
4. Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4G AF-S Nikkor SWM (fourth version, MKIVbetter known as 'G' version) - the lens is only available in China from 2008 to this day.
5. Nikon N AF-S Nikkor 58mm 1: 1.4G Nano Crystal Coat SWM Aspherical (version better known as'58/1.4') - the lens is only available in Japan from 2013 to this day.
6. Nikon Nikkor Z 58mm 1: 0.95 S Noct - The lens is available from 2019 to this day. Premium Lens for Mirrorless Cameras Nikon Z... It does not have automatic focus, but has a record aperture. Complex optical design with 17 elements in 10 groups, with 4 ED elements and 3 aspherical elements.
7. Nikon Nikkor Z 50 / 1.2 S - The lens has been produced from 2020 to the present day. Professional S-line lens for mirrorless cameras Nikon Z... Complex optical design with 17 elements in 15 groups, with 2 ED elements and 3 aspherical elements

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

My experience

I am very good with Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N. 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 E 50 / 1.4N is:

• at the time of this review, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is the cheapest electromagnetic aperture lens for Nikon
• The cheapest autofocus fifty dollars for Nikon 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
• The Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is cheaper than not only any full-frame lens with F / 1.4, but also any cropped autofocus lens with F / 1.4

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N costs a little cheaper than the original Nikon 50 / 1.8G... 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.

In the general case I recommend using a balanced original Nikon 50 / 1.8G.

Original Nikon 50 / 1.8G it focuses faster and is much quieter, has virtually internal focusing, a rubber mount mount seal, a mode of constant manual focus control, weighs less and uses aspherics in its optical design.

Video review

You can watch the video review at my humble Youtube channel by this link, or below:

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

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N

Prices

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is not a very expensive lens. Easiest and cheapest Buy Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N at aliexpress.comfor example, from a trusted seller at this link.

YONGNUO LENS YN50mm F1.4N. The lens is shown in film slr camera Nikon EL2

Results

Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is a very functional lens for little money. In many situations, Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N can be an excellent replacement for the original Nikon 50 / 1.4G. In general, the Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N is better than the original old man Nikon 50 / 1.4D AF.

Advantages

1. low cost ($ 150-180 for the new Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N). This is the cheapest autofocus lens with F / 1.4 in general among all autofocus lenses
2. high aperture
3. unusual / unique optical design. The optical scheme uses special elements with an ultrahigh refractive index. The front element is concave (a rarity for this kind of lens)
4. electromagnetic aperture control (nice feature for Nikon SLR camera users)
5. USB port for firmware upgrade
6. convenient manual focus, the focus ring rotates 225 degrees
7. there is a window with a scale of focusing distances
8. the filter frame does not rotate during focusing
9. fixed focus ring during auto focus (e.g. Nikon 50 / 1.4D AF the ring rotates and cannot be touched)
10. 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
11. depth of field scale, no focus shift
12. seven-petal diaphragm, round discs of blur in the range of F / 1.4-F / 2.5
13. nice / neutral drawing, which can be used as a good artistic technique during portraiture
14. 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 Nikon 50 / 1.4D AF and / or Nikon 50 / 1.4G

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. at the time of writing the review on the official website for the lens there were no any firmware
3. big weight (577 grams for Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N vs 280 grams for Nikon 50 / 1.4G)
4. during focusing towards MDF, the front of the frame (trunk) moves forward
5. average focus speed (closer to slow)
6. ordinary micro focusing motor and, as a result, the lack of constant manual focus control, similar to, for example, M / A mode у Nikon 50mm 1: 1.4G
7. tangible noise from the focus motor
8. unsystematic focusing errors (but it cannot be said that there are tangible problems with focusing)
9. plastic focus ring, unpleasant rubbing sound during manual focus
10. a small lag of the focus ring during manual focus when changing the direction of rotation
11. no hoods included, no official information on compatible hoods
12. The lens trunk can be partially unscrewed with a little effort. A copy from the review has already arrived with a half-unscrewed trunk. The problem is easily treated with stronger trunk screwing, done simply by hand, without any tools
13. there is no basic dust and moisture protection (for example, Nikon 50 / 1.4G there is a rubber mount seal)
14. tangible effect of 'Focus Breathing' (changes in viewing angle during focusing)
15. the aperture at F / 2.5-F / 22 is poorly rounded and is a regular heptagon
16. there is no tag for working in the infrared spectrum, the depth of field and focusing distances are small
17. There is incompatibility with cameras that do not support electromagnetic aperture control (an exact list is in the review). This is more a Nikon system problem than a Yongnuo E 50 / 1.4N
18. unknown compatibility with Nikon FTZ and Nikon FT1 adapters and teleconverters
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 Certified Yongnuo 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