Yongnuo 50mm 1.8 ii review

I can confirm, having repaired a dozen or so Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lenses, that the internals have significant differences. There are some similarities in the glass elements, but the overall construction is quite different. Here’s the Yongnuo lens next to the Canon lens it copies:

The Yongnuo model is a little bit bigger (though lighter). Held, they seem about the same, and are very similar, but the YN is a bit bigger.

I’m shooting the Yongnuo and Canon each on a separate Canon T3i. Why the T3i and not my 6D or 5DII? The YongNuo is a budget lens, so chances are pretty good that those who get it will be using Canon XTis, XSi, T2is — the sub $300/400 cameras — and I wanted to give a more practical and realistic hands-on experience rather than “best case scenario.”

Initial in-home testing has them just about the same as their Canon counterpart aside from one quirk, as someone brought up elsewhere. It will try and autofocus in live view, but will not catch; it just keeps missing the mark.

In live view with manual focus (undoubtedly the recommended method of focusing with live view) they fire just fine. This is unlikely to affect too many people, but something to be aware of.

For this low light walkabout, I stuck to ISO 3200 and f/1.8, with the shutter bouncing around between 1/100 and 1/400ish. Basically some of what you might expect to shoot at during a lively low light scenario with some static shots (using 1/100 as the lowest to avoid camera shake), and some action stuff.

The first stop on Fremont Street was a country music stage. I noticed some chromatic aberation (mainly on the lead’s hat) that was exacerbated by the pink lights, but overall decently controlled, and no worse than the same shots I got with the Canon. 1/200

What’s better than dancing with your lady to country music? Dancing with your lady with AND Coors Light. 1/100

I got to put the AF speed and accuracy to the test on these aerialist shots. I took about 100 in all, and in all modes the AF caught quick and accurately (only 3-5 or so missed focus, about what I’d expect with the Canon) Shot in single mode, and servo, it performed well. The T3i isn’t an AF monster in the least, and ISO 3200 – f/1.8 – 1/400 is fairly low light for AF. It did well.

Seriously, the spray paint paintings these guys do is awesome. I also got some cool shots, since the lights around him made the background dim quite a bit, making him stand out. 1/400

The last set I shot was a couple of dudes making clay caricatures. The background blurred out nice, and the lighting made him stick out, I like it. 1/400

My thoughts? I had one camera in the bag, and one in my hand, and I’d switch between the two off and on as I went. The biggest surprise was: I had no idea which I was shooting at any given time. For AF speed, noise, accuracy, etc, I noticed nothing different between the two at any time.

Like I said… I’m not typically a low light shooter. If I’m not shooting at ISO 100, I just add more lights, but maybe that’s a good thing for this initial test. I’m Joe Everybody, this is what a beginner might expect. And as a beginner in this scenario, it stood against the Canon punch for punch.

The Verdict

For someone who just can’t justify $100/$125 for the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II, the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 might be a great option. I got my sister a T1i and 18-55mm/55-250mm for Christmas since she just had her first son. It’s a nice camera that’s great for a young family. They can’t do $125 for something nonessential, but $40 is doable for them (or as a gift from another sibling). THIS is the market for the Yongnuo, in my opinion, and it might be fantastic for them. I guess we’ll find out.

About the author: Jay Leavitt is a hobbyist photographer who tries to push himself as far as he can go. With many budget constraints around him at times, he does what he can to not let them hold him back at all. Leavitt blogs at Shooting on a Budget, where this article originally appeared.

The 50mm f/1.8 lens, or as we call it, the ‘Nifty Fifty,’ is one of the most widely used lenses in the market. This is usually the first lens a modern digital camera owner desires to purchase after the kit lenses.

The reasons why this is the most popular lens are fairly simple – the first being affordability, and the second, the ability to produce pleasing bokeh.

In terms of affordability, the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 lens is ideally the cheapest Nifty Fifty. Priced at less than US$50, this is less than half of the Canon variant and works on APS-C as well as full-frame cameras.

However, the Yongnuo lens for Nikon costs around US$70 as it includes the focus motor. I recently bought one for my Canon 5D Mark iii, so I thought of sharing my views about this lens.

Build quality and ergonomics

The Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 lens looks exactly like the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens (discontinued version). The plastic used in the Yongnuo lens feels a bit cheaper though. Surprisingly, the rubber grip is smooth, and the ‘AF and MF’ switch is similar to Canon.

The construction of the lens consists of 6 elements in 5 groups and has 7 diaphragm blades – the same as the Canon variant. This Yongnuo lens is light to carry as it weighs only 120g – 40g lighter than its competitor. Overall the lens looks and feels good at this price point.

Focus speed and accuracy

I have been using this for almost a month now, during the day as well as night time. The focus speed is a bit slow as the lens hunts for focus, especially in low light conditions. If you are shooting stationary subjects, then it is fine, but if you want to nail the focus swiftly, then you might be disappointed.

Though the focus speed is not that fast, the accuracy is fairly good. It takes time to focus but when it does the focus is accurate. I would not recommend this lens for video shooters as it messes a lot with the focus. However, if you are a hobbyist and casually shoot portraits or still objects, this lens can do the job.

Sharpness and Image Quality

Before clicking photos using the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8, I had much less expectation from this lens. To my surprise, this lens produced amazing sharpness and image quality. I did not compare it side by side with its competitor lens, but I am sure it is on par with it.

The few image samples that you see are all shot at an event during the sunset/evening time. The images are tad sharp, and the colors also look natural. I had done a test on vignetting performance, and at f/4 it was almost gone. This lens worked for me when I was shooting stationary subjects as well as when shooting performing artists at an event.

For me, the bokeh shape was a bit unpleasant at f/1.8, and I’m not sure exactly why. I used this lens at f/2.8 and achieved sharp and crisp images with minimum vignetting and shallow depth of field effect.

Conclusion

This lens by Yongnuo is for someone who has just started with photography or has a tight budget but still wants to achieve the f/1.8 look at 50mm. The focus speed is something that might irritate you, but once it focuses the image quality is quite impressive. I would suggest this lens to someone who shoots still subjects or portraits without much movement. If you are a wedding, event or a professional portrait photographer, you might be disappointed.

Have you used this lens? What are your thoughts?

Summary

Reviewer

Kunal Malhotra

Review Date

2019-03-18

Reviewed Item

Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8 lens for Canon

Author Rating

4

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Kunal Malhotra

is a photography enthusiast whose passion for photography started 6 years back during his college days. Kunal is also a photography blogger, based out of Delhi, India. He loves sharing his knowledge about photography with fellow aspiring photographers by writing regular posts on his blog. Some of his favorite genres of photography are product, street, fitness, and architecture.

Is YONGNUO 50mm sharp?

At maximum aperture, sharpness in the centre of the frame is already very good, although clarity towards the edges of the frame is fairly poor. Stopping down improves performance across the frame, although the difference is more dramatic in the centre than towards the edges.

Who makes YONGNUO?

YONGNUO(永诺) is the International Trademark of photographic equipment manufacturer Shenzhen Yongnuo Photographic Equipment Co. Ltd.

Is the 50mm 1.8 worth it?

Assuming you are looking to purchase a 50mm lens, this is the best option for a photographer on a budget. In terms of aperture, the f/1.8 allows a substantial amount of light through, which is convenient for portraits taken in low light.

Is YONGNUO 50mm full frame?

YONGNUO 50mm Full-frame E-mount Fast Prime Lens offers a focal length that is perfect for portraiture and a range of other subjects. A bright F1. 8 maximum aperture, 7-blade circular aperture and aspherical element deliver impressive image quality with beautifully defocused background bokeh.