HERE COMES THE BRAND NEW EF 50mm f/1.4

[Maximilian]

Some dealer lists the Yongnuo 50/1.4 at USD 299,- ... I don't think it will become a sales success at that price.

Same to me.
With the original actually at USD 399,- at amazon I think it has to be at half of that price. But the 299,- is just the preorder, so I suppose it will come down.
I would't buy one at more than half of the Canon price, but I suppose, others would...

Most interesting question IMHO: How good is their quality control? (And therefore the variation between copies)

But I want a new Canon and not a new copy of an old lens design

 

[sgs8r]

I gave up waiting for Canon to update the 50mm 1.4 and bought the Sigma Art.

The Canon 50s (1.4 and 1.8) are not that expensive (esp the 1.8), so I'm not sure how cheap these can be to get someone to risk an off-brand...

 

[Steve]

Their YN-ST-E3RT has been available sind late last year, but did not prove to be reliable enough at roughly 2/3 of the cost of original Canon gear.

I haven't tried the YN-ST-E3RT but I can vouch for the YN622 wireless TTL triggers. They're pretty awesome for what they are and what they cost. Since using those, I've been somewhat looking forward to the near-mythical-at-this-point YN600RT as a low cost alternative to the Canon 600RT.

Yongnuo displayed the following lenses at their Photokina stall:
* 50/1.4
* 50/1.8
* 35/2.0
* Extender EF 2x III

Reading this list I'm like "Sure, yep, makes sense, wait...what?" Why did they make a knock off of the 2x Extender? Who is that for? The person who bought a multi-thousand dollar fast telephoto but just can't bear to part with a few hundred dollars extra for a TC? And why the 2x? Why not the 1.4x? I mean, that just kind of blows my mind. Unless they made it just as a showcase for optical quality in which case it better be really damn good.

 

[AvTvM]

while a TC without any moving elements is probably a lot easier to copy than regular lenses with focussing elements [MF, AF or possibly even IS). Yongnuo might be able to offer a TC at only 1/3 of the cost of the original item, whereas this might not be possible for a regular lens.

BUT it am also really wondering, why Yongnuo chose the 2x TC, rather than the 1.4x.

Anyway, really interested to see what price and quality will be like. I'll definitely NOT pre-order. ;D

 

[NancyP]

There's a ton of counterfeit stuff coming from China, I give Yongnuo credit for at least putting its own name on the barrel. China make a lot of low end for its own population as well. The company may want to sell to those Chinese consumers who can't afford "the real thing" and the attendant status. For credibility's sake, they need to give it a fancy Western price, but I doubt that is the price it will sell for (in RM equivalents) internally.

In other interesting news, some Chinese consumer electronics factories (laptops, mostly) assembly lines are staffed 50% by unpaid or otherwise illegally and coercively employed student interns. Want your degree in hotel management? Work a year at 80 hours a week on the computer assembly line, your wages all going to your school - otherwise, no diploma for you!

 

[Marsu42]

Since using those, I've been somewhat looking forward to the near-mythical-at-this-point YN600RT as a low cost alternative to the Canon 600RT.

It won't be as Canon isn't dumb - if a budget competition with the same level of functionality and build quality appears, they'll lower the price of their 600rt and/or even at last release a 430ex2 successor that might appeal to many as a radio slave flash.

There's a ton of counterfeit stuff coming from China, I give Yongnuo credit for at least putting its own name on the barrel.

Did anyone compare the detailed Canon 50/1.4 vs Yn 50/1.4 specs? Is it really just a 1:1 copy?

In other interesting news, some Chinese consumer electronics factories (laptops, mostly) assembly lines are staffed 50% by unpaid or otherwise illegally and coercively employed student interns.

I understand China is even rising to the countries with better working conditions because they've got to take care of their image - we cannot have workers commit suicide by jumping off Apple-contractor factory roofs all the time, can we? The real cheap labor is found elsewhere in the meantime like in Vietnam or similar.

Sad fact - if everyone of us would strip their homes of products with cheap-labor parts or raw materials mined in horrible circumstances, our homes would be bare :-o

 

[Steve]

In other interesting news, some Chinese consumer electronics factories (laptops, mostly) assembly lines are staffed 50% by unpaid or otherwise illegally and coercively employed student interns. Want your degree in hotel management? Work a year at 80 hours a week on the computer assembly line, your wages all going to your school - otherwise, no diploma for you!

This just in - capitalism is horrible and exploitative! Now back to our regularly scheduled programming - being comfortably ignorant on our giant pile of wealth.

It won't be as Canon isn't dumb - if a budget competition with the same level of functionality and build quality appears, they'll lower the price of their 600rt and/or even at last release a 430ex2 successor that might appeal to many as a radio slave flash.

Pssh. When has Canon ever lowered prices because of competition from third party manufacturers?

 

[Marsu42]

Pssh. When has Canon ever lowered prices because of competition from third party manufacturers?

Take their rt controller which is available for a much lower price now than on initial introduction, while the rt flash keeps its price except for cashback and other promotions. Other examples: 24-70L2 has dropped in price (Tamron 24-70 competition), so have the 6d and 5d3 (Nikon competition) and if you really look into price curve and introduction of 3rd party lenses, esp. ef-s, I'm positive you'll find more.

In their premium segments, Canon places a great importance on customer investment protection, so they'll never lower a price by 1/3 of the price in one step. But even here I remember vaguely a recent price reduction across a whole range of L lenses.

 

[Gareththomasjones]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eym57WWWmqM Some video of all the new lenses. A 50mm 1.8? they would only be able to sell that for £35 if they followed their half price business model that they follow with their flashes.

 

[ejenner]

Shame they can't copy some nice Nikon lenses instead and make them in Canon mount. I could do with a range of decent 1.8 primes.

 

[Dantana]

while a TC without any moving elements is probably a lot easier to copy than regular lenses with focussing elements [MF, AF or possibly even IS). Yongnuo might be able to offer a TC at only 1/3 of the cost of the original item, whereas this might not be possible for a regular lens.

BUT it am also really wondering, why Yongnuo chose the 2x TC, rather than the 1.4x.

Anyway, really interested to see what price and quality will be like. I'll definitely NOT pre-order. ;D

I get it about a 2x rather than a 1.4, but my biggest wonder is why it's labeled as version III. I mean, they haven't made one before, so why would it be a third version just because the Canon is version III. Strange.

 

[Bennymiata]

I'm surprised they didn't put a red ring around them!

I have a couple of Yongi flashes, and they very reliable and work well, so it will be interesting to see how they perform and what their final pricing will be.
That large ring flash looks interesting too.

 

[Ivan Muller]

They make kickass 'speedlights' too. Cheap powerful easy buttons and best of all a audible beep when flash is ready. Bought two manual ones for the price of one 430ex2, but with same power as 580ex2. China rules!

 

[verysimplejason]

They make kickass 'speedlights' too. Cheap powerful easy buttons and best of all a audible beep when flash is ready. Bought two manual ones for the price of one 430ex2, but with same power as 580ex2. China rules!

Same here. YN-560II. I should have got the YN-560III instead but it's not available last time I bought. They are working flawlessly since I got them.

 

[Jamesy]

The Shifty-Fifty ;D

 

[lintoni]

The Shifty-Fifty ;D

Well played sir!

 

[MickDK]

I get it about a 2x rather than a 1.4, but my biggest wonder is why it's labeled as version III. I mean, they haven't made one before, so why would it be a third version just because the Canon is version III. Strange.

Yongnuo do have a 2x version II (which is black btw).

 

[AvTvM]

Shame they can't copy some nice Nikon lenses instead and make them in Canon mount. I could do with a range of decent 1.8 primes.

hehe ... I'd definitely consider a Yongnuo exact copy of the Nikon 14-24/2.8 with EF mount priced at 299 USD. ;D

 

[andrewflo]

The Shifty-Fifty ;D

Well played sir!

Genius.

 

[Khalai]

Shame they can't copy some nice Nikon lenses instead and make them in Canon mount. I could do with a range of decent 1.8 primes.

hehe ... I'd definitely consider a Yongnuo exact copy of the Nikon 14-24/2.8 with EF mount priced at 299 USD. ;D

Well, in that case, the queue for that lens would span the oceans