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Yongnuo has made a name for itself as the go-to brand for cheap photo gear, and that includes several Canon lens alternatives (some of which seem like outright clones) that sacrifice some quality while slashing 60-80% or even more off the price. So far, Yongnuo has released its own versions of Canon’s 50mm F1.8, 35mm F2, 85mm F1.8, and 100mm F2. And today, they add one more to the list.
Meet the Yongnuo YN 14mm F2.8: a lens that looks very similar to Canon’s own 14mm F2.8L II. Here they are side by side:
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According to Yongnuo’s description, the YN 14mm F2.8 sports 12 lens elements in 9 groups (Canon’s has 14 elements in 11 groups) and a 7-blade aperture (Canon’s has 6 blades). The other big difference is the focus motor. The Canon 14mm F2.8L II USM has an ultrasonic motor, while Yongnuo’s 14mm sports a standard DC motor; expect a much louder experience if you’re going to try out this lens.
The minimum focusing distance (0.2 meters), aperture range (F2.8-F22), magnification (0.15x), and angle of view (114°) are all identical.
Finally, the Yongnuo 14mm F2.8 will feature the same USB connection as the company’s 100mm F2, allowing for firmware updates that could help sand down the lens’ rougher edges after it makes its way into consumer hands.
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For now, we don’t know when the Yongnuo YN 14mm F2.8 will officially arrive at online retailers, but we’ll keep an eye out for you.
As for cost, the Canon 14mm F2.8L II retails for $ 2,100. And while we don’t yet know exactly how much Yongnuo plans to charge for the YN 14mm F2.8, you can bet it’ll cost a whole lot less than two grand. To give you a frame of reference, Canon’s 100mm F2 USM lens goes for $ 500; the Yongnuo knock-off is just 160 bucks.
To learn more about this lens, head over to the Yongnuo website.
Editor’s Note: The post has been updated to more clearly point out the differences between the Yongnuo 14mm and Canon 14mm F2.8L II. Our apologies if the original came off as misleading by using the term ‘clone’.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)