Yongnuo unveils its 35mm f/2 Canon clone

Chinese gear manufacturer Yongnuo has quite a knack for producing nearly identical clones of more reputable manufacturers’ gear. Their newest announcement is no exception.

Today, Yongnuo extends their lens lineup with a 35mm f/2 lens. You may notice Yongnuo’s latest optics bears a striking resemblance to Canon’s older EF 35mm f/2 lens, which has since been replaced by the newer Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM. This discovery doesn’t come as much of a surprise considering Yongnuo’s 50mm f/1.8 clone it released back in December is indistinguishable from Canon’s ‘Nifty Fifty’ in almost every regard.

The only differences between Canon’s discontinued lens and Yongnuo’s clone are the number of aperture blades – Canon’s had 5 while Yongnuo’s has 7 – and superficial differences, such as a slightly different focus ring, no focus distance window and ‘Yongnuo’ branding instead of ‘Canon.’

Detailed specs include a minimum aperture of f/22, a minimum focusing distance of 0.25m/0.8ft, a 52mm diameter filter thread and a weight of roughly 155g (.34 lbs).

The 35mm f/2 will first be available for Canon’s EF mount, but as reported earlier, Yongnuo is looking to bring their growing lens lineup to Nikon’s F mount as well.

As for pricing, you can expect to pick up a Yongnuo 35mm f/2 clone for $120, less than half the cost of what a refurbished or used Canon EF 35mm f/2, which go for around $280. You can pick yours up on Amazon when it becomes available.