At $135 a full frame autofocus 50mm lens sounds like a compromise waiting to happen. The Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8S DF is that lens, and it turns out the compromises are a lot smaller than you'd expect.
Coming to you from Luca Petralia Photography, this detailed video walks through the Yongnuo 50mm f/1.8S DF from build quality to autofocus to optical performance. Petralia tested the Nikon Z mount version on his Nikon Zf, a 24 MP body, which he acknowledges probably doesn't fully stress the lens's resolving power. The plastic build won't fool anyone into thinking this is a Zeiss, but it doesn't feel hollow or cheap either, and the lens mount itself is metal, which puts it ahead of some Nikon kit lenses in that regard. You also get a USB-C port for firmware updates, a programmable function button, and a petal hood in the box.
Where Petralia gets genuinely impressed is the image quality. Wide open, the lens is sharp, and stopping down to f/2.8 brings corner-to-corner sharpness that would be notable on a lens costing three times as much. Vignetting clears up around f/2.8, and contrast, which is a little low wide open, improves meaningfully as you stop down. Flare resistance is another standout: backlit shooting, which usually exposes budget lenses fast, holds up well here, with flares that are visible but not image-wrecking. Chromatic aberration, including longitudinal chromatic aberration, shows up only in extreme conditions and only if you go looking for it.
Autofocus is where budget lenses often fall apart, and Petralia's results are worth paying attention to. He missed a handful of shots, but he points out the Nikon Zf isn't flawless with native glass either. For everyday use, moving subjects, pets, people, the lens keeps up without frustrating delays. Video autofocus also tracks reliably, though focus breathing is noticeable and worth keeping in mind if you're shooting anything that involves pulling focus or changing subject distances mid-clip. That's not a dealbreaker at this price, but it's a real behavior you'll want to account for.
The bokeh performance, flare handling, and how the lens holds up in specific real-world shooting conditions are covered in more depth in the video itself, along with Petralia's full sample images across the aperture range. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Petralia.
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