The Canon 50mm f/1. 8 II is one of the cheapest lenses you can buy, yet it's still one of the sharpest and most essential pieces of kit. You can buy it for around $US100 brand new, and it's probably one of the most purchased lenses in the world.
But some people still opt for even cheaper copies by Chinese-manufacturer YongNuo. YongNuo lenses on the outside are almost exactly the same as the 50mm f/1. 8 from Canon, but cost only US$50.
Perhaps the demand is so great that even with somewhat legitimate companies like YongNuo providing cheaper competition, some opportunists out there are making knockoffs of the 50mm f/1. 8 II.
Canon Japan has identified that 18% of people have unknowingly purchased a counterfeit good in 2013, and that more specifically for photographers, many 50mm f/1. 8 II lenses are fake.
Their technicians at international service counters have often noted many of the models sent in for repairs aren't real, and well, since the real thing isn't built to a tremendously high standard, it can be hard to tell if your own copy is real or fake.
They are sharing however, one pretty obvious tip. They've discovered that counterfeit Canon lenses lack a space between the words "CANON" and "INC" on the plastic lens mount on the back of a lens. If you remove the rear dust cap and check that out, genuine copies read "CANON INC".
Whoever copied all of these 50mm f/1. 8 II lenses may have gotten all the details right, but they've neglected to pay attention to this small point. Of course, now that the news is out they'll definitely include this change in the next batch of fakes; but at least consumers who already own the lenses will know for sure whether or not theirs are real.
Do note as well that this is only one identified discrepancy, and that there most certainly may be more to come.
Counterfeit
Genuine
. digitalrev.com
2016-12-16 03:00
