Suggestions for In-expensive Tilt and Shift solution for DSLR's like D800

[ariliquin]

Hi, I have just purchased the Nikon D800E camera and now looking to my lenses. Cannot afford 24mm PC-E or similar. Does anyone have any good suggestions for an in-expensive (Sub $1000) solution for Tilt and Shift for the Nikon with reasonable lens options/quality?

I noticed some adaptors for Medium format lenses to Nikon which included tilt. Anyone had experience with these and can recommend or not this approach?

Thanks. 

[Hulyss]

Very seriouselly, you do not have any other solution for the D800 (or other body such as D700). For many Photographers, there is two ways :

- Buying cheap things and ... going into regrets.
- Waiting and saving big money to buy quality and being happy.

But, the most multipurpose tool you can have for less money (with some limitations ) than high end TS nikkor lenses is this :

http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/macro-accessories/bellows-systems/tilt-shift-bellows/

[gubaguba]

The question itself is a bit of an issue.  You want to use a tilt/shift lens to achieve something optically you cannot otherwise.  You are using a camera that will test the limits of most lenses.  Finally you hope to do it on the cheap.  Now those things don't go together in my book.  However if you don't care about image quality so much you can use some of the super rotator lenses you can find on ebay I think the name is plaubel but not 100%.  I have made it a point to invest in lenses and not camera bodies the past 5-6 years. I just think its a better investment long term.

[BernardLanguillier]

The simple and obvious answer is to use software:

- PS to correct perspective,
- DoF stacking solutions to increase DoF,
- Blur plug-ins to reduce it.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Thomas Krüger]

Check the Zörk Multi Focus System from Mr. Zörkendörfer in Munich: http://www.zoerk.com/pages/p_mfs.htm

[Brian Hirschfeld]

Check the Zörk Multi Focus System from Mr. Zörkendörfer in Munich: http://www.zoerk.com/pages/p_mfs.htm

This is what I was going to suggest, it seems it has lots of options in terms of lenses, mounts and effects. There are also adapters from Mirex and Fotodiox which seem similar since they utilize medium format lenses which have larger image circles then most 35mm lenses which let you use their limited movements. I think the Zork is most likely the best in terms of versatility compared to the other two.

http://www.fotodiox.com/index.php?cPath=21_100

http://www.mirex-adapter.de/tilt_shift_adapter.htm

[Brian Hirschfeld]

PP is still not the same.

[langier]

The only option is to either save a little more and then buy right at the get-go. (See how to afford ANYTHING: <http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/how-to-afford-anything.htm>).

Or watch eBay to save a few bucks since Nikon T&S lenses do come up.

Saving and buying the best is generally the least expensive overall way to do this with little regret. If you need it now, consider renting through one of the many on-line services. They let you try before buying without having to break the bank.

The original 85 PC lens is just fine, you just don't have an electronically activated aperture. You can save a few bucks with this legacy lens.

If you can deal without the tilt, both the latter-model Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 PC and Nikkor 28mm f/3.5 PC lenses can be found at dealers and on eBay. Less than $500 for the 35mm in fairly nice shape and perhaps to $700-$800 for the 28mm. Both will work, but from experience, both have CA issues, easily corrected in ACT. They aren't as nice or as versatile as the PC-E lenses, but will get you started.

You can also do your own PC lens if you are good with tools and have an old lens you don't mind trashing. Do a search for DIY PC lenses and hack away!

Also, if fine-art is your goal, the Lens Baby has a whole bunch of options with their system and worth checking out.

[MatthewCromer]

Hi, I have just purchased the Nikon D800E camera and now looking to my lenses. Cannot afford 24mm PC-E or similar. Does anyone have any good suggestions for an in-expensive (Sub $1000) solution for Tilt and Shift for the Nikon with reasonable lens options/quality?

I noticed some adaptors for Medium format lenses to Nikon which included tilt. Anyone had experience with these and can recommend or not this approach?

Thanks. 

What are your goals for your photography?  How large do you wish to be able to print?  If you use stitching and focus stacking, you will be able to make higher quality images with probably not much (if any more) time in the field per image versus careful use of a T/S lens.

The highest quality landscape images can be taken using stitching and focus stacking techniques, versus T/S lenses.

Of course, there are some situations where a T/S lens is very useful -- planar DOF images where wind movement or the like precludes stitching / focus stacking.

But for overall high-IQ photography, a stitching / stacking workflow will provide a much higher quality end-result over T/S lens use.

[ariliquin]

To everyone who replied to my question THANK YOU!!! All of your suggestions and thoughts are greatly appreciated. I will be researching everything mentioned. There were many great suggestions, considerations and learnings to help me. This is a great forum with great people.

Firstly I will be looking into stacking, what a great idea.

Over time I will be able to explore other suggested options.

Kind Regards

A.

[Thomas Krüger]

Check also PTassembler at http://www.tawbaware.com/ptasmblr.htm
You can use and combine different projections in a stitched image: http://www.tawbaware.com/projections.htm

[Scott O.]

This is actually a little broader question than it might seem at first glance, and one which many of us may run up against. IF reports of the need to use wide apertures to avoid lens diffraction prove to be true and diffraction becomes a problem, then we are going to need different techniques if we want to expand our depth of field. I have and love the 45mm t/s lens, but it seems a more viable long term solution might just be focus stacking. Got to explore that one a bit more, although as a landscape photographer I had fits with it a few years ago when shooting anything that had the slightest movement caused by air movement. It seems to work much better in the lab than in the field!

[AlfSollund]

Hi,

For shift I would rather go for a high quality wide and do the perspective control post.