Topic: Tilt/shift lenses (Read 18672 times)

Ronny Nilsen · « **on:** May 08, 2006, 07:30:23 am »

I'm reading First Light by Joe Cornish theese days and drooling over the pictures .

Joe is using a view camera that have tilt/shift capabilities and use that capability in many of the photographs, and I'm wondering if I migth need that capability.

I have Canon equipment, and Canon have 24,45 and 90 mm TS lenses, but I haven't seen much of them lately, so I'm wondring if they are still considered to be good lenses? I have read the review by Michael on this site, but it was written a few years ago, and I don't see many photos taken with theese lenses and is wondering if it will be worth it tou buy one of theese lenses?

Is anybody using them on todays DSLRs?

Buying a view-camera is n ot an option.

francois · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2006, 10:01:14 am »

Quote

I'm reading First Light by Joe Cornish theese days and drooling over the pictures .

A beautiful book indeed and I can also recommand Scotland's Coast: A Photographer's Journey from Joe Cornish.

Quote

Joe is using a view camera that have tilt/shift capabilities and use that capability in many of the photographs, and I'm wondering if I migth need that capability.

I have Canon equipment, and Canon have 24,45 and 90 mm TS lenses, but I haven't seen much of them lately, so I'm wondring if they are still considered to be good lenses? I have read the review by Michael on this site, but it was written a few years ago, and I don't see many photos taken with theese lenses and is wondering if it will be worth it tou buy one of theese lenses?

Is anybody using them on todays DSLRs?

Buying a view-camera is n ot an option.

Yes, I use the 24mm which is not outstanding. It's a good lens and its tilt & shift capabilites are the only reasons I have this lens in my "collection". On the other hand, the 90mm is outstanding! It is sharp and can be used without much degradation with expanders (both 1.4x and 2x). It is also very usefull for macro if you pair it with extension tubes. I have no experience with the 45mm.
My only real "issue" with these lenses is that focusing can be tough in low light throught the relatively small viewfinder (1D type bodies) - it can also indicate that my eyes are not what they're cracked up to be

You can read an article on DOP (here) website. The Video Journal has also reviewed the 24mm but I can't remember the issue #.

collum · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2006, 10:08:27 am »

the 90 is an excellent lens. I would say that at least 90% of my 1dsmk2 shots are with that lens.

jim

francois · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2006, 10:10:35 am »

I would add that the 24mm is my least used lens and it would be the first to go if I needed the cash!

But it might be useful for Joe Cornish-like photography?

David White · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2006, 10:58:26 am »

This is one my my most used lenses for near-far landscapes. Mine is tack sharp. With the Canon 5D it does exhibit some chromatic aberration which is easily removed in DxO Optics or Adobe Camera Raw.

francois · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2006, 11:08:31 am »

I'm not sure if you can rent a TS-E lens in Olso but it may well be the best way to see if you like working with this type of lenses. Try to get one for a weekend!

Ronny Nilsen · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2006, 04:22:46 am »

Tanks to all for the input!

The DOP article was interesting. I guess the best solution is to try and rent or loan a lens and try it a weekend to se if it's somthing I feel I will find useful for my photography.

Peter Jon White · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2006, 11:03:06 pm »

Quote

Tanks to all for the input!

The DOP article was interesting. I guess the best solution is to try and rent or loan a lens and try it a weekend to se if it's somthing I feel I will find useful for my photography.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=64881\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I use all four Canon tilt/shift lenses on my 5D. They all work very well. Sure the 24mm isn't as sharp as the others. How could it be? It's an extreme wide angle lens.

madmanchan · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2006, 11:25:04 pm »

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I use all four Canon tilt/shift lenses on my 5D. They all work very well. Sure the 24mm isn't as sharp as the others. How could it be? It's an extreme wide angle lens.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65044\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Four? I thought there were three TS-E lenses: 24, 45, and 90. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'd be delighted to know if there is another ...

Eric

David Anderson · « **Reply #9 on:** May 11, 2006, 02:37:26 am »

I have the 24 and 90.
The 24 could be a bit sharper, but IMO it's good enough for editorial work.
The 90 is awesome, sharp as a tack and the close focus makes it a great portrait lens.

Having shifts on a 35mm DSLR is what makes them usefull..

rethmeier · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2006, 02:45:56 am »

The 4th one ,is the Canon FD TS 2.8/35.
I did convert 3 of them last year to an EOS mount with great success!
The sharpness was similar to the CZ PC Distagon 35.
However with maximum shift ,the CZ wins.
Cheers,
Willem.

picnic · « **Reply #11 on:** May 11, 2006, 10:25:31 am »

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I'm not sure if you can rent a TS-E lens in Olso but it may well be the best way to see if you like working with this type of lenses. Try to get one for a weekend!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=64787\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm doing just that--I have the 24 T/S rented for 2 weeks--due here Saturday-- from Rentglass (the least expensive rental I was able to find for a longer period in the US--that could be shipped to me). I think I would have preferred the 45 but they don't have one available. If I find that I want to pursue it, I will rent a 45 for several days--and decide whether to purchase one--or not.

I also read in one review that Canon tele extenders, though not documented by Canon, do work well with the T/S lens. If so, my 1.4x should allow me to shoot at about 34mm also (but I'm assuming with some degradation of the IQ).

Diane

francois · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2006, 11:37:29 am »

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...I also read in one review that Canon tele extenders, though not documented by Canon, do work well with the T/S lens. If so, my 1.4x should allow me to shoot at about 34mm also (but I'm assuming with some degradation of the IQ).
...

On the 90, the extenders work very well. On the other hand, on the 24, even the 1.4x produces a very noticeable degradation. I may have a bad sample but I've heard similar comments from others.

rethmeier · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2006, 07:28:41 pm »

I wouldn't even contemplate using the extenders.
Not for serious architecture images anyway.
The distortion on the 24 and 45 is already noticeable and the extender will make it worse.
Cheers,
Willem.

rethmeier · « **Reply #14 on:** May 11, 2006, 07:37:08 pm »

The Canon extenders were designed specifically for the longer L series lenses.
That's the reason why they are off white,basically to match the white L lens.
Cheers,
Willem.

Peter Jon White · « **Reply #15 on:** May 11, 2006, 08:05:30 pm »

Quote

The 4th one ,is the Canon FD TS 2.8/35.
I did convert 3 of them last year to an EOS mount with great success!
The sharpness was similar to the CZ PC Distagon 35.
However with maximum shift ,the CZ wins.
Cheers,
Willem.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65066\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The Distagon, however, doesn't tilt. And what good is a lens that doesn't tilt? ;-)

Ray · « **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2006, 11:34:39 pm »

One advantage of the 24 TS-E is its relative lack of vignetting, distortion and corner resolution-fall-off with FF 35mm, when used as a standard 24mm without shift.

However, I wonder about the usefulness of shift for architectural perspective control when we have perspective control (as well as skew and distort) in Photoshop. It seems that 'shift' is perhaps more useful for seamless stitching of close-by subjects with negligible parallax errors.

Tilt could be useful for extending 'apparent' DoF (if you can get it right, which is not all that easy), but f16 with a 24mm lens can produce very good DoF with little loss of absolute resolution (on the 5D, anyway).

I have the 24/TS-E as well as the 90/TS-E. For some reason, I don't use them as often as I should. It might be because they are fairly heavy lenses. It might be because I'm not keen on fiddling around with twiddly knobs and spending more time on technical matters than compositional matters and losing opportunities of the moment. It might be because they are primes, and I simply find zooms more useful.

When purchasing a lens, you should consider carefully the likely usage, especially if money is an issue. It's easy to become enamoured of the possibilities and potential of a lens, then find in practice it's under-utilized.

rethmeier · « **Reply #17 on:** May 12, 2006, 05:37:07 am »

A message for Peter!
You're the one that purchased my converted TS 35 !
Glad you like it!
Cheers,
Willem.

Ronny Nilsen · « **Reply #18 on:** May 12, 2006, 06:12:26 am »

I would like to say thanks to all for the input on this!

Based on this discussion and some thinking about what I want and need, I have now purchased the 90 TS-E lens.

I also bought the Extension Tube EF25II to try some macro photography with it. Hopefulle I will get some time to test it in the comming month, the next week is completely filled.

TBoone · « **Reply #19 on:** May 12, 2006, 02:22:42 pm »

Of the three t/s lenses Canon has available, which would you choose for landscape work (to bring in close foreground objects)? The 24 seems like a natural, but the comments regarding its relative lack of sharpness concern me some.

Also, is it possible to stitch shots taken with a t/s lens?

Thanks,
Tim

Author Topic: Tilt/shift lenses (Read 18672 times)