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Author Topic: About the Canon 45mm T/S  (Read 4896 times)

photojack

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« on: September 29, 2007, 01:57:52 am »

I'm thinking about getting the above lens. While landscape is my main purpose I would also like to do a little architectural and other shooting. My question is if the movements are adjusted to be both parallel, does that imply that if their combined effect is to work in landcape orientation that it necessarily doesn't work in portrait? IOW is there some detailed description that would explain how I might be disadvantaged by making that adjustment? I just like the benefits of depth of field for landscape work but I'm not sure how pratical it is to use this lens once its setup in a particular way.
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pfigen

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2007, 02:40:58 am »

You CAN rotate the lens in the lens mount, so it will work in either orientation. Even though there are click stops, you can also set the lens in between if you need to. I've never felt the need to change the orientation from the factory default, but it's pretty easy to do if you want to try it. They both have their advantages.

You should remember that the 45mm T/S is what I would call just an alright lens optically. It's not up to the resolution of the 1DsMKII and certainly won't be any better on the new cameras with smaller pixels. For moderate sized prints it's a pretty good lens, but not stellar. I also found that on the original 1DsMKI, it performed very well even when shifted fully, but on the MKII and 5D, the edges are FAR less sharp at the edge of the image circle. Probably something to do with the AA filters on the newer cameras but a problem nevertheless.

The above applied even more so to the 24 T/S while the 90 is a superlative optic.
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julian_love

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2007, 06:30:03 am »

Quote
The above applied even more so to the 24 T/S while the 90 is a superlative optic.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=142585\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I picked up a 24mm T/S last year and having read many reviews that claimed it was a mediocre performer I was pleasantly surprised at how sharp it is on my 1DsII. Unshifted it is sharper than my 24-105 L and 16-35 L at 24mm. At full shift it clearly gets a bit smeared at the shifted edge, but at moderate shifts it remains very sharp, and sharper that correcting an unshifted shot in PS.

As for the OP's question - yes the whole lens can be rotated to portrait or landscape format, so you won't lose any functionality if you realign the tilt and shift....you just have to decide whether it is more important for you to have tilt and shift on the same axis or on separate axis.

I would suggest that it is more useful for architecture to have them on separate axis - so that you can tilt to keep a receding wall / line of columns etc in focus while shifting to keep the verticals parallel. For landscape work then it is typically more useful to have them on the same axis so that you can use tilt to keep the plane of focus near in the foreground and far in the background while shifting to keep trees etc vertical.

Julian
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picnic

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2007, 09:20:59 am »

Quote
I'm thinking about getting the above lens. While landscape is my main purpose I would also like to do a little architectural and other shooting. My question is if the movements are adjusted to be both parallel, does that imply that if their combined effect is to work in landcape orientation that it necessarily doesn't work in portrait? IOW is there some detailed description that would explain how I might be disadvantaged by making that adjustment? I just like the benefits of depth of field for landscape work but I'm not sure how pratical it is to use this lens once its setup in a particular way.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I rented the 24 and used it for several weeks and ended up buying the 45 which is a more useful lens for me.  I have left mine in default--tilt perpendicular to shift.  As the one poster noted, for architectural shooting, it seems more useful.  For landscape, there are times that having them parallel might have been more useful, but I still have not changed them--as I don't want to do it in the field and I use it more in default than I think I would changing the orientation.  Because, as the other posters stated,  you can rotate the lens, you can use either orientation in either way.  

Here is a good site for explaining just how to change orientation written by Jack Flesher.  Scroll down to the bottom for the reorientation info.
[a href=\"http://www.outbackphoto.com/workflow/wf_42/essay.html]http://www.outbackphoto.com/workflow/wf_42/essay.html[/url]

For a discussion about whether to shoot with it default as opposed to reorientation to parallel  see here   http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...essage=16961386

On the point of not being as sharp corner to corner--if you are using tilt, its important to understand that there is a cone of focus that increases with stopping down.  Therefore, you won't find it possible to get corner to corner sharpness IMO (or perhaps I should say that there will be an area of 'blurred' -which you can control by normal technique).  Depending upon where you focus and how far you tilt, this will change.  Ordinarily I focus manually to the point I want in focus and then tilt until the nearest I want in focus occurs---and patiently adjust until they both suit as well as I can get them.  Doing this horizontally, its referred to as swing--and one that I shot demonstrates this fairly well.  I wanted the furthest sunflower on the right in focus, so I focused first on that, and I wanted the large sunflower in the left fore ground in focus so I swung until it was in focus.  So--all the sunflowers in the first row, including the leaves, mulch below them, etc. are in focus--the row behind the first row and beyond are blurring.  I also had shifted down to get the stalks straight.  You can see that cone of focus pretty clearly in this shot.  It was handheld by necessity.
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/image/64380926

 Using shift only (which I rarely do), the lens is quite good on my 5D.  

This is probably my favorite lens--at least creatively.  Using it for flat stitch panos, the tilt is nice to increase the perception of DOF--and the images are easy to stitch--even handheld.  This makes it quite useful this way for landscape shooting, but here's one person's reason to reorient the lens for landscape use (though, IMO, this would occur less than wanting to do panos--and the vertically shifted panos are closer to 6/7 or 4/3 format).   http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...essage=16981755

Diane
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photojack

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2007, 10:58:21 am »

Thanks for all the helpful responses. My question was well answered. I think the pano stitching possibilities will make up for the fact that its not a wide angle. I'm looking forward to some larger detailed prints. Thanks.
Peter
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Gary Ferguson

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2007, 11:09:02 am »

Quote
Thanks for all the helpful responses. My question was well answered. I think the pano stitching possibilities will make up for the fact that its not a wide angle. I'm looking forward to some larger detailed prints. Thanks.
Peter
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=142655\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Peter, if you want a full frame sample shot from a T&S 45mm contact me off-line.
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picnic

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2007, 11:19:58 am »

Quote
Thanks for all the helpful responses. My question was well answered. I think the pano stitching possibilities will make up for the fact that its not a wide angle. I'm looking forward to some larger detailed prints. Thanks.
Peter
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Pete, you can also do 3 x 3  panos with a bit of work.  I haven't done any seriously yet but have experimented using a focusing rail from RRS and finding the nodal point of the lens (I swore I wouldn't forget the correct term--it really is NOT the nodal point LOL).  I was able to stitch really easily using Photomerge (CS3) with reposition only.  It entails shooting vertical shifts and rotation and you get a very high resolution plus end up with an image that is not just wide and narrow.

For some help getting started with tilt, there is a nice graph already done that's a good start.
[a href=\"http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1032&message=18434382]http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...essage=18434382[/url]

Diane
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photojack

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2007, 11:41:11 am »

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a focusing rail from RRS ... and you get a very high resolution plus end up with an image that is not just wide and narrow.

For some help getting started with tilt, there is a nice graph already done that's a good start.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...essage=18434382

Diane
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=142660\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, all good details thanks. I'll see if I can find that rail ... after I get a little sleep.
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photojack

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2007, 06:21:34 pm »

Quote
Yes, all good details thanks. I'll see if I can find that rail ... after I get a little sleep.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=142666\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Not sure which focusing rail is the right one there. Anyone have that particular item?
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pfigen

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2007, 04:28:49 am »

You can use several of their devices to accomplish the same thing. I use the Macro Focusing Rail, which has other benefits as well. For lenses that have their own mounting collars, often simply having the RRS foot attached works great, as there is a fair amount of fore to aft slide in the foot alone. The 70-200 2.8 is the one I use that way.
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photojack

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« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2007, 06:17:28 am »

Quote
I use the Macro Focusing Rail, which has other benefits as well. For lenses that have their own mounting collars, often simply having the RRS foot attached works great, as there is a fair amount of fore to aft slide in the foot alone. The 70-200 2.8 is the one I use that way.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=142863\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

something like the B150-B?
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picnic

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2007, 09:27:39 am »

Quote
You can use several of their devices to accomplish the same thing. I use the Macro Focusing Rail, which has other benefits as well. For lenses that have their own mounting collars, often simply having the RRS foot attached works great, as there is a fair amount of fore to aft slide in the foot alone. The 70-200 2.8 is the one I use that way.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I bought this kit--but-you can put together your own 'kit' also.

[a href=\"http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=192%2DPPP&eq=&Tp=]http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemde...2%2DPPP&eq=&Tp=[/url]

Diane
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Ronny Nilsen

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About the Canon 45mm T/S
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2007, 02:49:03 pm »

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Not sure which focusing rail is the right one there. Anyone have that particular item?
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Focusing Rail & Slider B150B + LMT + B2-FAB from RRS.

I have written how I use it [a href=\"http://www.ronnynilsen.com/Technique/ViewCamera/]here[/url].
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photojack

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« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2007, 06:10:31 pm »

Thanks for the good responses. I feel a few more questions brewing mostly regarding the use of the rail but I'll read up a little before asking more. Thanks.
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