New Canon tilt shift lens

[KevinA]

Anyone here ever used a tilt shift from a helicopter, I'm not after the model village look, just straight buildings! I was thinking about the new Canon lenses, I have never used one, how easy do you think it would be? I assume it has fall and not just rise.

Kevin.

[joedecker]

Anyone here ever used a tilt shift from a helicopter, I'm not after the model village look, just straight buildings! I was thinking about the new Canon lenses, I have never used one, how easy do you think it would be? I assume it has fall and not just rise.

I haven't used the new model, but yes, the Canon T/S (both old model and new) will let you essentially shift left, right, up, down (think of rise and falls as types of shift).  The old models have a limitation that tie the tilt axis to the shift axis (they have to be different, I think), but if you aren't tilting that's not an issue at all.  The new model does not, as I understand it, have that limitation.

--Joe

[daws]

Anyone here ever used a tilt shift from a helicopter, I'm not after the model village look, just straight buildings! I was thinking about the new Canon lenses, I have never used one, how easy do you think it would be? I assume it has fall and not just rise.

Kevin.

I've been using the Canon 24 TS/E I for some time on the 5D, and for the last 7 months on the 5DII.

And I've been in helicopters, but not with the 24 TS/E.

It's just my impression, but the memory of the vibration of the helicopters I've been in, and the small moves & feel of the 24 TS/E controls that I'm used to, seem like they might not be a great fit. Together, I mean.

FWIW.

[Henry Goh]

This may be slightly OT but I think it is very important to some:
I have the Canon 45mm TS/E lens but find that it "breathes". By this I mean when I focus, the optics shift or move slightly.  Unlike the Canon, my Nikon 85mm PC lens does not have any breathing problems.  I'm now thinking of buying either the 24 or 17mm TS/E lens and wish to find out from others, if their Canon TS/E lenses breathe?

Thank you.

[daws]

This may be slightly OT but I think it is very important to some:
I have the Canon 45mm TS/E lens but find that it "breathes". By this I mean when I focus, the optics shift or move slightly.  Unlike the Canon, my Nikon 85mm PC lens does not have any breathing problems.  I'm now thinking of buying either the 24 or 17mm TS/E lens and wish to find out from others, if their Canon TS/E lenses breathe?

Thank you.

My 24 TS/E I does the same, just slightly. At 10x magnification on the 5DII live focus, I can see a tiny bit of what appears to be a rotational shift of the image just as I reverse direction on the focus ring. I sweated it when first using the lens, but test prints up to 16x20 don't show any detrimental effect that I can see. The sweat is (and remains) the softness in the corners, especially when shifted.

On that score, like all the 24 TS/E I users, I'm waiting until the word is all in on the I/II comparison. (Kirk? )

[JeffKohn]

This may be slightly OT but I think it is very important to some:
I have the Canon 45mm TS/E lens but find that it "breathes". By this I mean when I focus, the optics shift or move slightly.  Unlike the Canon, my Nikon 85mm PC lens does not have any breathing problems.  I'm now thinking of buying either the 24 or 17mm TS/E lens and wish to find out from others, if their Canon TS/E lenses breathe?

Thank you.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean. The only context I've seen the term "breathe" used in relation to lenses, is to describe lenses whose true focal length (and hence field of view) changes as you change the focus distance. This is very common with zooms, but many primes also do it. Is that what you mean or something else?

[Kirk Gittings]

My 24 TS/E I does the same, just slightly. At 10x magnification on the 5DII live focus, I can see a tiny bit of what appears to be a rotational shift of the image just as I reverse direction on the focus ring. I sweated it when first using the lens, but test prints up to 16x20 don't show any detrimental effect that I can see. The sweat is (and remains) the softness in the corners, especially when shifted.

On that score, like all the 24 TS/E I users, I'm waiting until the word is all in on the I/II comparison. (Kirk? )

Daws, If you are taking about me, I am buried with work at the moment.  N0 time for testing, but i haven't seen a single 1 for sale in the US either?

[haefnerphoto]

I don't know why you couldn't use a tllt shift lens in a helicopter but it might be easier to use a prime or zoom then correct the perspective in Photoshop.  Generally, there's not a lot of time to finesse an image bouncing around in an aircraft.  I just rented and shot the attached image with the 17mm tilt shift.  It did what it was supposed to do but I'm still not thrilled about the Canon resolution.  Jim
[attachment=15660:Ext_1_01...just_dc4.jpg]

[JeffKohn]

That's a nice shot haefnerphoto, very natural-looking perspective, and a good use of the 17 TS-E. I've not been impressed with most of the 17 TS-E samples I've seen elsewhere, as they just seem to confirm my hunch that's it's too wide for most situations (on full-frame, at least).

[KevinA]

I don't know why you couldn't use a tllt shift lens in a helicopter but it might be easier to use a prime or zoom then correct the perspective in Photoshop.  Generally, there's not a lot of time to finesse an image bouncing around in an aircraft.  I just rented and shot the attached image with the 17mm tilt shift.  It did what it was supposed to do but I'm still not thrilled about the Canon resolution.  Jim
[attachment=15660:Ext_1_01...just_dc4.jpg]

Shooting from Aircraft is what I do, so it's not a strange environment to me. i'm more concerned with being able to focus with it shifted on infinity easily. I'm leaning towards the new 24mm non shift for ease. I'm hoping it might deliver sharp wide angle, something that has eluded me with Canon thus far. The shift is an alternative I was thinking of if I could keep buildings straight. Correcting in P/shop has lots of disadvantages and never looks the same as a correctly shot image. A 24mm with a bit of drop if sharp would be nice.
As I can't find either tilt/shift or the new 24mm anywhere it's turning out to be academic. Canon obviously has no intension of selling it's top rated products, most shops have them on back order and are as yet to see one. Canon seam to be determined to *iss me off with either poor products, poor quality control or just plain unavailability of anything that looks like it will deliver the promise.
I have money to spend and nothing to buy

Kevin.

[AJSJones]

As I can't find either tilt/shift or the new 24mm anywhere it's turning out to be academic. Canon obviously has no intension of selling it's top rated products, most shops have them on back order and are as yet to see one. Canon seam to be determined to *iss me off with either poor products, poor quality control or just plain unavailability of anything that looks like it will deliver the promise.
I have money to spend and nothing to buy

Kevin.

Yeah, patience can be frustrating sometimes   There is usually a lag after something is first released to the market before it is as available as we would like.  Or perhaps I can blame you because Canon is holding supplies back for everyone, just to p*ss you off ?

[asf]

The internet is a great tool. On this forum I read those lenses have been available for some time in Japan.
There are buying services that will get things from stores in Japan for you if you cannot get them yourself for whatever reason.
Also there are many people on the board who either live in Japan or seem to go there often, maybe they can help you.

If you have the money and the desire to buy them, it is possible to buy them there.

Try Yodobashi Camera. Their website shows they have them in stock.