Talk me into or out of the 45mm PC-e

[BernardLanguillier]

The best way to learn how to use T/S lenses may be to use a 4x5 camera?

An image shot with the Betterlight Super-6K HS on the Ebony 45SU yesterday.



Cheers,
Bernard

[trevarthan]

funny thing about photography… unlike some other forms, it's rather easy to take a good picture or two, then buy some snazzy gear… take another good pic or two.. and by God, what do you know… you're at least semi-pro

before you know it, you're giving advice, asking questions… and when you don't get the answer you want (even when it's from folks who have been doing it longer than you've been alive) arrogance and insult emerge, because after all, you're almost a Pro.

gotta love the remark about lenses lying to you.. they do… worse than a wayward woman. One minute it's a great lens… rendition, color, depth of focus… WOW. Then it snaps and it's like waiting for her to call back…

TS-lenses…? Got a Canon TS-24 and Man, I was styling. Heck that Zeiss 21 couldn't hold a candle… then, oh, wait…. TS lenses are a bytch if you want them to really do their thing. Sure, Scheimfplug… whatever… everyone knows that. Just a little tilt and… oh, wait, not quite… hmmmm, maybe 1/2 deg more… oh, no, wrong direction… back and forth.. Geeezz, this lens doesn't work. I got it to _____ (fill in your blank), and it seemed to do it, but now I can't quite get it

So you ask, and you find out all those scales and diagrams are fine, but now that you're out here, unless you have a decade or two of experience, it's cut and try… and try and cut… oh darn… it's not working…!!!

Better ask… and the response is, "sorry mister, you don't yet understand it and in any case you're using it wrong"… your ears turn red, your voice cracks. Who does this guy think he is telling me that I don't know? I'm a ______ engineer, I know just about everything

Psst… I got a couple TS lenses to sell ya cheap. I think I like my 21, or my 50 stopped down better anyway


cheers

I give as much respect as I get. If someone had said "In most landscape photography and architectural photography we don't use tilt in this situation because the verticals end up fuzzy." I would have said "Thanks, I understand that. I took the photo anyway because I wanted to do something a little different and I don't think it looks terrible." I would have been respectful in kind. Unfortunately, a few members on this forum are so jaded and passive aggressive that they have to talk down to others to make themselves feel good. You are now included in this list.

I realize that it bugs you that anyone can just buy a camera today. I realize it bugs you that not everyone has your experience and not everyone looks up to you as the demo-god of photographic knowledge that you KNOW you are.

However, I'm not here to kiss dinosaur asses. I'm here to learn something. Give respect and you'll get it. Treat me like a sub human and you'll be treated in kind.

[allegretto]

I give as much respect as I get. If someone had said "In most landscape photography and architectural photography we don't use tilt in this situation because the verticals end up fuzzy." I would have said "Thanks, I understand that. I took the photo anyway because I wanted to do something a little different and I don't think it looks terrible." I would have been respectful in kind. Unfortunately, a few members on this forum are so jaded and passive aggressive that they have to talk down to others to make themselves feel good. You are now included in this list.

I realize that it bugs you that anyone can just buy a camera today. I realize it bugs you that not everyone has your experience and not everyone looks up to you as the demo-god of photographic knowledge that you KNOW you are.

However, I'm not here to kiss dinosaur asses. I'm here to learn something. Give respect and you'll get it. Treat me like a sub human and you'll be treated in kind.

you do have me wrong

I'm neither a dinosaur or a semi-Pro. Just a guy who's been where you are and gotten over myself enough to know when it's best to listen and learn than act like I know what I'm doing, or doing the wrong thing anyway and claiming it's "art".

no idea what you mean about "sub-human". if you think this sub-human you were raised all wrong, sorry.

if it bugged me that anyone could buy a camera today it would be  quite an awful world, no?

If you are here (or anywhere else to actually "learn"), keep this in mind;

the Good Lord gave you two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two arms and legs and so on… but only one mouth. Now, what do you think that is…?

[trevarthan]

you do have me wrong

I'm neither a dinosaur or a semi-Pro.

Well, that makes two of us then. I've never claimed to be a Professional Photographer or a Semi Professional Photographer. If I had to classify myself, I'd say I'm a rich amateur. I do own a photography business, but it doesn't supply a substantial portion of my income. Check your assumptions at the door.

[allegretto]

Well, that makes two of us then. I've never claimed to be a Professional Photographer or a Semi Professional Photographer. If I had to classify myself, I'd say I'm a rich amateur. I do own a photography business, but it doesn't supply a substantial portion of my income. Check your assumptions at the door.

if you re-read you will see that I wasn't speaking of you

In any case, conversation with you is battling it out with the Tar Baby… good thing you're "rich" though…

cheers

[MrSmith]

"I'm here to learn something"

I find the best way is to listen to those who have been doing what you want to learn about for years day in day out to put food on the table and who's purchasing/tool choices come about from necessity not whim, sentiment or an itchy finger over the buy button.
I appreciate this method will not work for everyone.

[trevarthan]

if you re-read you will see that I wasn't speaking of you

In any case, conversation with you is battling it out with the Tar Baby… good thing you're "rich" though…

cheers

It's a technical term. I'm not rich. I just prioritize my spending differently than most people. So yeah, the quotes are appropriate.

[trevarthan]

if you re-read you will see that I wasn't speaking of you

Really? You replied to me. Who were you talking to?

[trevarthan]

"I'm here to learn something"

I find the best way is to listen to those who have been doing what you want to learn about for years day in day out to put food on the table and who's purchasing/tool choices come about from necessity not whim, sentiment or an itchy finger over the buy button.
I appreciate this method will not work for everyone.

I agree. Unfortunately, sometimes those people aren't so good at communication, and the internet tends to muddle things even further.

[allegretto]

there are encoding errors, but I found that decoding errors are far more common

[Glenn NK]

there are encoding errors, but I found that decoding errors are far more common

Ya think?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... Your opinions are different than Shutterstocks, and I care about their opinions more because they're how I intend to make money...

Careful! You might need a new piggy bank for all those quarters

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Given the apparent interest, looks like a high time for a new addition to the "... for Dummies" book series.

Working title: "T/S Lenses for Dummies." Possible sub-title: "How to Shift a Dummy's Perspective on Tilt."

[jgbowerman]

First off, my subject material on a professional level is exclusively landscape. I like a slightly wide focal length (45mm or 40mm). I don't use the tilt function, only the shift. I shift for stitching and will shoot all three shift positions if a given composition calls for a wider, nearly distortion-free perspective. It was a 17-35 zoom and a 60mm prime that helped confirm my preference for the 40-45 range in a PC-e configuration. I would recommend to get something like a 24-70 zoom and shoot whatever subject you enjoy and see what angle suits your needs best. Maybe you need all three (24, 45, 85). Why let anyone talk you into one or the other? It is all about you, after all. Right?

[Hans Kruse]

At 24mm, it really doesn't bother me. Viewed fullscreen, the image is rather pleasing. At 85mm, it's pretty annoying. Both of these images were accepted by Shutterstock, which was my goal (as opposed to satisfying you lot). But I admit I was surprised they took the 85mm shot. Perhaps the reviewer found it interesting, or perhaps all they care about is that a certain percentage of the image is sharp, in which case the tilt served it's purpose. The 24mm shot has sold at least once already, which is always a good sign. I just shot it this past weekend.

Nobody asked me, but I personally think either of these shots would be better using focus stacking. At least in theory. Unfortunately, Nikon hasn't released the bloody SDK yet for my D810, so I can't DO focus stacking, unless I want to do it manually, which I certainly do not.

None of the above is on topic. Whether I'm an idiot or not because of how I choose to use my tilt shift lenses doesn't matter, and frankly it's a highly opinionated topic. Your opinions are different than Shutterstocks, and I care about their opinions more because they're how I intend to make money. Clearly, Shutterstock wants sharper images all the way through too. But if they'll take it and it sells and the customer is happy, that's sufficient.

It seems you are investing a lot of money in order to make money on stock photography. I'm just stunned that you think you will make money on stock photography. Sorry, no offense, but stock photography has been a downhill slide in terms of prices for the last 5 years that is unprecedented.  Besides that in my opinion shooting for stock photography is a killer for any real interest in photography.  You say you are an IT professional...well you can make a LOT more money in that field. At least if you are good at it. I know from experience.

This is an advice: You are in my opinion walking down the wrong road.

[trevarthan]

It seems you are investing a lot of money in order to make money on stock photography. I'm just stunned that you think you will make money on stock photography. Sorry, no offense, but stock photography has been a downhill slide in terms of prices for the last 5 years that is unprecedented.  Besides that in my opinion shooting for stock photography is a killer for any real interest in photography.  You say you are an IT professional...well you can make a LOT more money in that field. At least if you are good at it. I know from experience.

This is an advice: You are in my opinion walking down the wrong road.

Thanks Hans. I'll keep that in mind.

[Glenn NK]

Shortly prior to the crash of '08, I was approached by a firm that was interested in my floral images - then the lady replied back that they were "rethinking" their approach.

I suspect that was the beginning of the unprecedented slide Hans has referred to.

Glenn

[MrSmith]

Wow those images must be really something! To think they alone could have saved the stock image industry from meltdown.
 

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Wow those images must be really something! To think they alone could have saved the stock image industry from meltdown.
 

Exactly! In a few years after I left Kodak, they went bankrupt. You do the math.

[allegretto]

Exactly! In a few years after I left Kodak, they went bankrupt. You do the math.

the Fools could have saved their collective arses if they'd have just given you what you asked for…

Sic semper...