Tilt Shift lenses!

[jacobsen1]

Whose got them?
Whose used them?
Who wants them?

Just curious to see how popular they are around here. I finally bought my first one this week... Unfortunately the seller lives in my sister's home town and for some reason I suggested she could deliver it (to save the seller $) to me next week when she visits... Anyway I've wanted one since I used a large format 4"x5" in school... I love the movements, but hated the bulk. I'm hoping this is the perfect combination.

I'm really looking foreward to using shifts to make stiched high MP images and also to use tilts for added DOF. Can't wait.

Anyone else?
Ben

[Atomic79]

I want one for all the reasons you've bought one. I hope it works out for you.

[jacobsen1]

I hope it works out for you.
Thanks,
The wait is going to kill me.... :)

[tweatherred]

Which one did you get? I am dying to get one, probably the 24mm, but feel I really need to get some more experience and improve my skills before investing in such an expensive, specialized lens. I note that the existence of tilt-shift lenses in the EOS line is often given as a reason people choose Canon over Nikon, so there must be a fair amount of interest out there.

[coreypolis]

I wasn't that impresswed with the 24, but then again I was still using the 4x5 for almost half my shots.

[tweatherred]

I haven't done any large-format photography (although an uncle has some old equipment from his uncle in an attic that I would love to try) but it is my understanding that a tilt-shift lens is still a far cry from the number and range of movements you can get with a large-format camera.

[coreypolis]

I haven't done any large-format photography (although an uncle has some old equipment from his uncle in an attic that I would love to try) but it is my understandig that a tilt-shift lens is still a far cry from the number and range of movements you can get with a large-format camera.

exactly correct, not to mention that you end up with a 4x5 or larger negative.

but theres the obvious disadvantages, cost per shot, speed, setup time, MF, size and weight, accessories needed with it etc

i have a whole bucket of film holders, polaroid backs, cable releases, loupes etc sitting around till I either sell them or decide to buy a cheep 4x5 for fun

[jacobsen1]

I got the 90mm TS-E used from FM. I want all three and it's a toss up as to which to get first, but since I use a 100mm macro for work (product shots) if I like the 90mm TS-E I'll be able to sell the 100mm macro so it will be a low $ initial investment to test the waters which is nice. Personally I plan on using it to do a lot of landscape shots... I know the 90mm seems tight for that, but I'm hoping that the shifts and doing multiple shots put together will give me some awesome high MP results. My biggest question still is when you shift a 90mm lens on a 1.3 crop body, what will the efective FL be? Also I'll be shifting it both ways to get:
6190 x 2336 for 14.5 MP pano shot...
-or-
3504 x 5027 for 17.6MP with a "normal aspect ratio"....

Scares me to think what would be possible with a 1DsmII!
(8037x3328 for 26.7mp -or- 4492x6389 for 28.7mp)

I haven't done any large-format photography (although an uncle has some old equipment from his uncle in an attic that I would love to try) but it is my understandig that a tilt-shift lens is still a far cry from the number and range of movements you can get with a large-format camera.

Yes there are less movements. The biggest difference is that on a LF camera the back and front have movements ("film plane" and the "lens board") where with the TS-Es only the lens has movements... You can set up the "back" with a TS-E by using weird angles on you tripod with your body and it will work, but it's limited compaired to a LF camera for sure...

Ben

[Andy_T]

Good luck to you!
how much did you pay?

If you want to do landscapes, something shorter might be even more helpful to you.

Did you ever consider third-party tilt-shift lenses, like the Hartblei 45 mm Super Rotator? (http://www.rickdenney.com/hartblei.htm)

Best regards,
Andy

[Wilt]

I have the Olympus 24mm PC lens, purchased it new in the 80's for $750 and watched the USED price climb to $1500! I now have an OM-EF adapter which permits me to use it on my 20D, but it only behaves like a 38mm on the crop format (sigh). Although rather large, I have travelled with it, and enjoyed every moment of it taking shots that would otherwise portray buildings falling over. While it doesn't have tilt, only shifts, I have not found that much need for tilts...I do THAT with my 4x5 monorail!

[Atomic79]

My biggest question still is when you shift a 90mm lens on a 1.3 crop body, what will the efective FL be?

I don't believe the focal length changes. You are only shifting the angle that light is coming in through the lens.

By the way here is an article at http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/tilt-shift excerpt follows:
Panoramas!

Look at the example vertical image #3. Assuming your shift lens shifts left and right (Canon TS-E's do), you can take the left half and right half of a panorama on separate frames, and combine the images in the darkroom or a photo touch-up program. There will be some overlap to help you assemble the halves into the final image. This overlap can be nominal if you use a TC.
You can end up with a scene that uses about 70mm width and 24mm height. This will give you strictly higher image quality that you'd get with a 6x6 medium format camera and cropping to get a panoramic slice - merely 55mm x 20mm. If anyone cares, that’s 1.5x larger negative... advantage 35mm.
The Canon TS-E lenses will shift in any direction, and have clicks every 30 degrees. You can thus also get a shift somewhat up or down at the same time you shift hard left to get one half, and reproduce the exact shift amount and angle to take the second half.

[Wilt]

<<This will give you strictly higher image quality that you'd get with a 6x6 medium format camera and cropping to get a panoramic slice - merely 55mm x 20mm. If anyone cares, that’s 1.5x larger negative... advantage 35mm. >>

Yes, but there are shift lenses available for MedFormat, too. Neutralize the advantage you attribute to 35mm!

[schmoelzel]

See this little review I did a while back.........excellent IQ but does take some practice and you do need a tripod!!

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=159736

[Andy_T]

One question to y'all ... why would you get a quite pricey T/S lens only for panorama type applications, when good panoramic tripod heads can be had for something around 200$? (e.g. Kaidan Kiwi-L (http://www.kaidan.com/Detail.bok?no=146))

Best regards,
Andy

[tweatherred]

why would you get a quite pricey T/S lens only for panorama type applications

I think the point there is that in addition to the perspective correction and focus effects possible with a T/S, you can also use them for panoramas with minimum effort. In fact, having read this thread, I am thinking I may place a T/S lens higher in my wish list (currently working on lighting supplies)

[jacobsen1]

Good luck to you!
how much did you pay?

If you want to do landscapes, something shorter might be even more helpful to you.

Did you ever consider third-party tilt-shift lenses, like the Hartblei 45 mm Super Rotator? (http://www.rickdenney.com/hartblei.htm)

Best regards,
Andy

If I keep it, I will sell my 100mm f2.8 macro. At that point I will be into this lens for under $500 and very close to the $400 mark. I do realize that 90mm is tight for landscape work, but I do product shots for work and need the 90-100mm range for that. I figured it'd be the perfect lens to get my feet wet with because I can sell my macro if I prefer the TS-E and not spend a fortune to get into this. Also after looking at Nori Ravis panos with the 90mm I think it will work well for that whihc is my main goal with this lens for panos...

I did consider the Hartblei and Arax lenses, and would have bought one had they been in stock. I decided to go for a TS-E and was looking to buy the russian versions but couldn't find one in stock (they're due in this "month") and found the used one on FM so I went for that. If I wanted patience I would have been a doctor!

I don't believe the focal length changes. You are only shifting the angle that light is coming in through the lens.

What I mean by the effective FL of the lens, is when I do this:
http://www.noriravi.com/articles/ts-e/sensorsizeshorizontalstitched.jpg
or this:
http://www.noriravi.com/articles/ts-e/sensorsizesverticalstitched.jpg
what will the effective FL of the lens be on the pano... Meaning I'm stitching the 3 frames together and getting certain images with a given ammount of pixels which I've already calculated... but what lens would get me the same image if I used it at say 50mm and then cropped the top and bottom off in the first instance... With the second instance on a 1.6 crop the lens will work like it's given FL... SO if a 90mm is used on a 20D then it will give the overall image of the 90mm on a FF camera... I'm using it on a 1.3crop so it'll be a tad wider with WAY MORE pixels, but just how wide will the stiched image be??? This will be one of the first things I test, and again can't wait... I'll be sure to post pics of what I mean once it gets here if this is still unclear, but basically I'm trying to figure out what lens would get the same info but with less resolution by taking one picture and cropping it to be the dimensions of my stiched shot... My Sister will also be here the week I get it (she's delivering it) so I'll be able to do this on a 1.6 crop body too to help out with more info...

One question to y'all ... why would you get a quite pricey T/S lens only for panorama type applications, when good panoramic tripod heads can be had for something around 200$? (e.g. Kaidan Kiwi-L (http://www.kaidan.com/Detail.bok?no=146))

Best regards,
Andy

Those setups work very well, but you are still correcting for distortions. You simply can't get the perfect stitches you get with a shift with a tripod setup. Also you get the added benefit of tilts which is VERY important to me. Plus you either love or hate the added time it take to get a good tilt shift shot working. For me it slows me down which is a good thing. I've used panorama factory a lot, and still will until I get all my FLs covered with shifts, but I prefer shifts to pano heads when I have a choice. I've used heads and software until now, and I will do a comparison shoot out of the 2 ways once I get the lens.

Ben