Tilting a Macro lens

[calypsob]

I found a fascinating article on tilting a macro lens today that I wanted to share with everyone. I have been aware of tilt shift photography for a long time but I never really thought of a way to incorporate it into macro but guess what? this guy did! http://www.bobatkins.com/photography...t_adapter.html It is really rather impressive, the idea is to take that razor thin DOF that you get when working with 1:1+ macro work and tilt it so more of the subject falls within the DOF. This would mean less spending time building a focus stack and more time shooting pictures.

- Wes

[Martin G.]

interesting for sure, been considering a TS lens for macro, but since the magnification achieved is not so high, I never persued the idea. This might be worth trying, if anything just out of curiosity.

Martin

[alquimista]

very interesting article, thanks for sharing

[ceriltheblade]

that is indeed cool. the price of the tilt adapter is also "interesting"! and it is a fixed tilt...
and no electronic controls of the aperture....

[calypsob]

Very true ceril, I suppose I forget sometimes that others have real macro lenses that use sophisticated electronics, HAHA! So all you manufacturers out there, the market needs a canon tilt adapter with canon contacts! As for me I would be happy to stick my reversed lens on the front of a tilt adapter, I dont think you would need the shift aspect for macro work unless you were using a tripod because that feature is generally used for building panoramas within architectural photography, however on a tripod a shift function would be sweet for building a panorama, but the again you could always use a focus rail for going side to side, but up and down would be the job of a tilt shift for sure.

[Lester Wareham]

Nikon actually sell a tilt macro lens and tilt bellows are available. The amount of focal plane tilt you can get in closeup is limited if you work through the maths.

Some use the TS-E 90mm on tubes.

Could be good for static subjects if you have the fiddle time.

[jjphoto]

There are various ways to incorporate tilt with macro.

Mamiya 120/4 A (macro lens) on a Canon 5D2 with a Mirex tilt/shift adapter;



Or just use a swing/shift bellows like the Nikon PB4;

[ZoneV]

I have two tilt/shift bellows for such. A fixed tilt adapter is not that interessting for me.
But even with Scheimpflug stacking the depth of field is small. Only the plane of sharpness in tilted. But most objects are not plane.

[jjphoto]

Originally Posted by ZoneV

I have two tilt/shift bellows for such. A fixed tilt adapter is not that interessting for me.
But even with Scheimpflug stacking the depth of field is small. Only the plane of sharpness in tilted. But most objects are not plane.

Using tilt/swing to increase depth of field is a futile pursuit as it only affects the plane of focus. Some times the plane of focus can be adjusted to suit a subject so that what ever depth of field is available can be used more effectively, but it still doesn't change the depth of field.

[Nature Nut]

For that cost I'll just hammer on my old Fotodoix manual tubes until theyre bent. Interesting concept and I bet you could use it for some unintended fun.

[maverick75]

Bob's site has a TON of useful information, bookmark worthy indeed!

[calypsob]

Originally Posted by ZoneV

I have two tilt/shift bellows for such. A fixed tilt adapter is not that interessting for me.
But even with Scheimpflug stacking the depth of field is small. Only the plane of sharpness in tilted. But most objects are not plane.

This would be perfect in the case of a reverse lens due to the fixed focus, it would be nice to be able to think about focal plane and composition when doing handheld macro because the insects are always clinging onto objects in all different directions.