tilt - shift lenses - better ones...worse ones?

Hi there.

One of my distant friends has a couple TS lenses (he has the 24, 17 and the 90).
He offered me to borrow one for a bit just to "play" since I asked "too many questions"



Oh well

Sometimes I don't understand the descriptions on the net fully... and the difference between tilt and shift are still fuzzy in my mind

I am most interested in the selective focus plane and architecture - and while minituarization seems interesting - I can't imagine I would go out of my way to use the lens specifically for the effect.....

My questions are these, if someone could be so kind as to help me:

does the lens shift or tilt or can it do both tilt AND shift?
is there is lens in the canon arsenal which is better at shifting or at tilting than another?
except for focal length - it seems from the net that the 17 is not as sharp as the 24. Is that correct? Is this important if using a stitched panoramic?

as for borrowing goes - I am leaning towards the 17..... but i am still wrestling with the idea of the 24. The 90 seems like it could be fun with portraiture and switching out focal planes.... but again.... do people do that?

sorry for the amorphous questioning.. since I have never played with one... and now I get 2-3 days to do so.... I would love to get some general feedback...

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1323601

That thread answers the shift and tilt question in detail.
TFSP is how I remember the functions; Tilt Focus Shift Perspective.

I think you are approaching the situation the wrong way. Decide what you want to shoot and achieve, then select the lens.

EF Lens Work III has good descriptions and examples too.

As stated above, deside what you want to shoot. If product or fake miniature, then the 90. Landscape and architecture would be the 17 or 24. The 90 will give you the most as far as tilt. The shorter FLs will be most usefull for shift. Does your friend have v1 or v2 of the 24?

If you're simply experimenting then I'd go for the 24mm version....it'll be less restrictive and perhaps more intuitive than the 17mm.
You'd also be better prepared if you download this article and try to understand the concept and reason behind usage of differing amounts of tilt.

Bob

First of all, thanks for all the links and articles. I will be sitting on those this weekend so as to maximize the experience.

Since I have no idea what the lens is really capable of - and what "worlds" it opens, I was thinking of putting it through the paces (as I could find them). But since my normal photopgraphy doesn't actually demand a TS lens, I can't say that I have a "need" (or maybe not even a "want"). I just want to tinker and see what it can do...for a weekend. Given that, I am not sure how I can decided what I want to shot/achive with the given tool. I mean, I am sure I can shoot picture of my kids on the beach with it, but I am not sure that it would be the best tool for it.

So, 90 has the best tilt = focus, and the wider ones have the best shift = perspective. So the best for architecture shots would be the wider ones and the best for minaturization and selective focus angles (product photography?) would be the 90?

windpig - he has the 24 II, to answer your question.

thanks again

Myself, I'd try out the 90 and work with the tilt feature. Utilizing shift is easy. Tilt is what takes some knowledge and practice. The 17 and 24ll have the ability to independantly orient the tilt direction from the shift direction.

ceriltheblade wrote in post #17630975
I am most interested in the selective focus plane and architecture

except for focal length - it seems from the net that the 17 is not as sharp as the 24. Is that correct? Is this important if using a stitched panoramic?

as for borrowing goes - I am leaning towards the 17..... but i am still wrestling with the idea of the 24..

Sounds like your "distant friend" has an impressive collection of lenses; I'd love to have the 24TS-E but it's a bit out of my price range at the moment. Having three TS lenses ... wow

If you're interested in architecture you probably want either the 17 or 24. For architecture I think the shift function is generally used more than tilt, but I guess that depends on what you're shooting and your style. I would lean towards the 24 mainly because I would be less afraid of accidentally scratching the front element on a borrowed lens.

The 24 is better than the 17, but they're both very good lenses. For playing around I wouldn't worry about that part too much.

Whichever one you choose, have fun with it!

yes, in fact he does. it is also very generous of him to offer to lend me one, in my opinion.

i think that the 24ii will be the one i wiĺ borrow eventually (timetables got changed because of circumstances beyond either one of us).

not to push my luck, but maybe another time he'll allow me to try the 17....
maybe. maybe not.
but at least i get to try a tse just for the kicks if it.

thanks all for the advice

Get your friend to lend you the 24mm, if its the Mk2 so much the better because unlike the Mk1 it will tilt and shift in the same plane.
Have a look here http://www.northlight-images.co.uk …/tilt_and_shift​_ts-e.html for a good read on T/S lenses.
Shift is fairly easy , tilt takes a bit of getting used to but as the lens is MF and you have live view you should be OK.
Just make sure you have a good solid tripod and have fun

The Canon 24mm TS-E II is easily my favourite lens. I use the shift constantly, even hand-held.

The tilt for miniaturisation effects is not as good, mainly because of the short focal length. You can still manage to do it–

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I have the TS-E 17mm and the TSE 24mm mk 1

You can use a TC 1.4 on the TS-E 17mm you cannot on the TS-E 24 mm mk 1 or mk II.

I mainly do product or commercial photography with the TSE lenes but I got some pretty cool land scape photo too.

Never owned a TS-E Lens I didn't like .

Tilt is more challenging to get to grips with with the wider angle lenses. So I would add my vote for trying the 24mm first, rather than the 17mm for what you are shooting. I also agree shift is easier to get to grips with, but the 24 (as opposed to the 90) will allow you to try tilting and shifting in any combination of directions which the older lenses don't allow.

I rented the 24 TSE II for a vacation. Outstanding. If I had unlimited funds I would own both the 17 and 24 - V2.

and if you find yourself liking it Samyang sells some nice TS lenses for cheaper

I thought they only sold the 24. Reviews I've read of that one haven't been all that great, even taking into account the lower price (in comparison to the Canon or Nikon options).