Tilt or Shift?

[Ambermile]

Which is best, Tilt or Shift? Given one or the other, I would have though tilt was the most versatile? I realise that it is situation dependent to some degree but I am talking about in general here.

Arthur

 

[photon]

Shift for architecture.

 

[Ambermile]

Hmm - unexpected reply, but understandable. Do more people use these for architecture then?

 

[Kev M]

Can you get lenses with only one of the movements? I thought they all had both?:shrug:

Shift and tilt for architecture (one to get the composition and verticals sorted and the other to maximise DOF).

 

[photon]

Can you get lenses with only one of the movements? I thought they all had both?:shrug:

Most are (were) shift only. The current Canikon offerings are tilt/shift.

 

[pete.rush]

Primarly used for architecture images to remove the fisheye effect created by wide angle lenses.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-TS-E-24mm-f-3.5-L-II-Tilt-Shift-Lens-Review.aspx

They ain't cheaper either. Prices from £1000 - 2000 depending on with lens you get. Ed Bray bought one recently, check out this thread.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=184487&highlight=tilt+shift+lens

 

[EOS_JD]

there's a nice article in this month's EOS Magazine. Helped me understand a little more of what they actually do!

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

Sod architecture
Tilt is so good for landscapes that I'm wondering how I ever managed without one.
Plenty of examples of the TS-E in action over in my Diary From The Isle Of Canna thread.

I bought Ed Bray's old TS-E, he upgraded to the MkII.
Used TS-E prices are about the same as a new 24-105 and worth every penny.

 

[DuncanDisorderly]

I experimented with Shift on Wells Cathedral.
The results are very impressive, but you can go a long way to achieving the same effect using Photoshop.
However, tilt is very special and it cannot be reproduced with post-processing.

 

[photon]

you can go a long way to achieving the same effect using Photoshop.

Wash your mouth out, you pixel smearer!

A problem with the results of shift corrections is that we've been educated to view the built environment through a lens (without shift).

 

[Ambermile]

I experimented with Shift on Wells Cathedral.
The results are very impressive, but you can go a long way to achieving the same effect using Photoshop.
However, tilt is very special and it cannot be reproduced with post-processing.

Yup, it was that sequence got me thinking. I assume then tilt is a good thing, shift is OK but you can get away without it?

Arthur

 

[photon]

Can you get away with a kit lens for a paid job?

 

[photon]

Hey Mister, why's your camera all wonky?

http://www.zoerk.com/pages/p_pshift.htm

 

[Ambermile]

Well, been having a play and my "experiments" bring me to the conclusion that tilt is much more fun that shift... yes?


Arthur

 

[EdBray]

Tilt and shift both have their uses, of course tilt at 90 degrees becomes swing.

I currently have two tilt/shift lenses (24L2 and 90) but unfortunately even I am surpassed by the mighty (figuratively speaking) Canon Bob who has three 24L, 45 & 90.

They are some of the most useful lenses you could use and on my 1D Mk3 i would have kept the 24L2 as my standard lens, now I have 1Ds3 I suspect that the 45TSE would make a better standard lens.

There is another fantastic use for a TS lens you can expand the sensor size and resolution to MF standards, if you shoot in portrait mode on a 1Ds3 and take a 12 degree shifted image to the left and right, and stitch them together you will end up with an image 7226 x 5627 pixels and a 116MB file.

This is a full size representation of a three image stitch that I have just taken on the 90mm TS-E in portrait mode with 11, 0, 11 degrees of shift and resized for the web. This gives an angle of view along the horizontal similar to that of a 60mm lens.

This is a 100% crop from the original high res image!

Another 100% crop

 

[Ambermile]

Thanks Ed - I am actually thinking of making rather than buying - just wanted to do it in stages though, hence the "which is more important" question.

Anyway, a 12 degree shifted? is that 12 degree tilt and a shift as well?

Arthur

 

[TrevDR]

Thanks Ed - I am actually thinking of making rather than buying - just wanted to do it in stages though, hence the "which is more important" question.

Anyway, a 12 degree shifted? is that 12 degree tilt and a shift as well?

Arthur

Hi Arthur,

The TS-E 24 has +/- 8 degrees of tilt (angular) and +/- 11mm shift (Linear) movements.

Trev

 

[Ambermile]

Thanks Trev, so where from that 12 degree?

 

[EdBray]

Only the 17L & 24L Mk2 have 12mm of shift the older TSE's 24L, 45 & 90 only have 11mm of shift. The 17L only has 6.5 degrees of tilt/swing the 24L Mk2 has 8.5 degrees of tilt/swing, the original models all have 8 degrees of tilt/swing.