As a landscape photographer, I find the most valuable aspect of tilt is the ability to gain an infinite depth of field while using a much wider aperture to keep my shutter speeds high enough to arrest motion of things like flowers waving about in the wind.
I enjoyed watching your videos regarding tilt-shift procedures. There are some points to consider you have not mentioned yet. Shooting with a good shift lens gets good sharpness at the extreme shifts but a bit of vignetting will creep in and it cannot be corrected easily as it is at one side only. Most shift lenses are just not wide enough. I had a 24 Canon and it was very limiting doing interiors. Wide and super=wide were my go to lenses fully knowing (by experience) which part was going to be cropped doing keystone corrections. Another benefit of the wide lenses is when aiming down is you are always using the center sharpest part of your lens. In a shift that does not happen unless you also use the tilt function. The tilt mechanism required makes it very difficult to mount a lens wide enough so wider lenses only have shift. One other point to mention regarding your first (of two) videos, backing up is a good idea and it is easy to avoid the traffic sign. Move laterally to avoid the post and shift sideways. Or if dual shift (diagonally) is not available, correct the receding building in Ps or Lr. All my shift experience comes from shooting products for advertising long before computers. A 75mm lens on a 4x5" for exterior work and a 300mm for products. Everything was shifted (no head on shots) and tilts were often required for getting everything sharp. Eventually I switched to 6x7 with 4x5 lenses and my shifts were extreme. But here we are. Though there is more work in Ps and/or Lr it required skill and 10 years ago these functions were not available. In transform you had to jump through hoops to get it right. I learned all that on my own and no UA-cam to help me. Adobe had no idea how to help me. Yup, things have changed now that I am retired. Amazing what I see skilled people like you do without effort. Rinus In Canada I used to shoot for the Huson's Bay and Calgary Co-op
I use the tilt on my Tilt-shift lenses to increase apparent depth of field in landscape work, rather than to create blur. Similarly one could use focus stacking in photoshop unless there is movement in leaves or water - two common elements in landscape scenes.
This is exactly the reason I like to use this lens, to increase the depth of field. However, there are very few people demonstrate this function, instead, most use this lens to decrease DOF (mini-actual effect).
One more thing, reading a guide on the movements of a tilt shift large format camera may explain easier why and how to use tilts. I mean just watch the illustrations in the various books. Sinar and Cambo have easy explanation guides for beginners. However, your videos show it pretty good. Rinus
At last! Someone who can actually explain what tilt shift lenses are really all about. Of course you can recreate the effects in editing. Eventually. And this is what the sceptics point out first when they're discussed. But, as you rightly say, to be able to see the effects in camera as you compose the shot is going to do more for your creativity than sitting at your computer wondering how to give that photo a bit of punch. It's a bit like saying that you shouldn't waste your money on that f1.4 or f1.2 prime lens when you can create the same effect in Photoshop. Eventually. In terms of expense, that Canon TS-E 24mm Mk2 is a lovely lens but a bit rich for me as a hobbyist. But I'm waiting on the delivery of my new Samyang TS 24mm tilt shift lens for my Sony a7Rii. Costing £640 (about 750USD). Not as good as that Canon but I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun with it. Even cheaper option is a tilt shift adapter and an old film camera lens. Couple of hundred pounds/dollars. Photography as a serious hobby is an expensive pastime. This Samyang is the cheapest I've paid for a new lens. As the saying goes, you're a long time dead. The scary thing for most critics is the fact that you have to learn how to shoot manually! Part of the photographic journey. Great video.
Thanks John! You’re right this can all get really expensive! I’m starting to find some really good “cheap” lenses, like TTArisans, to be almost as good as the big super expensive lenses. It’s about finding the balance and what you’re having fun with, for sure!
Excellent video. LR/PS can do this, but in lens is so much easier (if you have the lens) and it gives better images because manipulation of pixels always always reduces the image quality. I wonder how the lens baby shift lenses stack up… Also how well does the T/S lens do miniature effect, vs. LR/PS?
I agree always better in the camera. The lens baby lenses are fun but really low quality compared to the Canon. Not really sure about the miniature effect I haven’t really worked in that.
Time is money. The lense cost will eventually be offset by the time it takes to edit. Even hobbyists will appreciate the time savings by using the lense over the photoshop. How much of your life do you want to spend enjoying your hobby sitting in front of the computer vs taking photos and getting the shot you want in the field? And you are correct, in the end the lense does look more natural.
Seemsthat Tilt is a lot harder than Shift was last week. I have the M50 and that has a "miniature effect" which I have used just to put a portion in focus. Does the R5 have it and if so would that compare ?
Again… being able to shoot what you want is often better done in camera. Sometimes you get to your computer and you realize you didn’t quite get what you hoped for.
![Why not to buy a tilt-shift lens [Fuji 30/5.6].Tilt-shift isn't magic, what do the lenses really do](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Zt9DjlaiUHA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Focus: Sharpen Your Skills [PART 5 - Tilt & Shift Lenses]](/img/n.gif)
As a landscape photographer, I find the most valuable aspect of tilt is the ability to gain an infinite depth of field while using a much wider aperture to keep my shutter speeds high enough to arrest motion of things like flowers waving about in the wind.
That’s a great use for it and it takes a lot of patience practice and skill to get it right!
I don't get, it how does the TS lens enable greater depth of field ?
Great vlog Eric the Tilt-shift lens win's this round easily much better result in camera thanks as always 👍🏻
I agree thanks!
I enjoyed watching your videos regarding tilt-shift procedures.
There are some points to consider you have not mentioned yet.
Shooting with a good shift lens gets good sharpness at the extreme shifts but a bit of vignetting will creep in and it cannot be corrected easily as it is at one side only.
Most shift lenses are just not wide enough. I had a 24 Canon and it was very limiting doing interiors. Wide and super=wide were my go to lenses fully knowing (by experience) which part was going to be cropped doing keystone corrections.
Another benefit of the wide lenses is when aiming down is you are always using the center sharpest part of your lens. In a shift that does not happen unless you also use the tilt function. The tilt mechanism required makes it very difficult to mount a lens wide enough so wider lenses only have shift.
One other point to mention regarding your first (of two) videos, backing up is a good idea and it is easy to avoid the traffic sign. Move laterally to avoid the post and shift sideways. Or if dual shift (diagonally) is not available, correct the receding building in Ps or Lr.
All my shift experience comes from shooting products for advertising long before computers.
A 75mm lens on a 4x5" for exterior work and a 300mm for products. Everything was shifted (no head on shots) and tilts were often required for getting everything sharp. Eventually I switched to 6x7 with 4x5 lenses and my shifts were extreme. But here we are.
Though there is more work in Ps and/or Lr it required skill and 10 years ago these functions were not available. In transform you had to jump through hoops to get it right. I learned all that on my own and no UA-cam to help me. Adobe had no idea how to help me. Yup, things have changed now that I am retired. Amazing what I see skilled people like you do without effort.
Rinus
In Canada I used to shoot for the Huson's Bay and Calgary Co-op
excellent points, thanks for the info!!
I use the tilt on my Tilt-shift lenses to increase apparent depth of field in landscape work, rather than to create blur. Similarly one could use focus stacking in photoshop unless there is movement in leaves or water - two common elements in landscape scenes.
Another good use for tilt-shift!
This is exactly the reason I like to use this lens, to increase the depth of field. However, there are very few people demonstrate this function, instead, most use this lens to decrease DOF (mini-actual effect).
Really good video. Thanks. I have a Rokinon tilt-shift lens on my list of lenses to buy, largely due to your earlier video.
Thanks! They are so much fun to use and I find they help me compose more deliberately.
Thanks for two nice videos! Yes, you can do it on a computer, but first you need to imagine what the picture will be.
Right, you need to have the composition in your head whether you do it with the camera or the computer afterwards doesn't really matter.
One more thing, reading a guide on the movements of a tilt shift large format camera may explain easier why and how to use tilts. I mean just watch the illustrations in the various books. Sinar and Cambo have easy explanation guides for beginners. However, your videos show it
pretty good.
Rinus
I'll check that out. Thanks
At last! Someone who can actually explain what tilt shift lenses are really all about. Of course you can recreate the effects in editing. Eventually. And this is what the sceptics point out first when they're discussed. But, as you rightly say, to be able to see the effects in camera as you compose the shot is going to do more for your creativity than sitting at your computer wondering how to give that photo a bit of punch. It's a bit like saying that you shouldn't waste your money on that f1.4 or f1.2 prime lens when you can create the same effect in Photoshop. Eventually.
In terms of expense, that Canon TS-E 24mm Mk2 is a lovely lens but a bit rich for me as a hobbyist. But I'm waiting on the delivery of my new Samyang TS 24mm tilt shift lens for my Sony a7Rii. Costing £640 (about 750USD). Not as good as that Canon but I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun with it. Even cheaper option is a tilt shift adapter and an old film camera lens. Couple of hundred pounds/dollars.
Photography as a serious hobby is an expensive pastime. This Samyang is the cheapest I've paid for a new lens. As the saying goes, you're a long time dead.
The scary thing for most critics is the fact that you have to learn how to shoot manually! Part of the photographic journey. Great video.
Thanks John! You’re right this can all get really expensive! I’m starting to find some really good “cheap” lenses, like TTArisans, to be almost as good as the big super expensive lenses. It’s about finding the balance and what you’re having fun with, for sure!
Excellent video. LR/PS can do this, but in lens is so much easier (if you have the lens) and it gives better images because manipulation of pixels always always reduces the image quality.
I wonder how the lens baby shift lenses stack up…
Also how well does the T/S lens do miniature effect, vs. LR/PS?
I agree always better in the camera. The lens baby lenses are fun but really low quality compared to the Canon. Not really sure about the miniature effect I haven’t really worked in that.
Are the birds perched on your microphone?
almost!
Time is money. The lense cost will eventually be offset by the time it takes to edit. Even hobbyists will appreciate the time savings by using the lense over the photoshop. How much of your life do you want to spend enjoying your hobby sitting in front of the computer vs taking photos and getting the shot you want in the field?
And you are correct, in the end the lense does look more natural.
Agreed! Thanks for watching!
Seemsthat Tilt is a lot harder than Shift was last week. I have the M50 and that has a "miniature effect" which I have used just to put a portion in focus. Does the R5 have it and if so would that compare ?
No the R5 does not have that effect. I’d be interested to see how it looks though.
In camera/tilt-shift image looks a lot better, cleaner.
I agree!
Again… being able to shoot what you want is often better done in camera. Sometimes you get to your computer and you realize you didn’t quite get what you hoped for.
So true!
Still undecided... The weight of carrying all the lenses does add up and limits my ability to travel around. Then there is the cost.
Yeah it’s a tough choice. I think if you are a wiz at photoshop and you don’t mind the editing time, then you really don’t need the extra lens.