Tilt-shift lens use example

Although this is old stuff among people who use the t/s lenses, it seems to be less known by the masses:

Major city or model village? Amsterdam miniaturised – in pictures

Anyhow, another answer to the question "what can they be used for ?"

I was a model train buff most of my life, so I know what models look like when photographed with a macro lens.

The VERY narrow depth of field is indicative of a model scene, but the people are far too realistic to be model people. That's what gives it away to my eyes.

Can't stand the horrible depth of field. These would be interesting shots if done with normal lenses.

Although these are very cool images, I, too, was thinking much the same- I would like these more if shot with full-on DOF, everything in focus. That said.... I love seeing images of places that millions of people have photographed to death, ad nauseam- shot from a VERY different perspective.

Can't stand the horrible depth of field. These would be interesting shots if done with normal lenses.

Um.. The whole point of the thing is they are not supposed to be "normal"

Um.. The whole point of the thing is they are not supposed to be "normal"

Yes, I know, but I still don't like it one bit.

Am thinking of buying a perspective control (or tilt-shift) lens for architectural work but I don't think I'd use the 'tilt' function very often.

Exception might be in order to bring more into focus rather than less - which, I understand, is the primary use of the 'tilt function anyway.

In fact all I really need is the shift function to correct converging verticals but, to my knowledge, shift-only lenses are no longer produced for DSLRs.

PC lenses, whether with tilt or not, are inherently manual focus, and have always been at the very upper end of every manufacturer's quality regime. You should be able to buy a good used example, incorporating only the shift function, for a relatively reasonable sum. As an architect I can attest to the extraordinary utility of the shift PC lens for this purpose. However, note that you may find you'll need a longer focal length for exterior shots versus a very wide angle exclusively for interiors. I talked the firm into buying a Nikkor 19mm PC tilt/shift lens so we could better do our own photography. It's an amazing lens, but we use it far more for interiors than exterior shots, though it sees some use there as well. Images shot with UWA lenses and then perspective corrected in PP simply cannot hold a candle to the PC lens' output.

As regards the tilt function, it can be very useful when trying to obtain maximum or explicitly controlled DoF in an architectural interior. I've not yet mastered it, but I've seen examples where the tilt function is employed to keep all of the foreground elements in focus in an otherwise very challenging interior shot, so it's not just for special effects.

Welcome to Photo.net, Richard -

. . . to my knowledge, shift-only lenses are no longer produced for DSLRs.

Venus Optics make the Laowa 15mm F/4 Shift Lens. (± 6mm). It also is Macro capable and is available in a range of camera mounts

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As already mentioned, depending upon your Camera(s), you could pick up a second hand (Tilt)/Shift Lens.

Additionally and again depending upon your camera(s), there are adapters which provide the Shift Movement when adapting specific (non-shift) lenses to (other model) DSLR cameras. I’ve a Kipon Shift Adapter which allows my Mamiya 645 Lenses to mount to my Canon DSLRs.

WW

Image © AJ Group Pty Ltd Aust 1996~2020 WMW 1965~1996

After the very fleeting novelty of it, I must agree with those who don't much care for the "miniature effect." Some cameras now provide this without requiring a special lens. I do have a tilt-shift lens (the Nikon 85/2.8D), but what I got it for, and use it for, is mostly macros, and I use the tilt to increase depth of field.

I also have an old shift-only 35/2.8, which I use regularly as a normal lens on DX.

There are a couple of other tricks a shifting lens can do, which I find occasionally useful. For one thing, it makes nice rectilinear panoramas. If you take three shots with a shifting lens, (full left, center, and full right), you get approximately double the field of view in the shifting direction, and it's nice and straight. The other useful thing is that you can shift when you shoot into a mirror or a window, and with only a little change of angle, remove yourself from the image. If a nearby post or other object in a scene is badly placed, and you can't move yourself, you can shift it out of the way too.

there are adapters which provide the Shift Movement when adapting specific (non-shift) lenses to (other model) DSLR cameras

Beware that shift PC lenses have much larger projected image circles than standard. Simply attaching a standard lens with an adapter is very unlikely to give the full range of adjustment, unless adapting a larger format on a smaller sensor (FF lens on APS-C, for example, maybe.)

Beware that shift PC lenses have much larger projected image circles than standard. Simply attaching a standard lens with an adapter is very unlikely to give the full range of adjustment, unless adapting a larger format on a smaller sensor (FF lens on APS-C, for example, maybe.)

Good point to note.

I think that the (main) manufacturers of these adapters have this point under wraps, but it is a good point to check before buying.

What I mean is, I believe that Kipon and FotodioX only make tilt and/or shift adapters for Medium Format Lenses (e.g. Mamiya 645; Pentax 67; Hasselblad etc) to mount on Canon EOS DSLR Cameras, I assume the same applies for Nikon DSLRs, etc.

I haven't come across a tilt and/or shift adapter of a "known brand" for a 135 Format Lens to mount on an APS-C format DSLR - but there might be some out there and the warning is well stated.

WW

My Olympus micro 43 camera does this effect.

Please expand - I don't understand the comment.

Please expand - I don't understand the comment.

I get it. Many consumer cameras include special effects settings. In my D5100 this is called "miniature effect". I have to assume it simply makes the available settings so as to closely mimic the extreme narrow DoF. I've never had occasion to use it.

Professional uses apart, and if the main purpose of the interest towards PC lenses is a temporary need or curiosity/fun, there are much simpler and cheaper ways to get a try. My nephew absolutely needed tilt-controlled photos for his doctorate work on the architecture of Roman temples, but could not afford one. We (his father and me) bought him an old Voigtländer plate camera with T/S controls, and he did quite fine (for his own purposes) by taking digital shots of the focusing screen.

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but I don't think I'd use the 'tilt' function very often.

I used to feel this way when I only had the PC-Nikkor 35mm f/2.8.

Now that I also have the Canon TS-E 17mm T/S I find that the tilt function is actually useful, precisely for extending or shortening the zone of focus (see LINK:Perspective Control Lenses since 1971 and counting)