Shooting 75mm Shift lens wide open vs 90 2.8

[lawrence_beck2]

This question is directed at anyone who owns the 90 2.8 and/or the 75 shift

lens: I'm leaving on a trip in a few weeks and will be shooting architecture.

For the type of shooting I'll be doing, something a little wider than the 105 will

be ideal. I'm considering the 90 2.8 because I want to shoot slow films, and I'd

like to shoot wide open so I can freeze the motion of any passersby.

 

The 75 shift lens is marginally wider, but I'll be able to shift the front element to

correct for converging verticals. The drawback here is that I'll need to shoot it

wide open at 1/250 or 1/500 sec exposure.

 

How will the sharpness of these two lenses compare when shot wide open?

I'll be using a Series 5 Gitzo with an Arca Swiss head, mirror lock up and

cable release. Sharpness is of paramount importance as I print images very

large on a wide format Epson.

 

Thanks for any feedback you might have,

Lawrence

[larry_menzin]

The 75mm is quite sharp wide open. I have the 90mm LS but have not shot it wide open for comparison. Keep in mind that shiting the lens will cost you 0.5-1.0 stop depending on amount of shift. Thus, overall, with some shift, the shift lens will be 2 stops slower.

 

If you can suffice with 100 film and sunny conditions, you may be able to get by with the 75mm shift. For architecture, the extra room and shift capabilities are almost essential.

[robert meier]

The 75mm is not sharp wide open in the corners and edges when shifted. You must stop down to get any reasonable degree of sharpness outside the center.

[lawrence_beck2]

Thanks for your input. I think I'll go with the 90 2.8 (non leaf shutter version),

shoot at f4 and do what minimal perspective corrections are needed in

photoshop. I've done this before, on several occasions, and the results are

wonderful. I've heard that the 90 is quite good wide open... so at f4 is should

suffice for big enlargements.

 

Your feedback has saved me a bundle! Thanks again.