TS-E focal length and flash power for table top photography?

[savas_kyprianides]

What focal length TS-E lens will be suitable for small table top products, such as software

boxes and the like?

 

As to strobes, what is a suitable power to get? I have read that some are so powerful that

they can easily overpower 35 mm cameras even when stopped down. I have been using hot

lights for some time now and look forward to the appearance that flash will afford.<div></div>

[joseph_dickerson]

Savas,

 

Are you shooting film or digital? If film the TS-E 90 would be the best bet. If digital full frame or 1.6x?

 

I would still tend to use the 90mm with digital although the 45mm would work as well.

 

Get the most powerful strobe you can afford (580EX?). You can always move it farther from the subject if it's putting out too much light.

 

FYI, hot lights in an appropriate modifyer (soft box) will be indistiguishable from strobe and it will be easier to pre-visualize

the results.

 

Joe D.

[digitmstr]

You can only do limited correction with a T/S lens. You would nee a full complement of bellows movement to do it properly.

 

If you are doing that sort of shoots and you must have the best/most correction and focus look into the Horseman VC adapter, or the Calumet bellows for 35mm/DSRL.

 

But, for boxes and products such as you describe they would look "compressed" if the perspective was corrected. Is that what you want?

[ken munn]

I woukld have thought it easier, nowadays, to correct the perspective in a program like

PhotoShop.

[mike butler]

The 90 t/s was pretty much made for product photography. Sure, it can't do everything a

view camera can, but it can do quite a bit. You might be able to rent one if you live near a

big city.

 

If you're digital, you might want to have a look at the Alien Bee 400, adding a medium size

softbox to it. Losing e-ttl isn't a big deal if you get instant feedback and have a flash

meter.

[peter_white2]

I use the 90mm TS-E and a light tent with the 5D foro small items. For larger item, a foot or so square and up, I use the 45 TS-E and a larger tent.

[digitmstr]

>>correct the perspective in a program like PhotoShop.<<

 

PS can do some correction however, your cropping/framing will change as the pixels as stretched.

 

I use an Hartblei 80mm T/S Super Rotator which works quite well.

[abouddweck]

I just got the TS-E 90 for use with my 5D. It is the perfect perspective for tabletop, although

on the aps format it may be a bit long. Of course the biggest advantage for tabletop is the

depth of field with the tilt. I'm also using it for landscape , being able to raise or lower the

image without adjusting the height of my camera. A very cool, yes expensive, but cool toy.

[savas_kyprianides]

Thanks for the helpful responses. I will be getting a 5D. The example was shot with my

current camera, an Olympus E-10, the subject under a Rifa light - a hot soft box. Those

who know of the E-10 know it is old news and deficient in lens choice (none), aperture,

shutter and ISO. Objects will vary from around 4� square to perhaps 36� square or

thereabouts. Mostly, it will be small objects. What got me started into the flash aspect was

reading the instructional material in this forum. Seeing how photographers describe an

object with light and bring to the fore certain characteristics of a given subject. The photo

I posted was morbidly dim to begin with and took post processing to liven it up a bit. The

forum instructional described how with proper stobes I can stop down for depth and

obtain sufficient light. I will get a 580EX, but am thinking if more than one, proper studio

strobes and stands will be more flexible for still life use. I sense that a properly lit object

might overcome any sense of flattening that might occur, as someone mentioned above. I

would not want to pull the light away from subject so as to create a harsh light source. As

to photoshop correction, I would like to make the perspective as best as I can in camera

for the reason stated above. I guess I will need to rent a lens, as one poster mentioned,

with the idea that perhaps the correction will not be assured or sufficient with a Canon

lens. As for Canon, I am learning here that a 90mm is good to start with and perhaps a

45mm as an adjunct if the requirement comes about. I will go and learn about the non-

Canon lens solutions mentioned here as well. Once again, thanks for the assistance.