Tilt & Shift

[chandrakanta_roy_chowdhury]

<p>Hi,<br>

I wanted to know what would be the best choice in Canon Tilt and Shift Lenses for Jewellery Products like Finger Rings, Chains, Ear-Rings, Big Necklaces and Diamond Solitaires etc.<br>

I have read a similar post where one of the members have mentioned about a 90mm tilt and shift, but I read up in the canon website that the controls on tilt and shift are limited on the 90 mm.<br>

In that case would a 24 or a 45mm suffice for close ups and greater DOF.<br>

Please suggest.<br>

Thanks and regards,</p>

[joseph_dickerson]

<p>About a hundred years ago I co-wrote a book about the Canon lens system and if I remember correctly the 45mm was actually designed for product photography so it might be the best choice. However, I'd go with the 90mm. Use it with a tele-extender, either after-market, or use the Canon extender with a 12mm extension tube between the lens and the extender. It's one of my favorite lenses for macro work. <br>

The 24 TSE will give you sharp results but the lens to subject distance will be really short making lighting the product difficult.<br>

Lens Rentals.com is your friend at times like this. A short "test drive" will tell you much more than anyone here can.<br>

JD</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>There are tilt adapters from the Medium Format Pentacon 6 mount to EOS (e.g., http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=tilt+adapter+%2BP6&_lncat=0&_sop=15&_osacat=78997&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xtilt+adapter+%2BP6+-micro.TRS0&_nkw=tilt+adapter+%2BP6+-micro&_sacat=78997 ) for around US$150 or less.</p>

<p>Combined with something like a Zeiss Biometar 80mm P6 lens, this would be another way to get a broad range of tilt with lenses made to cover more than a 35mm format.</p>

<p>The price of the adapter and the lens combined, however, is not cheap, even if cheaper than the TSE lenses.</p>

<p>I'd try rental first.</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>IMHO 90mm is the proper focal length for that kind of work, more might be nice too to allow more movement of lights in front of your subject.<br>

If the Canon lens doesn't cut the cake for you movements wise why don't you try a tilt shift bellows with an odd MF / LF enlarging lens instead? http://www.novoflex.com/en/products/macro-accessories/bellows-systems/tilt-shift-bellows/<br>

Disclaimer: I have no experience with tilt shift on 35mm or APSC, I only understand that it makes sense for the job you are trying to do.<br>

In close up photography focal length doesn't matter for DOF. Hit one of the various online calculators and figure out what you'll get at a 1:1 enlargement ratio with various lenses. Go to http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/dof-calculator.htm for example and dial in 2x (of any) focal length as distance and you'll always get one entire mm of DOF at f8.<br>

The tilt shift lenses offer less vulnerability and an option to do quick cheap dirty handheld shots of bigger products somehow, but with jewelry the lack of enlarging lenses' image quality around infinity shouldn't bother you. - I am sure there were or are other providers of tilt shift bellows too. I wouldn't dare jewelry without a precision focusing rail for moving the camera 0.1mm back & forth when needed on a rock solid tripod.<br>

Good luck.</p>

[jeff_conrad]

<p>Given the size of the objects you mention, I’d probably go with the 90 mm. You get greater magnification than with the other lenses, especially if you use an extension tube, tele-extender, or both, as Joseph suggests. There’s a simple way to get a feel for the best focal length—just take a few shots with regular lenses, see which focal length allows the framing that you want, and get the TS lens (or other equipment) closest to that focal length.</p>

<p>Bear in mind how focusing works with a tilted lens. Rotating the focusing ring rotates the plane of focus about a point below the lens, and at close focus, you can only get about 30° rotation of the PoF. Nonetheless, this can still be a big deal in many situations.</p>

<p>I haven’t tried the alternatives that some others suggest, so I can’t compare them to the TS lenses (I have the old 24, and the 45 and 90).</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>I'm not sure if 90mm is the proper focal length for this type of lens. It <strong>is</strong> if you are doing product-photography, but for architecture such as shooting tall buildings you are better off with a wide-angle.</p>

[w_t1]

<p>Also consider the 100mm macro.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>90mm T-S probably your best choice + extension tube(s).</p>