Modifying Canon tilt/shift lenses; how hard is it?

[micah_marty1]

I've seen several threads and reviews in which users of these lenses said,

"Putting the tilt and shift on the same axis looks like it's just a matter of

removing four screws, rotating the back of the lens 90 degrees, and

reinserting the four screws." But the four screws are not in an axially

symmetric pattern, suggesting that it might be a little more complicated than

that. In other words, has anybody actually done the modification themselves?

 

I ask because I find myself wanting the tilt and shift set up both ways far too

often to keep sending the lenses to Canon to have them switched back and

forth:

 

--For landscape photography, it's handiest to have shift ("rise," technically

speaking) and tilt in the same axis.

 

--For architectural work, on the other hand, it's handiest to have rise and tilt

("swing," technically speaking) at right angles to each other (think of

photographing a tall building facade from an angle).

 

Anybody know of a thread or website where the modification is explained?

I've got the lenses and I've got the teeny screwdrivers; should I take the

plunge? (Please, no smart aleck suggestions about buying more lenses or

buying a view camera; I already have plenty of both.) Thanks for suggestions.

[robin_sibson1]

I have a TS24, so although I have not done this operation, I do know well how the TS lenses handle.

 

Changing the relationship between tilt and shift is a Canon-approved modification, so it must be possible. Since it is clearly impossible with the screw holes in their visible positions, it seems likely that there is a second set of threaded holes in the big square block that constitutes the tilt mechanism.

 

I ***GUESS*** that you actually have to unscrew both the front and the rear sets of screws on the tilt block, then, keeping the front and back sections of the lens in an unchanged orientation to one another, rotate the tilt block by a right angle and rejoin the three sections. My reason for guessing this is that I would be very surprised if the ribbon cable linking the front and back of the lens gave you enough freedom to rotate just one of the front or back sections; it already has to allow the lens as a whole to rotate on its mount.

 

It is not a job I would like to risk doing even once. The idea of doing it on a regular basis as you switch from one requirement to the other really does sond like a recipe for disaster sooner or later.

[karl_lehmann]

It's easy to do. Just make sure the screwdriver fits and apply lots of downward pressure so you don't strip the heads.<P>I have the TS-E 24mm and the first thing I did when I got it was to put the tilt & shift onto parallel axis's. It takes 5 minutes maximum and if you don't like the modification it only takes another 5 minutes to undo it! If it was any easier you could switch it back and forth in the field.<P>I find the lens to be more useful with the tilt and shift aligned, but you need to be extra careful when tilting and shifting into the red zone... it's easier to get vignetting than when the axis's are perpendicular.<p>Karl Lehmann <a href="http://www.lostworldarts.com/new_page_3.htm">Lost World

Arts</a>