What can tilt-shift lenses do that post-production cannot?

[ontarian]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

The original TS lens looks very nice, but one feature of the current 17mm and 24mm II lenses that I really like is the ability to change the orientation between tilt and shift on the fly, which I assume the original cannot do (perhaps I'm wrong?).

You are not wrong (as usual [clarification edit-as usual you are bang on right]).  Though not on the fly, It can be done but it requires partially disassembling the lens, something I have not tried myself.

[akclimber]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

Very cool adapter!

Have you (or has anybody) done an image quality test of the FD TSE vs the EF MK II TSE?  The IQ of the MK II is outstanding.

[Drizzt321]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

The original TS lens looks very nice, but one feature of the current 17mm and 24mm II lenses that I really like is the ability to change the orientation between tilt and shift on the fly, which I assume the original cannot do (perhaps I'm wrong?).

While it does look like you can save quite a bit, it looks like it's still ~$900+ for the 35mm TS in FD. ~$1K savings with the conversion kit is still pretty great. They only have them in 35mm though, so if you need the super-wide of 17mm, or even wide at 24mm you're out of luck. Still, undoubtedly a great and cheap(er) way to get into the TS world!

[iaind]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

The original TS lens looks very nice, but one feature of the current 17mm and 24mm II lenses that I really like is the ability to change the orientation between tilt and shift on the fly, which I assume the original cannot do (perhaps I'm wrong?).

MkII can rotate angle of tilt and shift. MkI is fixed

[ontarian]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

Very cool adapter!

Have you (or has anybody) done an image quality test of the FD TSE vs the EF MK II TSE?  The IQ of the MK II is outstanding.

Thanks, I really should find a way to do that, unfortunately I sold my EF MkII TSE 24 3.5 after the TS 35 took its place in my shooting kit.

[ontarian]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

The original TS lens looks very nice, but one feature of the current 17mm and 24mm II lenses that I really like is the ability to change the orientation between tilt and shift on the fly, which I assume the original cannot do (perhaps I'm wrong?).

While it does look like you can save quite a bit, it looks like it's still ~$900+ for the 35mm TS in FD. ~$1K savings with the conversion kit is still pretty great. They only have them in 35mm though, so if you need the super-wide of 17mm, or even wide at 24mm you're out of luck. Still, undoubtedly a great and cheap(er) way to get into the TS world!

I have purchased 3 TS 35mm 2.8 lenses and paid 350, 500 and 400 dollars for them.  keh.com is often a good place to look for this lens.

[akclimber]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

Very cool adapter!

Have you (or has anybody) done an image quality test of the FD TSE vs the EF MK II TSE?  The IQ of the MK II is outstanding.

Thanks, I really should find a way to do that, unfortunately I sold my EF MkII TSE 24 3.5 after the TS 35 took its place in my shooting kit.

Nice that the FD lens is f/2.8 as well.  Actually, pretty tempting since I'm doing more and more night/dusk/dawn landscape stuff.  Hmmmm.  Have you posted any image samples anywhere?

[ontarian]

I really should post more sample images taken with this lens, I've been kind of busy working on other adapters and playing with other lenses I'm working on making conversion kits for
IMG_4959.jpg by Ontarian, on Flickr

Other adapters I sell include
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170785828179?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1681wt_1385
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/180871581032?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1948wt_1385
and
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/180855493584?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

I'd try to dig some up from my flickr photostream but I'm just out the door on a family errand right now.

[NWPhil]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

The original TS lens looks very nice, but one feature of the current 17mm and 24mm II lenses that I really like is the ability to change the orientation between tilt and shift on the fly, which I assume the original cannot do (perhaps I'm wrong?).

you are right - only the version 2 of the 17 and 24mm can do that.
However, and I have done it because there is a step-by-step tutorial, the 90mm can be re-aligned to have the tilt and shift in the same axis - it's reversible btw

[briansquibb]

I have the TSE-24 which gets a fair bit of use as I also use it as a 24mm wa

[Radiating]

I'm debating the Canon 14mm f/2.8 L -vs- the 17mm TS-E f/4 L. What I'm looking for is the least possible distortion, but I'm also willing to spend a lot of time in post editing. I don't need it perfect SOOC. But I also don't want to spend 30 minutes on each and every image.

Tell me something I can do with the the 17mm TS-E, that I can't do with the 14mm + software.

If you've got any 17mm TS-E images showing results unique to that lense, it would be super appreciated.

This questions frequently comes up and is rarely answered properly.

The simple answer is that the 17mm TS-E allows you to reduce the depth of field so that it looks like you're shooting with the equivalent of a 17mm f/0.35 lens. Yes that's 0.35 - 3 stops faster than f/1.4. In other words it allows 5 stops shallower DOF than a f/2.8 lens.

Furthermore if you're shooting a situation which requires very slow apertures it allows you to maintain fast apertures with the same depth of field. The net effect is that when you're shooting at f/16 with the 14mm you'll be shooting at f/5.6 with the 17mm TS-e, which lets you use the sweet spot of the lens and reduce diffraction. The end result is up to 70% more resolution. Finally the distortion effects of a tilt shift lens are higher quality than what you can do in post processing by a noticable margin.  You also can do a lot of special effects, AND to top it all off the 17mm TS-E is compatible with telecovnerters which means you get both a 17mm 24mm and 35mm lens.

So:

Q: what can tilt shift lenses do that post production cannot?

A: They can appear to have 5 times faster aperture, twice the resolution, can do special effects and you get 3 top quality lenses when combined with telecoverters.

[HarryWintergreen]

The new tse lenses are incredibly versatile. To me the mf is no downside. These lenses require careful planning and a bit getting used to it. Once you became friend with such a lense you can't help it but love it. And iq is beyond the slightest doubt. Pp is of minor importance and thus the loss negligible. Well done, Canon!

[pdirestajr]

Product photography would be another good use of a tilt-shift. Sometimes it is near impossible to get the whole product in focus with standard lenses.

[Drizzt321]

Save yourself some serious coin and get the original Canon TS lens and make it EF using my edmika TS/FD-EOS kit. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/170784162985?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_1049wt_1385

Its built much more solid and compact than the modern TS lenses as well. -Ed

The original TS lens looks very nice, but one feature of the current 17mm and 24mm II lenses that I really like is the ability to change the orientation between tilt and shift on the fly, which I assume the original cannot do (perhaps I'm wrong?).

While it does look like you can save quite a bit, it looks like it's still ~$900+ for the 35mm TS in FD. ~$1K savings with the conversion kit is still pretty great. They only have them in 35mm though, so if you need the super-wide of 17mm, or even wide at 24mm you're out of luck. Still, undoubtedly a great and cheap(er) way to get into the TS world!

I have purchased 3 TS 35mm 2.8 lenses and paid 350, 500 and 400 dollars for them.  keh.com is often a good place to look for this lens.

Ah, never really shopped at keh.com, although have heard of it. I was only going off of the Ebay price. For ~$400 + conversion kit (~$550 total) I'm very interested. Doesn't seem to be any up on Keh.com right now though :\

[Stu_bert]

(...)The 24 L MK II is slightly better than the TSE-24mm MK II (,,,)

Not sure about that - the usual lens reviewers don't agree with you, and testing and charts results agree with the same IF the lens is kept without any tilt and/or shift

Oops, senior moment.. stand corrected, thank you - TSE24mm MK II is indeed sharper than 24mm L MK II & TSE-24mm MK 1 (EF) - no idea on FD.... Sorry.