Canon Continues To Research Putting IS into Tilt-Shift Lenses

[stevelee]

I can't imagine a scenario in which I would want to shoot a TS lens handheld. And even if I wanted to, I can't imagine being dextrous enough with only two hands to set it up.

I don't do Instagram, but I have been traveling over that last month, and it was remarkable watching people in some of the most scenic spots on earth mostly taking pictures of themselves. I conjecture that most of those pictures are destined for social media.

So maybe the idea is that a TS lens would be useful for making selfies?

 

[ahsanford]

I seem to have stirred up a Hornets nest! Not my intention.

What is confusing me is the utility/usefulness of IS on a TSE lens. To use the flexibility and focal plane advantages of these lenses they need to be set up carefully and in the same place and angle rather than wandering about on an unstable human. Hence a tripod (or similar support) is needed - so why IS?

As In said "Again - am I missing something?", I was looking for constructive observations as I cannot see any use for IS on this sort of lens - but that does not mean that there is no use, it just means that I cannot see it and was looking to be enlightened. Silly me!

I presume people are using T/S lenses handheld -- I presume for non-architectural / non-product applications, like arty portraits, video, food, etc.

Once you leave the tripod, IS naturally makes sense for the reasons I stated above.

- A

 

[ahsanford]

I can't imagine a scenario in which I would want to shoot a TS lens handheld. And even if I wanted to, I can't imagine being dextrous enough with only two hands to set it up.

I don't do Instagram, but I have been traveling over that last month, and it was remarkable watching people in some of the most scenic spots on earth mostly taking pictures of themselves. I conjecture that most of those pictures are destined for social media.

So maybe the idea is that a TS lens would be useful for making selfies?

Tried to find some arty handheld T/S stuff on Shutterdial but they don't have a T/S category.

But here are a few links of what people are doing with these things these days:

Portraits: https://www.slrlounge.com/creating-artistic-portraits-using-tilt-shift-lens/
(can't confirm this was handheld, but I believe it may have been)

Because you don't want to use a tripod: http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/hand-held-tiltshift/

Street: https://www.flickr.com/groups/handheldtiltshiftphotography/pool/

Because you can't bring a tripod indoors sometimes: https://luminous-landscape.com/handholding-the-tiltshift-lens-on-dslrs/

- A

 

[Deleted member 91053]

I seem to have stirred up a Hornets nest! Not my intention.

What is confusing me is the utility/usefulness of IS on a TSE lens. To use the flexibility and focal plane advantages of these lenses they need to be set up carefully and in the same place and angle rather than wandering about on an unstable human. Hence a tripod (or similar support) is needed - so why IS?

As In said "Again - am I missing something?", I was looking for constructive observations as I cannot see any use for IS on this sort of lens - but that does not mean that there is no use, it just means that I cannot see it and was looking to be enlightened. Silly me!

I presume people are using T/S lenses handheld -- I presume for non-architectural / non-product applications, like arty portraits, video, food, etc.

Once you leave the tripod, IS naturally makes sense for the reasons I stated above.

- A

I do about a third of my long lens photography hand held and most of my short lens photography is hand held. I use tripods for precise framing, playing around with filters, long exposures with a stopper on the front and where I am in one spot (hide etc) for a while. Whilst I am a tripod junkie - I prefer not to carry one unless I have to!

Without a tripod (I do not use IS with Tripods) I still find that I get sharper shots without IS. Naturally there is a limit to hand holding but shooting inside Medieval churches at F5.6 to F4 is still better with IS off (or not fitted). I still don't understand how IS would be useful if taking advantage of a TSE lens's capabilities.

If/when they come out I will certainly give them a go! Perhaps I will change my opinion - certainly possible, nothing is set in stone

 

[ahsanford]

Without a tripod (I do not use IS with Tripods) I still find that I get sharper shots without IS. Naturally there is a limit to hand holding but shooting inside Medieval churches at F5.6 to F4 is still better with IS off (or not fitted). I still don't understand how IS would be useful if taking advantage of a TSE lens's capabilities.

If/when they come out I will certainly give them a go! Perhaps I will change my opinion - certainly possible, nothing is set in stone

Responding to the red bit above:

Decouple IS and T/S (and the big yet-to-be-done-lift of making those two technologies work together) from your mind. Treat them as independent animals:

• T/S for perspective / selective focus / creative opportunities
  
  
• IS allows for longer handheld shutters that are not blurry from hand shake

Now put them together. You can do more with IS than without it. Take any handheld shot you want to do without IS -- including a T/S one -- and hold the shutter open longer. That's it.

For example, with (say) 3 stops of IS, you could shoot your church shot at 8x less ISO or 3 stops narrower aperture for more DOF and net the same level of exposure:

Scenario A: if your acceptable handheld church shot at f/4 with a T/S lens requires ISO 6400 to pull it off with a fast enough shutter to avoid hand shake, you could take the same shot with T/S IS lens at f/4 + ISO 800 and three times longer shutter. ISO 800 output is a little easier on the eye / more latitude / less noise to manage in post. That is a good thing.

Scenario B: if your acceptable handheld church shot at f/4 with a T/S lens requires ISO 6400 to pull it off with a fast enough shutter to avoid hand shake, you could also take the same shot with T/S IS lens at f/11 + ISO 6400 and (again) three times longer shutter. f/11 output gets you more working DOF and possibly some sun stars from the lighting. That is also a good thing.

- A

 

[Deleted member 91053]

Without a tripod (I do not use IS with Tripods) I still find that I get sharper shots without IS. Naturally there is a limit to hand holding but shooting inside Medieval churches at F5.6 to F4 is still better with IS off (or not fitted). I still don't understand how IS would be useful if taking advantage of a TSE lens's capabilities.

If/when they come out I will certainly give them a go! Perhaps I will change my opinion - certainly possible, nothing is set in stone

Responding to the red bit above:

Decouple IS and T/S (and the big yet-to-be-done-lift of making those two technologies work together) from your mind. Treat them as independent animals:

• T/S for perspective / selective focus / creative opportunities
  
  
• IS allows for longer handheld shutters that are not blurry from hand shake

Now put them together. You can do more with IS than without it. Take any handheld shot you want to do without IS -- including a T/S one -- and hold the shutter open longer. That's it.

For example, with (say) 3 stops of IS, you could shoot your church shot at 8x less ISO or 3 stops narrower aperture for more DOF and net the same level of exposure:

Scenario A: if your acceptable handheld church shot at f/4 with a T/S lens requires ISO 6400 to pull it off with a fast enough shutter to avoid hand shake, you could take the same shot with T/S IS lens at f/4 + ISO 800 and three times longer shutter. ISO 800 output is a little easier on the eye / more latitude / less noise to manage in post. That is a good thing.

Scenario B: if your acceptable handheld church shot at f/4 with a T/S lens requires ISO 6400 to pull it off with a fast enough shutter to avoid hand shake, you could also take the same shot with T/S IS lens at f/11 + ISO 6400 and (again) three times longer shutter. f/11 output gets you more working DOF and possibly some sun stars from the lighting. That is also a good thing.

- A

That was a long and interesting post - thanks for taking the time. I appreciate your insights.

 

[Antono Refa]

I can't imagine a scenario in which I would want to shoot a TS lens handheld. And even if I wanted to, I can't imagine being dextrous enough with only two hands to set it up.

I don't do Instagram, but I have been traveling over that last month, and it was remarkable watching people in some of the most scenic spots on earth mostly taking pictures of themselves. I conjecture that most of those pictures are destined for social media.

So maybe the idea is that a TS lens would be useful for making selfies?

Tried to find some arty handheld T/S stuff on Shutterdial but they don't have a T/S category.

But here are a few links of what people are doing with these things these days:

Portraits: https://www.slrlounge.com/creating-artistic-portraits-using-tilt-shift-lens/
(can't confirm this was handheld, but I believe it may have been)

Because you don't want to use a tripod: http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/hand-held-tiltshift/

Hand held without tilting, hence without the selective focus that is apparently so fashionable.

Street: https://www.flickr.com/groups/handheldtiltshiftphotography/pool/

Those are impressive photos, but I doubt all of those photos were indeed taken without tripod graphy/]other rig[/url].

Because you can't bring a tripod indoors sometimes: https://luminous-landscape.com/handholding-the-tiltshift-lens-on-dslrs/

Again, hand held without tilting, and hence without selective focus.

Furthermore, I doubt the insta-crowd of social networks would drop a couple of grands on a tilt-shift lens.

 

[RGF]

I only use my TS on a tripod. Thus IS would not be very useful.