Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L

[privatebydesign]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Eldar,

It is a steep learning curve if you are not familiar with movements, but very rewarding and a unique lens when you do. What do you struggle with?

 

[mackguyver]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Nice colors and textures in your photo. I've evaluated this and the 24mm from CPS but can't decide which one to buy. The 17 + 1.4x III becomes a 24 with minimal IQ loss stopped down, but the 24 lets you use filters far more easily. Polarizers are pretty handy for windows and landscapes, but 17 is wider.

Anyways, even after two weeks with each, I agree, they are tough to use, particularly Tilt if you're using it to correct vs. artistically. Shift is easier, but the camera must be perfectly level on all 3 axes.

Congrats on the purchase and I look forward to seeing more work on this thread.

 

[privatebydesign]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Following on from another thread recently I got a Fotodiox Wonderpana CPL and holder for the TS-E 17, highly recommended.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=16813.msg314907#msg314907

 

[Eldar]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Eldar,

It is a steep learning curve if you are not familiar with movements, but very rewarding and a unique lens when you do. What do you struggle with?

The main problem is actually my vision. I used to compete with eagles, but since somewhere in the 40ties it´s going downhill. I am near sighted long distance and far sighted up close, or narrow minded, as my kids tell me ... With the TS-E lenses, I actually find it easier using tilt with the 24mm TS-E than with the 17mm TS-E. Shift is no issue with any of them.

I was out shooting today and I got this great composure with quite a bit of contrast. I needed a good shift to the right, but I couldn´t see a damn thing when I tried to focus with live view (I forgot my glasses in the car). But I know well; Practice makes Masters, so I´ll go back tomorrow It is actually quit stimulating to know that there are so much fun still to learn!

 

[Eldar]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

This is from a newly opened sculpture park in Oslo, devoted to women. This one is called ... you guessed it; Marilyn.
It stands on a steep front, so my camera (5DIII) was just above feet level, so I had to use both tilt and shift.

 

[Eldar]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Autumn. The last afternoon before the frost and the first snow ...
5DIII, f/10, 1/15s, ISO100

 

[Eldar]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Nice colors and textures in your photo. I've evaluated this and the 24mm from CPS but can't decide which one to buy. The 17 + 1.4x III becomes a 24 with minimal IQ loss stopped down, but the 24 lets you use filters far more easily. Polarizers are pretty handy for windows and landscapes, but 17 is wider.

Anyways, even after two weeks with each, I agree, they are tough to use, particularly Tilt if you're using it to correct vs. artistically. Shift is easier, but the camera must be perfectly level on all 3 axes.

Congrats on the purchase and I look forward to seeing more work on this thread.

I´ve had some more time to play with it now and I´m slowly getting there. I find it easier to work with the 24 though, especially tilt, and as you say, it is more convenient also because we can use regular 82mm filters. I have not tried the available filter alternatives for the 17mm, but apparently there are things that work there too.

These two lenses are both optically and mechanically amongst the best I have ever used. But if I had to get just one, I think i would have voted for the 17mm. Even though 24mm is my favorite wide angel focal length for general photography, I find that I´m using the 17mm differently and I enjoy the wider view. I also enjoy the extra work pr. image you have to put in with these lenses. It is so much more rewarding to get a good image, when it took time to plan and set up.

I´m not sure I understand how you differentiate between artistically and correct though. Maybe you could elaborate on that.

 

[privatebydesign]

I'm sure he means reverse tilt for "artistically", that is, defocusing as much as possible, rather than the more traditional use of tilt to maximise apparent dof.

 

[mackguyver]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Nice colors and textures in your photo. I've evaluated this and the 24mm from CPS but can't decide which one to buy. The 17 + 1.4x III becomes a 24 with minimal IQ loss stopped down, but the 24 lets you use filters far more easily. Polarizers are pretty handy for windows and landscapes, but 17 is wider.

Anyways, even after two weeks with each, I agree, they are tough to use, particularly Tilt if you're using it to correct vs. artistically. Shift is easier, but the camera must be perfectly level on all 3 axes.

Congrats on the purchase and I look forward to seeing more work on this thread.

I´ve had some more time to play with it now and I´m slowly getting there. I find it easier to work with the 24 though, especially tilt, and as you say, it is more convenient also because we can use regular 82mm filters. I have not tried the available filter alternatives for the 17mm, but apparently there are things that work there too.

These two lenses are both optically and mechanically amongst the best I have ever used. But if I had to get just one, I think i would have voted for the 17mm. Even though 24mm is my favorite wide angel focal length for general photography, I find that I´m using the 17mm differently and I enjoy the wider view. I also enjoy the extra work pr. image you have to put in with these lenses. It is so much more rewarding to get a good image, when it took time to plan and set up.

I´m not sure I understand how you differentiate between artistically and correct though. Maybe you could elaborate on that.

I missed this post, but what I mean by artistically vs. correct(ed) was:

Artistic as in the tilted depth of field for artistic purposes, i.e. the "toy camera" or "miniature" effect
vs.
Corrected as in shooting a wall or other angled object where you are using tilt to add depth of field or correct geometry in combination with shift.

Also, my mind was just made up on the 17 vs. 24 - I just scored a refurb TS-E 24 f/3.5L II on Canon's site with the 20% discount! Woohoo!!!

 

[Eldar]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Also, my mind was just made up on the 17 vs. 24 - I just scored a refurb TS-E 24 f/3.5L II on Canon's site with the 20% discount! Woohoo!!!

Congratulations on your deal. I´m sure you will be very happy with it. 24mm is in general my favorite wide angel. There is an other tread on the subject of what is normal (I think you were on it). To me 24 mm is how I see a landscape and the TS-E is a joy to work with. Mechanically built to last a life time and optically as close to perfect as they come. I´m looking forward to some good posts

(I share your view on artistic and correct by the way).

 

[mackguyver]

Re: Canon TS-E 17mm f4L

Also, my mind was just made up on the 17 vs. 24 - I just scored a refurb TS-E 24 f/3.5L II on Canon's site with the 20% discount! Woohoo!!!

Congratulations on your deal. I´m sure you will be very happy with it. 24mm is in general my favorite wide angel. There is an other tread on the subject of what is normal (I think you were on it). To me 24 mm is how I see a landscape and the TS-E is a joy to work with. Mechanically built to last a life time and optically as close to perfect as they come. I´m looking forward to some good posts

(I share your view on artistic and correct by the way).

Thanks for the nice deal, and I started the thread on how people see things in terms of focal length . It's definitely my favorite FL and I now have 4 lenses that cover 24mm! I'll move future posts over to the 24mm thread and I hope to post some great shots over there in the future...

 

[bjornjd]

Let's get this topic going again!

I really like this lens.

 

[Grumbaki]

Very cool pics Bjorn! May I ask your PP for saturation and so on to render such tones on the street ones?

Attempt at constructive criticism:
The second street shot is far superior to the first one IMHO due to the more even sky and the distorted lights on the left side of the first one.
I'd crop the kitichen shot just a tad to get the corners of the walls out. They are uneven.

 

[bjornjd]

Very cool pics Bjorn! May I ask your PP for saturation and so on to render such tones on the street ones?

Attempt at constructive criticism:
The second street shot is far superior to the first one IMHO due to the more even sky and the distorted lights on the left side of the first one.
I'd crop the kitichen shot just a tad to get the corners of the walls out. They are uneven.

Thank you for your feedback! You're right about the kitchen, the walls should be cropped out.

With PP I guess you mean Picture Profile? I shoot in RAW and use LR to fine tune the image. The white balance has a tendency to be a little bit on the blue side this time of the year, so I usually warm the picture up a little. I bring back some of the shadows and bring down the highlights to get a bit more of the sky and get a more even exposure. I add som clarity and vibrance and then I'm done

 

[bobby samat]

just got this lens a few days ago. should have gotten it a long time ago.

 

[bjornjd]

 

[candc]

That's a fantastic shot. Its crisp and sharp, the lines are so clean and straight. It almost looks like a rendering instead of a photo. Very well done.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

Here's a few to my recent shots from Somerset, UK. I tend to use my 17L to correct perspectives in architecture:

That's the moon in the last shot
This is one of my favorite "occasional" lenses....when you need one...you need one. When you don't, there are far easier lenses to use!

 

[Eldar]

Here's a few to my recent shots from Somerset, UK. I tend to use my 17L to correct perspectives in architecture:

That's the moon in the last shot
This is one of my favorite "occasional" lenses....when you need one...you need one. When you don't, there are far easier lenses to use!

Great shots GMC!

 

[GMCPhotographics]

Thanks, here's a few from this week. Burnham on Sea Lighthouse: