ePhotoZone Review: Canon TS-E 50mm f/2.8L Macro

[ahsanford]

FYI
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/canon-ts-e-50mm-f-2-8l-macro-review-31641

- A

 

[neuroanatomist]

@ahsanford: You don't need to see it's tilting and shifting. This is not the 50mm lens you're looking for. Move along.

Seriously, it looks like a very interesting lens, althouth personally I have no need for a 50mm TS, and I've got three macro lenses already...

 

[ahsanford]

@ahsanford: You don't need to see it's tilting and shifting. This is not the 50mm lens you're looking for. Move along.

Seriously, it looks like a very interesting lens, althouth personally I have no need for a 50mm TS, and I've got three macro lenses already...

Canon's just trolling me with all these 50s that are off-target for me.

First it was an f/1.8 STM underfeatured mess.

Then it was this T/S that few were screaming for (and lacks AF, so it's obv DOA for me)

I'm fairly certain we'll get two more 50s soon: a new retrofocus L pickle jar lens the size of Delaware, and a new autofocusing 1:2 compact macro just to p--- me off. :-[

- A

 

[privatebydesign]

I expect to get one next year, my thinking is with TC's it will give 50mm, 70mm and 100mm TS-E's, my 17 works very well with both TC's so I will have six focal lengths covered with the two lenses.

I'm kind of reinvigorated with Canon, I know that is an unpopular idea! But after the 1DX MkII's this year I'm looking to get a 5DSR MkII when it comes out, this TS-E50, the 85 f1.4 and maybe the 35 f1.4 L (I really like the 35 f2 IS though, so maybe not!).

 

[drjlo]

While tilting gives you some nice options in combination with Macro, it's still not going to approach stacking in terms of depth of field.
It would make it easier to swallow that price if this lens had at least f/1.8-f/2 aperture for a little more portraiture shallow-depth-of-field use in place of a traditional 50 mm portrait lens.

 

[privatebydesign]

While tilting gives you some nice options in combination with Macro, it's still not going to approach stacking in terms of depth of field.
It would make it easier to swallow that price if this lens had at least f/1.8-f/2 aperture for a little more portraiture shallow-depth-of-field use in place of a traditional 50 mm portrait lens.

Who cares about tilt vs stacking, there is no comparison. Tilt gives you infinite control over where and what is in focus but is and always will be either a flat plane with equal depth or a wedge shape, stacking involves software, masks, focus overlay issues etc etc.

I'm stoked that it is an f2.8 rather than slower. If you want f/1.8-f/2 dof in a 50mm get the 1.2L and stop it down.

 

[BillB]

While tilting gives you some nice options in combination with Macro, it's still not going to approach stacking in terms of depth of field.
It would make it easier to swallow that price if this lens had at least f/1.8-f/2 aperture for a little more portraiture shallow-depth-of-field use in place of a traditional 50 mm portrait lens.

f1.8-f2 might be a stop too far. That would make a very hefty portrait lens. Also, the tilt shift coverage could be hard to get at f2 with any kind of resolution. I guess at F2.0 you could forget about tilt shift and just shoot straight ahead.

 

[BeenThere]

As the review says, high cost is the only drawback of this specialty lens.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

I expect to get one next year, my thinking is with TC's it will give 50mm, 70mm and 100mm TS-E's, my 17 works very well with both TC's so I will have six focal lengths covered with the two lenses.

I'm kind of reinvigorated with Canon, I know that is an unpopular idea! But after the 1DX MkII's this year I'm looking to get a 5DSR MkII when it comes out, this TS-E50, the 85 f1.4 and maybe the 35 f1.4 L (I really like the 35 f2 IS though, so maybe not!).

I found that my TSe 17L is a bit soft with a 2xtc. The 1.4x seems fine though. I have a TSe 45mm, which I bought years ago, which is a lot of fun to use. But I hardly use it. But it is the right tool for the job when one needs a TSe 50mm ish prime.

 

[privatebydesign]

I expect to get one next year, my thinking is with TC's it will give 50mm, 70mm and 100mm TS-E's, my 17 works very well with both TC's so I will have six focal lengths covered with the two lenses.

I'm kind of reinvigorated with Canon, I know that is an unpopular idea! But after the 1DX MkII's this year I'm looking to get a 5DSR MkII when it comes out, this TS-E50, the 85 f1.4 and maybe the 35 f1.4 L (I really like the 35 f2 IS though, so maybe not!).

I found that my TSe 17L is a bit soft with a 2xtc. The 1.4x seems fine though. I have a TSe 45mm, which I bought years ago, which is a lot of fun to use. But I hardly use it. But it is the right tool for the job when one needs a TSe 50mm ish prime.

With regards the 17 and 2x TC, I wouldn't disagree, but it is plenty good enough for the times I need 34mm and saves me money on not needing the 24. I'm sure the 50 with 2X TC will be similar, but again, for the use I'd get I'd expect it to be plenty good enough.

The 17 and 50 will be outstanding primes, very good with the 1.4 TC and I'd expect plenty usable with the 2x TC, but 34 and 100 would be my personal least used focal lengths so I'm happy. I currently use a 100mm L Macro for a lot of stuff but find it too long most of the time, I'm expecting to use the TS-E50 for most of the product images and the 85 f1.4 for the portraits moving forwards. I should have got a TS-E45 years ago but always expected this upgrade so was reluctant, I use the movable axes quite a bit and would feel hamstrung if I didn't have it.

 

[lightthief]

Canon's just trolling me with all these 50s that are off-target for me.

First it was an f/1.8 STM underfeatured mess.

Then it was this T/S that few were screaming for (and lacks AF, so it's obv DOA for me)

I'm fairly certain we'll get two more 50s soon: a new retrofocus L pickle jar lens the size of Delaware, and a new autofocusing 1:2 compact macro just to p--- me off. :-[

- A

I heard Canon doesn't know what you want, so they develop 3 more 50s only for you:

- a 50mm 1.4 IS with kaleidoscope effect that can't be switched off
- a light and small 50mm 2.0 IS with fixed focus to 1ft and permanent softfocus-feature
- a 50mm in the style of the lensbaby spark, but with an metal body. That rubber thing is crap.

Sorry, i gave up waiting for the 50 x.x IS.

 

[James Larsen]

I expect to get one next year, my thinking is with TC's it will give 50mm, 70mm and 100mm TS-E's, my 17 works very well with both TC's so I will have six focal lengths covered with the two lenses.

I'm kind of reinvigorated with Canon, I know that is an unpopular idea! But after the 1DX MkII's this year I'm looking to get a 5DSR MkII when it comes out, this TS-E50, the 85 f1.4 and maybe the 35 f1.4 L (I really like the 35 f2 IS though, so maybe not!).

That's a really smart idea!! Makes me a bit more tempted to invest in one