New Canon Tilt-Shift Lenses

[Photo-John]

Travel and architecture photographers, start your droolers. Canon just announced a couple of new, pro tilt-shift lenses last night. One is a 24mm and the other, the TS-E 17mm f/4L is the widest tilt-shift lens ever made for 35mm / full frame cameras - at least that I'm aware of.

Canon Announces New Tilt-Shift Lenses TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II and TS-E 17mm f/4L >>

[Dougjgreen]

I thought that tilt/shift lenses were obsolete since it's pretty easy to correct converging lines in software.

[Photo-John]

I thought that tilt/shift lenses were obsolete since it's pretty easy to correct converging lines in software.

You can correct converging lines, but you have to crop a lot to do it. And the only better way to control depth-of-field is with a bellows.

[Loupey]

Thanks for that info. The prices are substantially higher than their existing T&S lenses - difficult to tell what warrants those increases at this point.

I've had my eye on the 90mm T&S for close-up work. Not always having a parallel focal plane would be cool.

[Dougjgreen]

Thanks for that info. The prices are substantially higher than their existing T&S lenses - difficult to tell what warrants those increases at this point.

The fact that they are wider. It's more of a challenge to make a wider lens with the bigger image circle needed for Tilt/Shift

[Loupey]

The 17mm I can understand the cost and difficulty in manufacture.

But I wonder, specifically, the justification for the nearly 100% increase in price of the new TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II verses the existing TS-E 24mm f/3.5L?

[drg]

The 17mm I can understand the cost and difficulty in manufacture.

But I wonder, specifically, the justification for the nearly 100% increase in price of the new TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II verses the existing TS-E 24mm f/3.5L?

Two big additions from Canon probably alone can warrant the cost:

1. The new coating (SWC) that has only been released on one lens previously. Very effective for CA and flare problems. These are wide angles and are very prone to both of those without 'help'. The previous 24mm lens just doesn't 'adjust' enough for some things.

2. Notice the added rotational, 90 degrees, collar on both of these units. Now the user can rotate the lens and thus shift the Tilt and Shift in one more (or however many ways you want to count) axis.
For the wider of the two, in close quarters where shooting location may be limited this can really help jam a lot into a photo without requiring as much post work. Some architectural interiors, such as shooting across a hallway at artwork or through an access/view window in a controlled environment have always been a challenge.

The previous units from Canon are tricky to use an not as adjustable as I would have liked. The 90mm lens is really an outdoor, big building from across the street or a macro-esque lens that had some difficult optical challenges. The previous 24mm lens just doesn't 'adjust' enough for some things.

I've got to get my hands on one of those 17mm f/4 's!!

[TimothyHughes]

Since DSLR resolutions keep get higher and higher, prime lenses (particularly at wide angles on full frame sensors) are once again attractive. These lenses would be fantastic for a architecture or fine art on a 1Ds MK III or a 5D MKII