What's the Best Lens for Shooting Structures?
Jan 18, 2018 00:29:00 #
Keep in mind you go too wide, you have leaning lines. If you go too far in, you may do detail okay, but lose out on the overall shape. So, what's best ?
Jan 18, 2018 00:35:56 #
Jan 18, 2018 00:38:12 #
jayd wrote:
Canon 17 or 24 tilt shift
What's your FIRST preference, Jay?
Jan 18, 2018 00:39:29 #
Hello Chris. For years now I have used a wide angle tilt & shift lens. This lens lets you correct the view, keeping vertical lines mostly upright and parallel, in the camera. Now there are software features to do this in post processing, but I find it more difficult to avoid inadvertent distortion with them, like "stretching" the structure vertically. Having used Canon for years, they had a 35 mm T&S lens for the old manual focus film cameras. Now Canon has an even wider angle T&S lens. They are not cheap - not back then, not now. So I have bought them used. Don't worry about thinking the newer ones are too wide angle, because you can always crop. If you aren't wide enough, you just can't take the photo without losing part of the structure. Hope this helps, and good luck with it. JimR
Jan 18, 2018 00:52:17 #
JimRPhoto wrote:
Hello Chris. For years now I have used a wide ang... (show quote)
Hi, Jim ... and thanks for your reflections. Perspective Control Lenses (or Tilt-Shift Lenses) are one way to do it, for sure, but the expense of them sorta puts their usage only in the hands of a select few. I was hoping there was a fixed (or zoom) lens which was ideal for this kind of shooting - wide enough to get it all in, and not so wide as to bring with it its own problems. I recently used several lenses for shooting a new set of structures within the house, and became quite alarmed to see the wide angle lens is not necessarily the answer to everything related to building structures. Other lenses can do it, without distortion. So ...
Jan 18, 2018 01:39:58 #
Hello again, Chris. You are right about the cost of these. When I bought the old manual focus one for a film camera, used, it was still the most expensive lens in my kit. Same with the new one, also used. The reality is that the optics are so good that you avoid all that distortion, and then get the perspective control features besides. If I put it on the camera body for a specific photo, I often wind up just leaving it on until my next break, because it is so good. I guess each person decides if this is for them, and I have to admit, you don't see many of them. Best. JimR
Jan 18, 2018 02:10:35 #
Chris T wrote:
Keep in mind you go too wide, you have leaning lines. If you go too far in, you may do detail okay, but lose out on the overall shape. So, what's best ?
For me it depends:
I would love a 17mm T/S, however I couldn't justifying buying one for ocassional hobbyst use.
A lot of the time it will be the lens I have with me, with a preference for a wide angle.
If I have a lot of working room even a "standard" zoom or the lens on a p&s camera may be ok.
In other words it may be the lens you have with you.
Keep in mind it may be possible to correct lens and perspective distortion, althoug not ideal, when post processing.
Another alternative may to do a panorama, or even a vertical panorama.
Jan 18, 2018 03:24:57 #
JimRPhoto wrote:
Hello again, Chris. You are right about the cost ... (show quote)
Literally, thousands of bucks, brand new. So, I'll bet the used ones aren't much less. I did find a brand new 24mm Rokinon, though. So, I suppose it is only manual focus. Not that that's such a big deal, and the price is right - just $699 ... but it's only Sony "E" mount, so that presupposes you already have an a6000 series dig cam. If not, then - you also have to add that cost into the pot. However, an alpha a5100 can be picked up for $300 ... so, that's a grand. Still - half the cost of any other PC lens. So, something to consider ... thanks again for your suggestion, Jim ....
Jan 18, 2018 03:35:28 #
RichardTaylor wrote:
For me it depends: br I would love a 17mm T/S, how... (show quote)
Richard - I've just completed a little experiment, using the freshly installed bi-folds on my laundry room and furnace room doors, as the subject, and various lens-camera combinations. These are what I've found acceptable, or not - as the cookie crumbled. Canon EOS Rebel T4i with EF-S 15-85 IS USM - at 15mm - mildly acceptable. Sigma 10-20mm on that same camera - not acceptable at ANY focal length. Nikon D7100 with AF-S 16-85 VR - mildly acceptable at the 16mm length. At 17mm - a little more so. Sony a58 with 18-55 Kit Lens - at 18mm - distortion-less, however, just too close to do the subject any acceptable form of recognition. Who woulda thought 1mm would make all that much difference? ... So, it looks as though - in THIS situation, at least - 17mm is the clear winner! ... Oh, just remembered, haven't tried the 16-105 DT.
Jan 18, 2018 13:27:34 #
Chris T wrote:
Keep in mind you go too wide, you have leaning lines. If you go too far in, you may do detail okay, but lose out on the overall shape. So, what's best ?
Why do you ask such question, you already know, to avoid such shortcomings, a T/S lens is the best choice for it?
Jan 18, 2018 13:48:00 #
speters wrote:
Why do you ask such question, you already know, to avoid such shortcomings, a T/S lens is the best choice for it?
S, with the average dedicated PC lens fetching well into the thousands, that route is out (for me, at least) ... but, I was hoping to find some sensible alternatives, from all my learned, and more dedicated friends on this site .... and, see - if their choices (from THEIR experiences) have equaled, or bettered - my own, S ... that's all!
I have discovered - since posting this - there is actually a camera, that miraculously performs PC acrobatics, by moving its sensor to more closely align with the subject
.... quite eye-opening to me .... and I suspect it might be - to others, here, too ....
Jan 18, 2018 16:15:04 #
Chris T wrote:
S, with the average dedicated PC lens fetching wel... (show quote)
Well, you can also use T/S adapters that use average lenses, or bellows that are made for that!
Jan 18, 2018 16:37:46 #
I wouldn't know. I actually like to take pictures of structure but I have used any where from a 20mm to 300mm on my 35mm camera. I may use other focal length lenses if I have them though.
Jan 18, 2018 17:06:24 #
speters wrote:
Well, you can also use T/S adapters that use average lenses, or bellows that are made for that!
Yeah, I'd forgotten about that, S ... but that kinda stuff is mostly used indoors, on a copy-stand set-up, or in a product shoot ...
Outdoors, shooting buildings, etc. ... you really want to keep the equipment lure, in as small a net as possible ....
Jan 18, 2018 17:07:46 #
DTran wrote:
I wouldn't know. I actually like to take pictures of structure but I have used any where from a 20mm to 300mm on my 35mm camera. I may use other focal length lenses if I have them though.
Still shooting film, are you, D?
What's your fave for buildings?
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