Saw some amazing shots with the NIkon 45mm PC-E. Currently have a Zeiss 50mm Makro Planar (a sweet lens but dont use it often as my 21, 35, 100MP get more use).
Would it make sense to sell the zeiss 50MP to try the 45mm PC-E ? Should i do it ?
The Zeiss 50 is just a 50, albeit a very good one, but the 45 PC-E is magic in the right hands. Doubtless you've seen the work Anton (Agentbird) has done with the lens. He really is a magician, capable of discerning within a scene exactly what should be in focus, then bathing it with the most delicious bokeh. I think the question is whether how and where you shoot would enable you to create such scenes. It isn't the 45mm focal range that matters here, but how the lens renders a scene.
Since this lens is focused manually, it is used by a number of participants in the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread. Anton, Gregory, Ryan, Chin and LL all post images taken with this lens. Anton posts as well on the Best Nikon Shots. I'd encourage you to view their work and see if shooting that way holds appeal for you. Personally, I find it less inspiring when the subject matter doesn't allow the photographer to focus on something that is meaningful.
Here is a lovely set of images taken with this lens by Ryan in his home, Calgary Alberta.
It's your choice, but aside from the money-losing angle, I have found over the years, no...decades, that it is never desirable to sell a bona fide good, useful piece of photo equipment to get another; The 50MP, if it's like mine, is a classic, perpetually useful lens. But if you REALLY don't use it, dump it. While I would like very much to have a great tool like the 24mmPCE or 45mm PCE for for it's ability to simulate great depth of field(only money stops me from getting one!), I'd soon tire of the slant-focus gimmick shots. As such shots become more and more common, everyone else will as well.
Curtis, yes I have seen those shots and agentbird's. Shots like those are what swayed me to the 45 pc-e.
The Zeiss 50 is a great lens. I like it a lot, which is why this isnt such an easy decision for me. I use my 35 more than my 50.
The 45 t/s looks very interesting and its ability to keep lines straight. I do architectural shots so might be beneficial there. Dont know I'm going to have to think about it.
If you do architectural shots it's probalby worth your while. All three PC-E lenses are very versatile, but if I had to pick one it would be the 45 PC-E.
Don't think they're "gimicky" lenses, sure I use a sideways tilt for effect from time to time, but you can also use tilt effectively to keep everything in focus:
Here's my whole set. I've owned various PC-E over the year, but just recently have been fortunate enough to own all 3 at once. They're going to see a lot of use this winter.
Buy used it will save you a few $$. Not much but you will void the warranty on a new one as soon as you switch it up to have the swing and rise and fall on the same axis. I've had the 45 longer than the 24 and I do find it very useful.
