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felipin
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Registered: Dec 1, 2005
Location: Spain
Posts: 41
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Review Date: Jan 28, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Build quality, image quality, creative opportunities.
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Cons:
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Price, perhaps, but you can't really expect such a lens to be cheap
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I can't understand why I didn't get such gem before! (Well, I needed the 24, and its mixed reviews prevented me to buy the lens for a long time: big mistake!). Since I got the 24, the so called "bad" one among the Canon TS-E collection, I was certain that I will buy all of them. Being architecture my main subject, I use the 24 more often than the 45, but the 45 is even better (IQ wise). Moreover, DoF studies are much more noticeable and the effects much more streaking with the 45 than with the 24, due to the longer focal length.
All in all, I am so pleased with this lens that the 90 will follow as soon as my credit card stops smoking!
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 Jan 28, 2009
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Nimra
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Registered: Jan 4, 2004
Location: Germany
Posts: 33
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Review Date: Aug 6, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $999.00
| Rating: 9
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Stunning lense, I do product shots with the 45tse, 2 dpt macrolense (often in combination with the 1.4 tc).
I was surprised how well this setup works with the 1ds when I need TS and/or macro, it seems to produce less fringing and artefacts than with the 1d, don't ask me why.
Sharpness is very good, and contrast is near the better L glas.
This little grey mouse is worth every penny.
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Aug 6, 2008
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troutmask
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Registered: Sep 22, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 23
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Review Date: Nov 23, 2007
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Tilt an shift, easy to use, decent price
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Cons:
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Not as sharp as it could be. The lens hood needs a re think
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For the money it is well wroth it as it does bring a genuine useful set of camera movements to the small format in a small and light lens which is (obviously) fully functional with an EOS body. No need for stop down metering like its rivals.
However it isn't as sharp at could be fully opened; it really needs better glass and the little adjustment screws are far to small especially if you are wearing glove or have cold fingers.
The lens hood also lets in a lot of flare when using shift...this maybe something that could be resolved with a better hood, or it may be something you just need to get used to.
Altogether it is far better than the hartbeli and other such lenses because it is much easier to use. However they have more movements and the image quality is nearly as good...so it comes down to money. Given that, for what it is, the lens isn't that expensive, i would say if you want to try Tilt and Shift then get one of these on a .3 crop body it is a really usefull length for buildings, landscapes etc.. and surprisingly good, when an extension tube is used for near macro. The canon Macro flash also fits it with the adapter sold for the 180mm macro lens.
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Nov 23, 2007
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ktownsend
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Registered: Feb 8, 2006
Location: France
Posts: 87
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Review Date: Jun 30, 2006
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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I made a simple page (in 5 seconds in notepad) showing some test images from this lense. I would have found this useful when I was considering buying it, so I thought I'd post it here for others to benefit from. The test was done for me, and is very unscientific, so please take it for what it is.
http://www.ktownsend.com/TSE45Review/
Kevin.
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Jun 30, 2006
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ktownsend
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Registered: Feb 8, 2006
Location: France
Posts: 87
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Review Date: Jun 29, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,300.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Adaptability, excellent (very solid) build quality and good manual focus ring.
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Cons:
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Price (not trivial for a simple photo enthusiast like me). Out of the box colour a bit less appealing than some of my L lenses, but not terrible or visably distorted ... just needs some work.
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I hesitated between the 90mm and the 45mm, with the 90mm reportedly being a bit sharper (and the 24 the worst of the three). For better or for worse, I opted for the 45, though, because of the crop factor on my 20D, short sighted though that might be. If I upgrade for a 5D or 1DSII, I hope the 45 doesn't become too short for me, since I'm mostly a 70-90mm shooter (35mm equivalent).
I was initially a bit disappointed by the sharpness of this lense. In retrospect, my technique was probably partly to blame. Perhaps I expect too much, but still I find my 85 1.8 (maybe I just have an excellent copy) is sharper aperture for aperture, and at 1300 € I maybe expected more. I also get better colour from my L lenses, with the 45mm sometimes needed a bit of work (like most of my lenses, though, so no fault here ... just pointing it out if it helps someone else).
I took a couple hours to do some tests tonight, comparing all the f-stops. I can't post images here unfortunately. But, at 2.8, its a bit soft, but, still being a prime, better than many zooms. Absolutely not terrible or dog ugly ... but if you know what high-end lenses look like, you see it. By 4.0, you notice the difference in the fine details, and by 5.6, its very sharp, with very fine details sharply rendered (at least my copy). Another small step up at 8.0, minimal but noticable, and I didn't find anything really improved at 11.0. So, 4 is very usable, 5.6 is excellent, 8.0 razor sharp (technique permitting). 2.8 is absolutely usable, but may require some USM work in Photoshop, wheras, 4.0 or higher will be much easier to get the results you probably want.
The build quality is exceptional. Good, smooth manual focus ring. Very solidly built, and I think it can take the punishment it might receive from some users, just be careful not to get dust inside it, since the shift/tilt mechanisms does allow some possible problems with this, which I don't think can be mechanically avoided. It's heavy, but that doesn't bother me at all.
The lense rotates 270° (or is it 360°?), which means you can shift up and down, or left and right ... I mention that because many people omit that, and it's obviously important.
Despite the partially negative comments, I think it's an excellent lense, and recommend it to the right audience. You just have to learn how to use it properly (like any quality tool) to get the best results. Focus, etc., can poses challenge, so you have to be up to learning some new technique, etc. (I order the Angle Finder C today just for this lense.) I think this lense can deliver results no other lense can (outside the other 2 TS-E lenses) ... the question is if it's the right creative or technical tool for you. I can't answer that for you, though. ;-)
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Jun 29, 2006
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Paratima
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Registered: Mar 21, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1884
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Review Date: Jun 21, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Tilt and Shift! Sharp edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner.
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Cons:
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Some learning involved (as with anything worth doing).
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Bought mine from an FM'er some time ago. I have come to love it, especially for product shots! You can have everything from tea to breakfast in focus or isolate a narrow single band of focus with the rest blurred.
Easy to switch between landscape and portrait modes with the right screwdriver set and requisite care.
It is easily one of the sharpest lenses I own, and that includes the 24-70L and the 70-200 2.8L IS. It is in fact sharper over a broader range than the 24-70. Colors are true, operation smooth.
When shifting the plane of focus, set the exposure before tilting and re-focus afterward.
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Jun 21, 2006
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rd4tile
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Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Mar 22, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 1216
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Review Date: Feb 9, 2006
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,100.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp, excellent build, easy to manual focus, auto aperture.
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Cons:
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Tilt and shift orientation difficult to change.
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Even without the tilt/shift feature this lens would be a great prime. It's as sharp as any lens I've owned. Excellent and versatile focal length on a FF body. I found this lens was not that difficult to learn and use and has a high fun factor. It's too bad Canon couldn't have made it easier to reorientate the shift and tilt to the same axis (and back).
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Feb 9, 2006
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maximage
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Registered: Jan 24, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 61
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Review Date: Sep 30, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,100.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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solid build (even better than many lenses with the red ringie), shift/tilt convenience, good image quality
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Cons:
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heavy CA if you shift too much.
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A great lens to shoot products and smaller architecture. Great for sculpture and flat artwork copyworks as well. Actually a great landscape lens too. this focal length is always considered not so 'interesting', it's simply not true. Canon's marketing folks need to remove the red ring from the slow plastic zooms and put it on this babe. By all means a classic.
Image is quality is very good (better than 24mm TSE), but once shifted too much it will show similar heavy CA. PS work is a must.
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Sep 30, 2005
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gpfmartin
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Registered: Apr 13, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 167
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Review Date: Aug 3, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,050.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Solid build, sharpness, interesting bokeh, more control over DOF & converging verticals
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Cons:
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Need 100% viewfinder for full control of tilt-swing focus, weight, 72mm filters, propensity for collecting dust when in use
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If you shoot products, this is the lens for you. Tilt/swing can make your subject stand out in the frame.
This is my first t/s. I love this lens, but am frustrated that I cannot see 100% of my image with the 20d. Because of this, the manual recommends you only use this lens with the 1DSMkII or EOS 1. The 20d's LED does show 100% of your image, so I've been zooming in after shooting to see if my tilt/swing is correct.
I have also captured some good architectural shots, but the 24mm TS-E is probably best for these shots. I will probably get the 24mm, but photodo has ranked it slightly less sharp than the 45 and 90mm. It also has a max. of f/3.5.
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Aug 3, 2005
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spartan123
Offline
[ X ]
Registered: Nov 9, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 3683
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Review Date: Sep 3, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent build! Easy to use. Fantastic photo's
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Cons:
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No AF.
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I bought my lens from an FM member, he had it set up for parallel shooting. Absolutely love it.
Very sharp and a breeze to use. Fantastic photo's from the mid range TSE.
spartan
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Sep 3, 2004
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Unregistered
Offline
Location: United States
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Review Date: Aug 5, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,040.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Much sharper than 24mm TSE
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Cons:
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Not many, does'nt work well on a 300D runs into the prism when rotated
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If it does'nt move you DONT need an XPAN. The 45TSE is often neglected but the best of the three. Why spend a fortune on a 1Ds when all you have to do is attach your 300D and instant 16MP from this lens and a natural perspective. Crank the shift the other way and you have a near XPAN image.
Not as sharp as the 90mm TSE but not far off the 50mm 1.4 in the centre drops off on the edges but still very good. This is a cost saver if you have 1.3X or 1.6X.
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Aug 5, 2004
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Jack Flesher
Offline
[ X ]
Registered: Oct 23, 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 3489
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Review Date: Jun 17, 2003
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $825.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Tilt and Shift, very sharp, little distortion
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Cons:
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No AF, best to meter before the tilt or shift for accurate exposure
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I really like this lens. I have its 90mm and 24mm bretheren, but held off getting this one due to its "boring" normal focal length. BUT after seeing what it can do, I now more fully appreciate it. Being able to crank in a few degrees of tilt to extend DOF to the max is a huge plus in my landscape shots. Cranking in counter-tilt to generate an extremely shallow DOF, thus creating a very unique look is also very cool.
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Jun 17, 2003
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