I must say I'm quite interested in this lens as well. I think I got bitten by the TSE bug after getting the TSE17. As I understand it, the 90mm is the sharpest of all the older version of TSEs, is that correct?
That's fine. On my crop camera the 17mm is more like a 28mm anyway so I don't think I'll be getting a TSE24. I do wonder if perhaps the 45mm would be a more useful focal length, that's why I'm interested in this thread.
I forgot to mention that the minimum focusing distance of the 90mm is really short (I don't remember how short without looking at the lens at this point ) and as such, it can be used for semi-macro shots. Another feature I like about the 90mm TS-E.
I have used my TS-E lenses more for thier tilting ability to play with the depth-of-field like in both shots. Although I like stitched panoramic shots (then shifted, of course) from these lenses. The entire length of those two photographed lenses was in focus at medium aperture, which couldn't be obtained using a regular lens, even stopped all the way down.
joshua, great shots! (and nice subjects too.) i see in the WATE shot you couldn't quite get the far edge of the front ring of the lens in full focus. assuming you were using horizontal axis tilt, was that the limit of the lens' tilt or did you choose the effect? if it was the limit of the lens, would greater subject-camera distance have helped?
Mike,
The left/far edge of the WATE was indeed just outside the DOF and yes, I used the horizontal axis tilt on that one. Since I took that shot quite sometime ago, I don't remember exactly how far tilting I did. I know I tried to minimize PP cropping and that was pretty much the distance I had to work with. Yes, a longer distance would have increased the DOF even to the left edge. I used a classic 5D for that shot and at that time I didn't have the luxury of using Liveview. Recently, I spent sometime wiith another TS-E lens using Liveview on a 5D Mark II and you can really evaluate exactly how the DOF will turn out to get the effect you want.
Yes, I do have some stitched landscape shots. However, since those shots have to be resized to websize only, they don't look impressive than either printed or viewed at full size. They don't look that different than just regular shots for the web, with other words. I also have some flower semi-macro shots but I have to find them first though.
I appreciate the reply, Joshua. I've been thinking just the same about how useful liveview would be for this kind of work with tilt-shift lenses, though I haven't been able to try it since my bodies don't have it. i sold my 5D looking to upgrade to a 1Ds Mk II, but it doesn't have live view maybe i should rethink that choice, hmm.
Wow. Is this a timely thread! I have been mulling getting the TSE-90 for watch photography. Right now I have to really push things to get decent DOF, shooting at f14 most of the time (now using my new 7D which I consider a huge improvement over the 50D). Current lens is the 60mm 2.8 macro although sometimes I shoot the 100mm macro.
Others have said I need TWO extension tubes to approach 1:1 macro with this lens. Is that your experience?
Here is an example of one of the shots with the 7D.
Jeff,
A TS-E will work just great for your type of photography. You don't have to stop down that much to minimize diffraction (although macro lenses can handle that quite nicely) but could effectively extend the DOF.
Been eyeing the TS 90 also! I may sell my 100 macro and get this bad boy. Only time I use my macro is for ring shots at weddings . So if this can be used as a macro also its a no brainer for me since I will get more use out of it!
Great lighting Brent!! Two light setup, one keylight with some sort of warming filter and one rimlight? Just learning to reverse engineer a photo. I have no idea how you did the splash though.
Brent,
That's one heck of an impressive shot! Wow!
I just looked up the specs of the 90mm TS-E lens. The closest focusing distance is 0.5m or 1.6 ft. The magnification ratio is 0.29. If you put two AA batteries one after the other, they almost fill the longest side of a FF camera. You have to use that in combination with an extension tube or tubes to increase that ratio. I am not quite sure how many tubes you would need to get to 1:1. A 25mm extension tube will almost give you the length of a single AA battery. Again, on FF. I hope this helps those of you that consider this lens for semi-macro purposes.
AGeoJO wrote:
Brent,
That's one heck of an impressive shot! Wow!
I just looked up the specs of the 90mm TS-E lens. The closest focusing distance is 0.5m or 1.6 ft. The magnification ratio is 0.29. If you put two AA batteries one after the other, they almost fill the longest side of a FF camera. You have to use that in combination with an extension tube or tubes to increase that ratio. I am not quite sure how many tubes you would need to get to 1:1. A 25mm extension tube will almost give you the length of a single AA battery. Again, on FF. I hope this helps those of you that consider this lens for semi-macro purposes....Show more →
You will need 90mm of extension to get 1:1. 180mm of extension for 180mm lens, 50 for 50, etc. Easy to remember once you know. And I like Brent's pumpkin photo as well.
?
maybe i should rethink that choice, hmm.