19mmFirstImpression (First Video)

This video is about my first impression of the Nikon's new 19mm PC-E (Tilt/Shift) lens. Few people even know that this type of lens even exists. We all know the "keystoning" effect of tilting a wide-angle lens up or down so when we see architectural photography with all vertical lines perfectly straight and parallel we assume that the image was fixed in Photoshop. From the earliest days of photography cameras had several adjustments that allowed for optical corrections. They were called "shifts, swings, rise/fall and tilts". With the advent of SLRs and then DSLRs becoming the dominant formats for professional photographers the knowledge of how to maintain correct perspective has nearly vanished. Around 1977 Nikon introduced the 28mm PC f/4 which I used all the way up until the introduction of the 24mm Tilt/Shift in 2008. I have been using the 24mm PC-E for most of my architectural photography with my 14-24m zoom for the really wide stuff. Now I am happy to say that I have the brand new 19mm PC-E.
This video is my open-box video with first impressions. It is long and is loaded with little facts that help make sense of the day to day use of a complicated lens. But that is why I have a loyal following.
My next video, "19mm Review (Part 2)", is this video's followup after 6 months of testing in the field and the video that follows that, "19mm Review (Part 3)", talks about how to understand the purpose of the lens and how to use it.

[@getcasblanca]

Very good teaching skills - Thank you very much

[@patricksmith2553]

Thank you for this great 3 part review, it really helped me learn about this lens. It's such an expensive lens and not enough reviews out there!

[@GrahamHobart]

You are welcome. I have reached a stage in my career when it is time for me to pass on my knowledge to those who are looking to learn just as I was informed by the generation who proceeded me.

[@KBee795]

Certainly if you're after the sharpest pano shots without distortion this is great. I've tried the complicated nodal tripod setups and placed my camera on a rail to find this pivot sweet spot but using this lens seems far simpler but highly expensive. I can see that PS is going to love this lens as stitching the photos should be far easier! LOL I'm from a printing background so fixing things in PS is second nature but to have cleaner, sharper pictures is the end game. Hats off to you and your videos. I can see this lens a must have in my future purchases. You've sold me, thanks.

[@GrahamHobart]

If you like this you may really enjoy the very detailed how-to video titled "Part 3". It is the third in this series. If you are already sold on the lens don't bother with the second video.

[@KBee795]

Funny that I started with that video and went backwards, like in Star Wars. LOL I'm all game for new ideas to produce better work. Your reasoning for not using PS to correct the crooked buildings is good enough. I went to NY and took some very good pictures atop a bus before they started to put barriers on them (plexi ones) and had to fix all the tall building shots in PS. I shot it all hand held and it was fun but now being older and wiser, I'll try to use a tripod if possible. Now all my shots are with a tripod and I experiment with different techniques to get robust pictures. It's great fun but I still have yet to get a full frame sensor (FX) camera and use a D7500 of which I have many lenses, some that are FX lenses.

[@zoomzoom530]

Thanks! One small correction- at least in D85-, the in-camera AF indication does work on the full tilting range and up to the middle of the shifting range on each side, beyond which you would need to work with a magnifier as shown, or in e.g. D850, using pixel peeping, which is working very well.

[@GrahamHobart]

Thanks for figuring this out. It is a welcome contribution.

[@iamwhatiam6281]

I have a samyang 24ts and it’s pretty decent also compared to 24pc nikon, but 24mm also in architecture is not so wide. for interiors - if I can - I prefer to use the 20mm (to me the perfect compromise between wide view and not so much distortion - stretched lines) and floors are important in interiors. I will buy this 19mm, and probably I will sell the 20mm 1.8 (a supersharp lens, perfect for landscapes - the sun flare of that lens is perfect)

That exposed front element needs a 90 degree rotatable scalloped hood for a small measure of protection.

[@myblackripleydog7452]

I primarily shoot fine-art landscapes and have been considering a PC lens for a while now. Obviously coming a little late to the discussion, would I be happy with the 24mm as opposed to this 19mm and if not, what would my tipping point be? I have located an open-box new 24mm for $1500 vs $3400 for the 19mm.

[@GrahamHobart]

Dear myblackripleydog, There are two primary considerations when deciding between the two lenses (If we leave the cost factor out.) One is perspective and the other is angle of view. If you are in a tight space and need to get a lot in your image their is no substitute for a wider angle of view. The angle of coverage, or image circle, on the 19mm is considerably wider than the 24mm. In my architectural photography there are times where the 24mm just won't get enough of the scene. But in Nature this is not always the main problem. When I am shooting Nature I am primarily concerned with the relative scale and size of my foreground objects, middle ground objects and my background. With the 24mm the foreground is not as dramatically scaled "larger-than-life" compared to the background as it it would be by moving in really close with the 19mm. On a separate note if you want to do very wide panoramas you can't beat the 19mm. With the 24mm you will achieve a more natural perspective that is more like how our eyes see the world. This rule of "More natural perspective" is more true when making prints up to 24" wide. But since my panoramas are typically >48" wide I prefer the more dramatic perspective that is achieved with the 19mm. It may be a good idea to watch the 3rd video in this series where you will see me using the lens for landscape photography. Graham

[@digitaltourhost9456]

Fantastic review video series. What LCD loupe did you use in your examples? It seems to attach to the camera. Will it also attach to the body while on a tripod? Thanks for your reply in advance.~ Dave N, NJ, USA.

[@GrahamHobart]

It is many years since I bought the loupe so I have no idea if it is still sold but the brand is "Perfect". It is a 3X magnification and only works on the older, non-touch, LCD screens because it has a protective glass on the frame that the loupe snap-mounts to. The body in the video is a Nikon D3. I am still searching for a loupe that magnetically snaps onto my larger touch screens on cameras like my D850s. Let me know if you find one.

[@jeffrey_s_austin_llc]

@@GrahamHobart Cambo makes a fine series of loupes that can either be glued on to the lcd or attached to a frame. The later is my preference.

[@thiagodacunha8503]

It is so incredible how such an expensive lens doesn't come with instructions or a hard case to protect it! I don't even know how to clean it...!

[@GrahamHobart]

I was out in the wilderness for months and it took me a long time to get back to a clean enough environment to clean the lens without fearing scratching the front element. When I finally cleaned it I was surprised to notice how slippery the surface was. I think it must be the fluorite coating which is supposed to repel dust and moisture and therefore make cleaning less frequent.

[@GrahamHobart]

I agree that it was surprising how little information came with the lens. I have prepared a video titled "19mm Review (Part 3)" to help photographers learn how to get the most out of this lens.

[@hotelphotography]

My 19mm just stopped working with my Nikon D850. I mean, the aperture is not changing. It is stuck. What do you think could be wrong? I have cleaned the connection points, updated the Nikon D850 firmware, etc.

[@GrahamHobart]

This is a total guess on my part but it is possible that there is oil on the blades of the iris (aperture). When I was a young photographer it was a common problem. If a lens was not used for an extended period of time the lubricant that enabled smooth and rapid movement of the aperture would separate into different components with the thinner liquid seeping between the blades. They could move but the surface tension of the liquid would make it very difficult and the camera just wasn't strong enough to overpower it. One big contributor to this problem was if the lens was left on a hot car in the summer. On most lenses you can just look through the lens and flip the aperture control lever to inspect the iris from the front or the back but because of this lens being an "e" lens it needs to be on a camera body to inspect it. (I usually just hold the depth of field preview button to hold it at the smallest aperture.) You have probably already noticed that because of the dramatic optics on the front element it is virtually impossible to see the tiny iris blades let alone see if there is any oil on them. Hopefully someone will see your question and will offer better advice than me. I am an NPS (Nikon Professional Services) member so if I were in your situation I would send it in for someone to look at it and ask them to lend me a replacement lens during the repair. If you are an NPS member the inspection and quote are free and the loaned lens is free. I hope this helps.

[@hotelphotography]

@@GrahamHobart Thanks for the reply. I've been using this lens daily for at least 2 years. Because of the virus, it was not used for about 2 months so your thoughts on this might be correct. Nevertheless, I have also tried the lens on 2 other Nikon cameras and the triangular shape comes out on where there is supposed to be the f number. So I'm sure it is the lens. I also noticed that the first time I used it, the camera (D850) was detecting it as a 135mm at f/2.8, as the very old lens that I have and use with that camera. Thank you for your time, I'll have to send it in once the repair shops open. I just thought it would be a simple workaround.

[@alexabadi7458]

My next Nikkor lens :o)

[@mArtinopapesso]

Hi , please Which model of view finder do you use ?On Which model of nikon(body)?Thanks.

[@GrahamHobart]

It is many years since I bought the loupe so I have no idea if it is still sold but the brand is "Perfect". It is a 3X magnification and only works on the older, non-touch, LCD screens because it has a protective glass on the frame that the loupe snap-mounts to. The body is a Nikon D3.

[@mArtinopapesso]

@@GrahamHobart I can't find a very high quality view finder for the nikon D 800. I already have someone.Nobody posts videos about how to mount the view finder.Your view finder would seem well mounted

[@mArtinopapesso]

when you have a moment you can put a video in which you show how your view finder is mounted on the nikon D 3, please?

[@sandyweir9692]

@@GrahamHobart Hello Graham, and greetings from Scotland. I'm the proud owner of 24mm, 45mm & 85mm Nikon PC-E lenses (which I use for landscape photography), and I thoroughly enjoyed watching your informative 3-part presentation on the 19mm PC-E model. I considered buying the latter lens some year ago but was put off by the exposed bulbous front element also the complications of attaching filters. In my earlier career as a wedding photographer, I appreciated the benefits of the 14-24mm lens. Still, it had the same exposed front, and I was continually on tenterhooks about scratching the glass. I was going to ask about your magnifying loupe as I was greatly impressed by how easily it snap-mounted to the camera body; however, you seem to have answered my query here. I use a Hoodman Loupe and would be lost without the same, but I need to hold the loupe against the LCD touch-screen of my Nikon D850; not so easy when one is simultaneously attempting to tweak the Tilt/Shift and locking knobs on a Tilt Shift lens. Best wishes to you. [Sandy Weir]

[@GrahamHobart]

@@sandyweir9692 thank you for your feedback. placing filters in front of my 19mm PCE lens has been more of a challenge than I expected. Especially since I shoot with Infrared cameras which require specialty filters. Regular filters have no effect. Even multi stop ND filters are completely transparent unless rated for IR. One trick I came up with to achieve long exposures before I bought my IRND filters was to shoot in the moonlight. There are very large filters that attach to large filter holders but so far I have been unwilling to invest in them because of size and weight considerations. To get around this I have resorted to Bracketing and Layering different exposures in Photoshop. I think I get better results this way. The only thing I can't mimic is the effect of a polarizing filter but I would never recommend a polarizer on such a wide angle lens. Good luck in trying to work around the 19mm.

[@gregfox2569]

what model camera is the lens mounted on?

[@GrahamHobart]

It is a D3 but any full frame DSLR camera is compatible. DX bodies have a smaller pentaprism on top and as a result don't have enough clearance to allow the full range of rotation for the lens's movements.

[@gregfox2569]

@@GrahamHobart I noticed in one of your other comments that you have several 850 bodies. would you normally use the lens on a lower megapixel camera like the D3 or the higher megapixel camera like the d850?

[@GrahamHobart]

@@gregfox2569 99% of all my work is done on D850s. The D3 body was just a prop and not part of the story. Very few lenses are sharp enough to hold up to the scrutiny that a 46MP camera imposes on it. I have no problem stating that the tilt shift lenses I use (24mm and 19mm) both resolve detail beyond the D850 sensor's capacity to detect any softness. This cannot be said of some less expensive lenses. Basically I am saying that my brand is synonymous with exquisite detail. My work is often printed 8 - 10 feet (3meters) wide and I trust these lenses on my D850s to achieve that level of sharpness. Does this answer help?

[@gregfox2569]

@@GrahamHobart yes it does.. and thank you for the timely response and the excellent instructional videos!

[@GrahamHobart]

@@gregfox2569 I see nothing wrong with shooting with lower resolution bodies if you don't need a large output. Fortunately the D850 allows one to reduce megapixels without cropping the image area. In the past I would take a D3 on a photoshoot for the very reason that I didn't want to deal with huge file sizes when I knew the final output would be something small like a 5X7 print. For me choosing to use the 19mm PC-E lens on a lower resolution body it is not likely because the complexity of using the lens means I don't take a lot of shots. Keeping file sizes down is no longer an big factor so I use my highest megapixel camera in case the image needs to be blown up really large or it later needs cropping.