How good is the Canon TS-E17mm F4L tilt shift lens on the medium format Fuji GFX100S

[@jessekoskinen]

I very much agree with your "it's amazing what you can do when you ignore the advice people try to give to you" on forums. I even have an example case. 95% of what I photograph is wildlife. For quite some time I have wanted to expand into underwater wildlife photography. It is a rather niche subject, so I asked online on a place dedicated to discussion of gear of the particular brand I use. To see if anyone already had an underwater solution for gear I already owned and wanted to use. The amount of "why on Earth would you use them, buy X gear, it is much better" comments I got was ridiculous. Only one actually answered my question, and provided a link to a photographer's site who used the gear I used, in an underwater setting. I got the information I needed from there.

[@KeithCooper]

Yes - not everyone trying to be helpful really hits the mark ;-)

[@Lizardheim]

The diffraction thing is pretty interesting, often fails to account for real images being taken of 3d objects. a Sharper focus plane helps little when the stuff behind it is more blurry than diffraction will give, especially if maximal total sharpness is what one wants. Thank you for all these insightful videos btw, a lot of interesting stuff!

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks - I've been using the GFX100S and TS-E24 this week for actual work and the practicalities win out over the 'diffraction doomsayers' ;-) I'll have a note on this tomorrow

[@dardis1745]

Keith awesome video I definitely learned a lot! thank you for making the videos! Quick question when you set the GFX 100S to 35mm mode does it affect the dynamic range of your raw file?

[@KeithCooper]

Thanks No effect whatsoever - it's just a crop of a bigger image...

[@hankroarkphoto]

Thanks for the video. I’m thinking about the Fotodiox Tilt/Shit adaptor for Fuji-X from Canon EF mount, and then using the Canon 24mm TS-E. Getting the equivalent of 36mm, but then dual-axis shift (rise/fall + shift) and dual tilt (tilt + swing). Sort of all the major field camera movements but on an APS-C sensor.

[@KeithCooper]

You get diagonal shift with the TS-E anyway, but yes, it will give more tilt flexibility. If it's the TS-E24 mk2 the tilt axis can be set at an angle anyway However at that much tilt. image quality loss and mount vignetting could be significant. Interesting approach for the small sensor.

[@haojunli8597]

The Fujifilm have the 30mm ts now. So l, looking forward to the comparison video.

[@KeithCooper]

There is no comparison... the 30mm is a very different focal length and is quite possibly the best wider T/S lens I've ever used See here www.northlight-images.co.uk/fuji-30mm-ts-review/

[@thomaseriksson6256]

Thank you. The problem with GFX 100S is that +1 stop above the theoretica diffraktion is visible in testing charts or with very close examination of contrasty in-focus areas.

[@KeithCooper]

Almost never a real world problem... I cannot emphasise enough how little this matters to me in real life photography... Leave the charts well alone and take great photos!

[@thomaseriksson6256]

@@KeithCooper Well, I will get a GFX camera for woodland in the future but have not decided if it will be a 50Sii or 100S. I often use lenses in the FF range 24-90mm, I can use a 28-90mm lens at least. It’s unfortunate that there is no 35- 100mmF4 Zoom only 45-100mm Zoom lens. I'm waiting for the first TS lens to the GFX. On the D300 an APS-C camera I used the24mmPC and 45mmPC often. Today I have FF cameras and I’m collecting statistics on witch PC lens I use most. Currently it’s the 45mmPC.

[@09591000]

very useful. thanks!

[@KeithCooper]

Glad it was helpful!

[@urtedavid]

Thanks for the video! I am interested on Mamiya 645 lenses (the 35mmm3.5 and the 45mm 2.8) with the Fotodiox Tilt and Shift adapter for the fuji GFX 100s. Have you tried them? Its usable for arquitectural work? Thanks.

[@KeithCooper]

I don't have a GFX adapter for Mamiya 645 - my experiments with the Mamiya 35mm and 55mm were on the RF mount TLT/ROKR. The 35mm is not a great lens by modern standards Usable on FF but pushing things with any significant shift [especially with a MF sensor] - the 55 is much more usable. I suspect the 55mm and 80mm would be genuinely useful, but I don't have the T/S adapter. See www.northlight-images.co.uk/fotodiox-tilt-shift-lens-adapter/ [from before I started making videos as supplements to my reviews/articles]

[@urtedavid]

Thanks for the answer Keith. I was able to try the Mamiya 35mm 3.5 with the TS adapter and i can notice that the edge of the image, especially shifted, is soft and vignettes. Also has a barrel distorsion. I can correct the distorsion in Lightroom and also i’ve tried to sharp the image with Topaz Sharpen Ai. I find the final image very good looking. You can notice some “problems” with a ton of zoom, but i think it has the professional technical needs. My question is: it’s usable for profesional arquitectural photography use this set up of GFX 100s and Mamiya 645 lenses despite it has some problems that could be fixes in postproduction? I mean, in real world profesional work, it is usable? This problem in fine detail in corners, or some barrel distorsion, it is really important? I found that the final image that produces the set of, 35mm, 45mm and 80mm is quite natural looking. Below that its hard for me to see the “wide angle look”. I also thinking on the TS 24mm of Canon for tight spaces or situation that i could need more, but i think its too wide for me. Thats why i like the Mamiya 35mm look, but i need to confront the problems that has the lens. What your opinion of using the M645 lenses for professional work considering the inherent problems that they have. I always think on the viewer seeing one of my photos on a magazine or a sreen. On this, its noticable the techincal defects? Maybe on large prints, but i think the IQ of the Fuji GFX 100s make up for. What do you think? Thanks for the answers and videos. Keep doing it!!

[@KeithCooper]

I've used the 35/3.5 on my 5Ds, but to be honest it was only because I'd forgotten my 1.4 x TC for the TS-E24 I'd not pick it [well, the one I have] for anything on the GFX - far too much extra work needed For paying work I just don't want all the extra effort The TS-E24 on my GFX is broadly equivalent to my TS-E17 on the 5Ds so wide, but useful for the stuff I shoot [I use the TS-E17 a lot on the 5Ds] Wide shift needs quite a bit of practice to use effectively - I found the Laowa 15mm shift a superb 'occasional use' lens to have for the GFX, but even more care needed to stop the lens stealing the show from the subject. I'm still working on just what I need for the GFX - I used a Canon EF8-15 F4L the other day in crop mode and it was excellent - I didn't need 100MP, so the ~60MP of the crop was more than good enough I shoot wide/close a lot so longer lenses don't often fit my needs - I would like to try the two longer Mamiya lenses with T/S though@@urtedavid

[@idahofallsmagazine3691]

Just curious. What's your Mac setup for processing those big gfx files?

[@KeithCooper]

Older than many would consider usable ;-) 2012 Mac Pro - 32GB - loads of disks in it and a whizzy graphics card supporting two 32" 4k monitors. Running OS X 10.15 The Mac Studio [14.4] you see in my more recent videos will replace it at some point - but the switch has been delayed for a few logistic reasons. BTW I much prefer 10.15 over 14.4 from a usability POV, I dislike Apple's continual insistence that my Mac works more and more like a phone... :-)

[@wldktz1]

Is it me or is the 17mm TS difficult to focus when shifting?

[@KeithCooper]

Not particularly. I tend to focus first, then shift, and then check focus/sharpness in the shifted areas. This is a slightly more precise process than when I use the TS-E17 on the 5Ds, where I'm less likely to push into the edge of the image circle than with the GFX100S The lens I have Is excellent at small shifts on the GFX, but care is needed since the focus peaking can have quite a bit of leeway if you're using it to refine focus without magnification.

[@Tubeytime]

The Bob Ross of photography

[@KeithCooper]

Not the hair....

[@Tubeytime]

@@KeithCooper Next April's fools day, you know what to do

[@oneeyedphotographer]

I have been thinking. With the 5Ds, you can extend the 36x24mm up and down 12mm each, or left and right, or diagonally. You won't get useful combinations of those. TH GFX won't give you taller, or wider images, because you are limited by the size of the image circle. You do work off the 44x33mm base, and that's often nice to have. On, I am now thinking the image circles is much bigger than the Canon camera needs, if you move any lens 12 mm on the GFX you should be well into vignette. I see no merit in cropping in-camera, you can always do it in post, and if there's wriggle room you might get more than i you cropped prematurely. Phase One an Mamiya have a magic translucent card. When I looked, the Mamiya one was much the cheaper. You shoot one shot through the card. I am not sure how you would accomplish it with the pregnant lens. You use that special shot in Capture One to remove vignetting, dust spots and chromatic aberration. You might be able to make your own "white card," and seal it into the base of a plastic bucket so you sufficiently cover the TS-E 17. For me, if I can't use the TS-E 17 for some reason, I find something else to do. I don't do pro work. Before you go, turn off IBIS, put the camera on a tripod and try to reproduce that apparent camera movement. I think you won't. When I put my fisheye lens (it has no electronics), on my camera, t wants to know what the lens is. I think it's to calibrate IBIS. I really must try these TS lenses on my mirrorless four thirds cameras. 12mm of shift is HUGE on a 13mm wide sensor. Even on the 17.3 mm length. Have you thought of adapting your 5Ds or a mirrorless camera to large format camera? Adaptors exist. You could even use ordinary filters.

[@KeithCooper]

Yes - it's the overall large FOV which appeals - different, and more MP Vignetting fixes don't work since there is no EXIF daat regarding shift The GFX100S does not need to know lens detail - it works with 'no lens' just fine and IBIS works too - you can set adapter info - good for fully manual adapted lenses with no electronics As to large format - yes in 2007 www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-mpp-view-camera-adapter/ Interesting, but of zero actual use...

[@JohnMacLeanPhotography]

Have you tried a Rogeti TS-E Frame? kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJW2m6aGe7RrjZY

[@KeithCooper]

Yes, I've been testing versions since it first came out (it's also in my tilt/shift book) See here: www.northlight-images.co.uk/category/articles-and-reviews/rogeti/

[@lorenzogattaldo3764]

Thank you for the video. Is there an article/video/book where you explain your workflow to correct for unsharp corners like at 11:20 ? I suppose that, using Topaz Sharpen AI, you will have create a mask or something to only sharpen up locally.

[@KeithCooper]

See here www.northlight-images.co.uk/topaz-sharpen-ai-v3/ and an example about 40% through www.northlight-images.co.uk/review-laowa-15mm-f4_5-shift-lens/ The best way I find is to duplicate the image layer in PS, then apply the sharpening to the duplicated layer. Then adding a mask for that layer, I can add a graduated [radial] fill to the mask, with the centre of the radial fill at the optical centre. I'll add this to my video to-do list

[@ozancelik3801]

Hello Keith, thank you for this amazing review. Really helpful on my decision. If I send you an email would you send me a few raw examples of 24 tse on gfx? I will use it %90 for commercial work so it would be suuuper helpful for me to see.

[@ozancelik3801]

Sorry the 17 TSE.. I am looking in to buying 24 but I have my doubts on aberration etc..

[@KeithCooper]

The raw files are 200MB each... I don't have any online system for posting such huge stuff The 24 is much more usable on the GFX, giving around the FOV of the 17 on full frame