Tilt-Shift Lenses vs Photoshop - Part 1

[@The52car]

I really loved seeing the photos side by side, thanks for doing this!

[@BillEricPhotography]

😊👍

[@oyvind-b]

If you are in a tight spot and can't move back, I guess you can use stitching too. Take several images, stitch them to one and then transform it. It should work if the wide angle distortion are avoided.

[@BillEricPhotography]

This is true also and another work around

[@TevanAlexander]

Your video answers a number of my questions about tilt-shift lenses, thank you!

[@BillEricPhotography]

Glad to hear it, thanks for watching!

[@paulk329]

Really interesting video Eric definitely going to try out the transform tool, looking forward to part 2 thanks as always.

[@kenphused]

Interesting... the subject building was wide, I wonder what the difference would be on a tall building where the lines would converge more.

[@BillEricPhotography]

The amount of adjustment is basically the same, so you’re getting a very similar effect, even at the very top of the image where it would be “stretched out” the most.

[@kenphused]

Understood, my question was more about the crop which would be applied on the non-tilt-shift lens image when editing.

[@BillEricPhotography]

Yes, regardless of height the angles are the same. A much taller building would require you to back up significantly with the tilt shift lens to get a shifted image anyway, so the resulting effects are the same.

[@kwangc6720]

Thanks for the video. It's no wonder that many camera brands other than Canon see no reason to design tilt-shift lenses. Such lenses were probably necessary and a must have for architecture photographers back in the film days. With digital, perspective distortion can be so easily corrected in editing. I do use my tilt shift lenses frequently. I'm thinking hard now if I should even be doing so, especially when I travel. They are big and heavy. But I just love the "get it right in camera" shooting mantra. There is just something organically nice about the lenses getting the job done correctly without correction later.

[@BillEricPhotography]

I totally agree. If I’m going for a tilt shift effect I find it hard to compose images without the tilt shift lens. Plus it’s just fun to use in the field and see what you can do!

[@BlueLion364]

Mitchell Field!! Now you're in my part of the Island. I grew up 4.5 blocks in from Hempstead Tpke. The street between the McD's and the Animal Hospital. So THAT'S what the transform tools do. Thanks for explaining that. I know a bunch of pictures I could have used that on.

[@BillEricPhotography]

We both know that area very well. The transformation tool basically corrects the perspective in an image. Most times it does a very good job every now and then you lose too much of the image and the composition is ruined. But it's definitely worth a shot if you want to try to correct some lines in an image.

[@jimwlouavl]

Interesting video. Did you have a polarizer on the 15mm shot? I noticed the blue of the sky varied from center to edge. I’m looking forward to part two about tilts.

[@BillEricPhotography]

Good eye yes there was a polarizer on there. Normally I’m not using it for such a wide shot.

[@jimwlouavl]

@@BillEricPhotography I hope that didn’t come off as critical. I have heard that they don’t work well with very wide shots but hadn’t actually seen the effect. I have a 16-35 so seeing that helped.

[@BillEricPhotography]

Not critical at all I appreciate you noticing

[@borromine]

I agree with this. On the other hand, if the work is for publication or architectural clients, every bit of resolution matters. And shift lenses can do a lot of things that are not possible to duplicate. Like high res multiple images that make the view wider. No doubt Lightroom and photo shop are miraculous. And if shot carefully with good glass you can get away without shift lenses. But it really is more fun to get it right in camera.

[@BillEricPhotography]

I totally agree, especially on your last point!

[@my3dtours]

I think the decision to use a tilt shift lens is an easier decision if you live in a very built up area, with limited back up space or maybe internal shots. The other thing to consider is if you want to enlarge the image for a poster etc.

[@BillEricPhotography]

Good points Gary, thanks for commenting!

[@brandontemple20]

Laowa 15mm shift is sooooooo good

[@adjake1]

I would much rather have the lens to get it right in camera. I couldn’t imagine the photoshop pain id be in if I shot a lot of architecture or real estate.

[@BillEricPhotography]

Yeah I agree. Although straightening out your lines in Lightroom is really quick and easy. Still better to compose in camera though.

[@scheppermann]

I don‘t see the results to be the same: with LR the images gets vertically stretched, visible with the horizontal lines not being on the same level. Would be more visible with square tiles on the wall or a circle. If a person/head would be in the pic.

[@LXDV]

I think that it also needs to be added that the 15-35mm is a way more versatile lens in general though and its likely to be far more useful for a photographer everywhere else. Plus you get to keep autofocus. I think if you're trying to make a buying decision tilt shift lenses are not really worth it anymore. 👍

[@BillEricPhotography]

Probably true, unless you have a real dedication to shoot tilt-shift then you’re not going to use the feature that much, you’d be better off with a more versatile lens like the 15-35.

[@ivorgottschalk6432]

I’ve been using the shift function for in-camera time-lapses. Avoids the need to take the images individually, straighten them in Lightroom as a batch and import them to a time-lapse. An added advantage with the Nikon F system is reduced flicker in the time-lapse as the tilt-shift lenses are some of the few lenses with apertures controlled by a motor in the lenses rather than with a mechanical coupling between the lens and a motor in the body which result in small differences in exposure between images.

[@BillEricPhotography]

Great points and a great way to use the effect

[@mattmaddox9367]

Part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKnTpn-rnquSgpY

[@michelleluna4278]

Maybe I’m just old school but I would rather use a tilt-shift lens so I can shoot what I see. Since I don’t have one, I end up with lots of shots I don’t use. Great video though!!

[@BillEricPhotography]

Thanks. I agree always more enjoyable to do it in camera.