Tilt and shift adapted lenses on the SL.

[ynp]

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What is the best T&S solution for the SL camera?

 

I started browsing the usual sites in a search of mechanical Tilt and Shift lens for the SL. I would like to explore the 28-35mm. solutions.

The SK PS 28mm. is the most expensive as far as I know. What else can be adapted for good quality architecture shots?

 

Yevgeny

[IkarusJohn]

There is the S 120mm f/5.6 T&S lens.

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[Daedalus2000]

There is the S 120mm f/5.6 T&S lens.

 

Genuine question. Is a 120mm T&S lens useful? I mean with the field of view it will give on the SL what are its possible uses?

[IkarusJohn]

No idea.

 

On the S camera, the equivalent field of view in 35mm terms (applying the 1.25 crop factor) would be 96mm.  That seems very tight to me.  I always thought T&S lenses were supposed to be reasonably wide.  The Canon TSE is 17mm f/4.

 

On the SL, the lens would have a 120mm field of view, with does seem strange ...

[peterv]

I don't know much about tilt/shift work, but I'd guess the 120mm mentioned above is more suitable for table top work, product shots and such. For architecture you'd probably need more distance to your subject, given its quite long.

[mjh]

With the M (Typ 240) I have achieved good results with a Walimex/Samyang T-S 24mm F/3.5 which could also be adapted to the SL.

[fcomarin69]

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I have adapt the Canon TS 17mm and the 24mm II on the T with the Fotodiox EOS-L/M and M to T with ok results since focusing is the problem here. However yesterday during a pre-launch here in Singapore, I mount the 24mm on the new SL with tripod and I like the results. The focusing was easy thanks to the peaking focus. (I have pre-aperture in the lenses at f8 since still no way to communicate the EOS with the LEICA, please listen "metabones"). Now, I only was able to use the camera for 15 minutes and next week I book a full drive test with the camera and I will be using this 2 lenses without any hurry and I will be able to be more selective and challenge the lenses + SL and se how respond the optics and the sensor.

Edited October 30, 2015 by fcomarin69

[ynp]

I have adapt the Canon TS 17mm and the 24mm II on the T with the Fotodiox EOS-L/M and M to T with ok results since focusing is the problem here. However yesterday during a pre-launch here in Singapore, I mount the 24mm on the new SL with tripod and I like the results. The focusing was easy thanks to the peaking focus. (I have pre-aperture in the lenses at f8 since still no way to communicate the EOS with the LEICA, please listen "metabones"). Now, I only was able to use the camera for 15 minutes and next week I book a full drive test with the camera and I will be using this 2 lenses without any hurry and I will be able to be more selective and challenge the lenses + SL and se how respond the optics and the sensor.

Thank you for the info re pre-aperture setting on the EOS camera. I have no Canon, my DSLR is the S2 and I am trying to find a manual T&S solution. I have a Mamiya 50mm shift lens and my copy is weak. Anyway, before the S-adapter is ready I cannot use it and I will have to find something.

[ynp]

With the M (Typ 240) I have achieved good results with a Walimex/Samyang T-S 24mm F/3.5 which could also be adapted to the SL.

Thank you for the advice. The price looks very sensible and I will try to test the Samyang.

[ynp]

Genuine question. Is a 120mm T&S lens useful? I mean with the field of view it will give on the SL what are its possible uses?

I have access to the 120mm T&S lens and it is very useful for tabletop/food. I prefer a view camera for that kind of work and IMO the Leica 120mm is too expensive for what it adds to the system.

The Mamiya version , I have access to, is $2,000 less expensive and can be used with the adapter on the S.

Edited October 30, 2015 by ynp

[RoySmith]

I have adapt the Canon TS 17mm and the 24mm II on the T with the Fotodiox EOS-L/M and M to T with ok results since focusing is the problem here. However yesterday during a pre-launch here in Singapore, I mount the 24mm on the new SL with tripod and I like the results. The focusing was easy thanks to the peaking focus. (I have pre-aperture in the lenses at f8 since still no way to communicate the EOS with the LEICA, please listen "metabones"). Now, I only was able to use the camera for 15 minutes and next week I book a full drive test with the camera and I will be using this 2 lenses without any hurry and I will be able to be more selective and challenge the lenses + SL and se how respond the optics and the sensor.

How does one "pre-aperture" the lenses at f8?

[mgrayson3]

Put lens on Canon camera at f/8. Stop down manually. Remove lens. (Not sure if camera needs to be turned off before removing the lens.)

[Manolo Laguillo]

Yevgeny, I use the Schneider Kreuznach Super-Angulon-R 2.8/28 PC since at least 2011 with my M's (M9, MM and M240), with beautiful results.

The copy of the lens is of course important: there are some which are ok, others are so so, some are bad...

The last I've found was new, and works as it should.

The Nikkor PC lenses are ok (28 and 35), with a caveat: look at the amount of shifting, and don't go beyond that limit.

There is also the PA Curtagon, again for the R. But I don't have experience with it at all.

[ynp]

Yevgeny, I use the Schneider Kreuznach Super-Angulon-R 2.8/28 PC since at least 2011 with my M's (M9, MM and M240), with beautiful results.

The copy of the lens is of course important: there are some which are ok, others are so so, some are bad...

The last I've found was new, and works as it should.

The Nikkor PC lenses are ok (28 and 35), with a caveat: look at the amount of shifting, and don't go beyond that limit.

There is also the PA Curtagon, again for the R. But I don't have experience with it at all.

Manolo,

 

Thank you for your comments. Very useful information.

I googled the Super Angulon-R and understand now that I will have to source a good copy to be happy with the quality.

 

Yevgeny

[fcomarin69]

How does one "pre-aperture" the lenses at f8?

 

As mgrayson3 said. Once is set to F8 or F11, turn off the canon camera or any other that you use with a electronic adapter from EOS to xxx , then remove lens. It should keep the aperture without problem.

[RoySmith]

As mgrayson3 said. Once is set to F8 or F11, turn off the canon camera or any other that you use with a electronic adapter from EOS to xxx , then remove lens. It should keep the aperture without problem.

Thanks, I was curious as I'm planning on upgrading my M9 when the next M arrives and want to use the Canon 17 TS lens on it

 

Roy

[wlaidlaw]

If anyone is considering getting one of the Hartblei super rotator lenses from the cheaper series, which use adapted old Pentacon medium format lenses, I would advise caution. I have the 80mm in R mount and whereas the tilt-shift mechanism is excellent, the lens optical quality leaves a fair bit to be desired. When used on the M240, the contrast was too low to trigger focus peaking at any aperture. Hopefully it will be easier to focus on the SL, due to the improved EVF and particularly the ability to be able to move the zoom patch, which was very restrictive on the M240. When for example you were using Scheimpflug tilt to have a slanted plane of focus, you could not check whether the top and bottom parts of the image were properly in focus and therefore determine the degree of tilt required. Also the SL App will enable you to look at a large focus image on a tablet, which will be very helpful for composition of a tilt shift image. 

 

Hartblei make a much more expensive range of lenses, based on the Zeiss medium format lenses made for the Hasselblad V series cameras. I would imagine these are a lot better than the Pentacon series lenses, given the high reputation of the Zeiss V series lenses. At some point I might consider the 40mm f4 lens but it isn't cheap at €5400, so you would need to use it a lot to justify that sort of expenditure. 

 

Wilson

[fcomarin69]

I have adapt the Canon TS 17mm and the 24mm II on the T with the Fotodiox EOS-L/M and M to T with ok results since focusing is the problem here. However yesterday during a pre-launch here in Singapore, I mount the 24mm on the new SL with tripod and I like the results. The focusing was easy thanks to the peaking focus. (I have pre-aperture in the lenses at f8 since still no way to communicate the EOS with the LEICA, please listen "metabones"). Now, I only was able to use the camera for 15 minutes and next week I book a full drive test with the camera and I will be using this 2 lenses without any hurry and I will be able to be more selective and challenge the lenses + SL and se how respond the optics and the sensor.

 

 

Put lens on Canon camera at f/8. Stop down manually. Remove lens. (Not sure if camera needs to be turned off before removing the lens.)

 

 

 

Guys, I need to do a correction, I didn't read carefully what mgrayson3 said, and I get lost in space since has long time I don't change my aperture in my Canon TS-E until today that I'm getting ready to go test this lenses on the SL Tomorrow.

 

Let me clarify the full process:

 

1) Mount the TS-E lens in your Canon Camera (Remember we are working on M Mode)

 

2) Set your Aperture ( F8 or 11 or whatever you wish)

 

3) ( WARNING!!! Have someone to help you since you are dealing with electric terminals on the camera and you need to push two buttons and take the lens out ) Push the DF Preview Button and at the same time detach the lens from the body. Be sure you do it smooth and the lens is pull out clean.

 

4) Turn off the camera then just verify that you can see the blades inside your lens close to the aperture you set.

 

Thats it. Sure enough I will share some of the results with you. The lens will not get back to normal until you attached back to the canon camera.

 

Again, be careful.

 

Best

[dkCambridgeshire]

Two shift options for the SL:

 

1) Secondhand Zörk shift adapter

 

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Acquired from Leica Shop Vienna complete with Carl Zeiss Jena 50/4 MC Flektogon lens; Contax/Yashica camera mount and Pentacon 6 lens mount. Secondhand Novoflex Contax to Leica SL adapter acquired via Ebay USA arrived this morning … thus have not used the lens yet.  Actual shift possible is a huge 17mm.  As with all adapted shift lenses, it's essential to source a good quality camera to lens adapter which aligns the shift axes properly i.e. at 90º / 180º to the image plane. If Chinese adapters are used the chances are that the axes will be several degrees out of true … even if well known brands are ordered … hence after several disappointments with budget price adapters I always use Novoflex which are designed to align correctly … and unlike some cheapo adapters they are also well baffled to prevent flare.

 

 

2) Olympus OM 35 shift lens

 

 

 

 

This is a wonderfully compact shift lens which so far I've only used on a Sony A7S for a current Stamford Lincs. architectural project … but will be using it with the SL very soon. The lens can easily be used handheld because the shifts are 'push-pull' via light finger pressure. The Novoflex Olympus OM to SL adapter is covered with strips of thin leather to increase the diameter slightly … enabling use with a Leica STA-1 tripod collar. The adapter is also used with an Olympus OM 500mm mirror lens.

 

I'll post some architectural images taken with the shift lenses soon.

 

 

Regards

 

dunk  

Edited February 23, 2017 by dkCambridgeshire

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[steppenw0lf]

Why don't you use the R 28mm shift lens ? It is excellent (I used it already on the R cameras).

I also thought about adapting some midrange  lenses, but found it in the end too tedious.

The R 28 PC-Super-Angulon is good enough for me and still relatively handy.

http://www.overgaard.dk/Leica-M-Type-240-aka-Leica-M10-digital-rangefinder-camera-page-33-The-Leica-R-Lenses-on-Leica-M240-Catwalk.html

(after the middle of the report).