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What can you do with a tilt-shift macro lens? Trying out the Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1x Macro


Tilt-shift lenses are specialized tools for photography and even video, and you can imagine that the functionality increases even more when it’s a macro lens as well. But what can you actually do with a lens that literally bends for you?

A tilt-shift lens is, structurally, like a Rubik’s Cube and functionally like a Swiss Army knife. Tilt-shift lenses have been on the market for a long time in limited variants and can probably be considered a product for a small niche market; However, those who use them and make full use of them will say that they are very effective tools that make difficult tasks easier in their workflow. First, let’s talk about what lens tilt, lens shift, and what it actually means to have a macro lens – and let’s do it as simply as possible.

lens shift

The ability to shift is something that many lenses don’t have. A shift lens (for the purpose of shifting) usually consists of two parts. One part is mounted on your camera’s lens mount and is stationary (let’s call it the base), and the other remote part is attached to the base using a shift mechanism or joint (let’s call it the barrel). By using a shift mechanism, the distal part, or barrel, is able to move toward the two linear ends of the range of motion. This can be done either vertically (up or down) or horizontally (left or right) and, in some cases, even diagonally by rotating the base to change the shift axis.

The implication of this movement is to move the frame in the desired direction without tilting the camera, thereby avoiding any perspective distortion. It can be used to overcome physical limitations by taking a single image with the desired framing or by taking multiple images that can then be assembled into a panorama with a wider perspective that is free from perspective distortion.

lens tilt

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On the other hand, the bending ability of a lens creates a completely different motion and has a completely different effect. If a shift lens keeps the camera’s position in place while the frame shifts, a tilt lens literally rotates the barrel of the lens in a fixed direction while keeping the camera relatively in place. Although this also affects the perspective of the frame, this is secondary to physical orientation. This movement provides the ability to tilt the focal plane of the image.

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Think of your camera’s sensor as a plane and your focal plane as another plane that is exactly parallel to the sensor. This focal plane is the layer that is in focus in your image, and how thick this layer is depends on your set aperture, which determines depth of field.

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A tilt lens essentially tilts the focal plane, allowing you to manipulate the layers that will be in focus in the image, which can have two opposite effects. If your subject or subjects are in a line parallel to the camera’s sensor, tilting the barrel allows you to selectively focus on one of them while blurring the others, even if they are all the same distance from the camera. Be.

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Alternatively, when photographing a subject that is not perfectly parallel to the camera’s sensor, tilting the barrel can align the focal plane with the subject. With proper focus, it maximizes the detail of the subject that will be in focus.

macro and magnification

Magnification refers to the ratio of the size of an object projected on the camera’s sensor to the actual size of the object. Think of it as if you are viewing the object from the perspective of your camera’s sensor (in fact, this is how it works in photography). If the object appears larger than its actual size, the magnification is greater than 100%, or, expressed as a magnification ratio, greater than 1:1. Conversely, if the object appears smaller than its actual size (applicable to most conventional images), the magnification is less than 1:1.

To understand this better, imagine taking an image of a person’s entire body. The fact that the subject fits in the frame of your sensor, which is significantly smaller than the person, means that the magnification is much less than 1:1. If the subject is 100 times larger than it is in real life, the magnification is 1:100.

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Macro lenses are essentially those that provide a magnification ratio of 1:1 (or greater) and can focus very close to the subject, making the object appear life-size in relation to the camera’s sensor. 1:1 magnification is considered “true macro”, although some lenses offer slightly less magnification, still allowing very close focusing. On the other hand, lenses with significantly higher magnification, such as 2:1, make the object appear twice its actual size.

Having said all that, let’s talk about this lens that combines the ability to move, rotate, tilt and gives 1:1 image magnification, Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Macro Lens.

Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift 1x Macro

laova 55mm This is undoubtedly a larger lens than other 55mm lenses and even most macro lenses. It features an all-metal build, as seen in most (if not all) Laowa lenses, and measures 6.4 x 3.3 inches (162 x 85 mm), weighing 1.345 kg (3 lb). At the very front is a 77mm filter thread surrounded by a 2cm deep removable metal lens hood. Of course, it’s manual focus only and comes in Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon R, and Leica L mounts.

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Near the distal end is a 2.3-inch (5.5 cm) zoom ring with a focus distance and magnification indicator at the bottom. Below this is a 0.6-inch aperture ring paired with soft-touch clicks for f/2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, and 22. Below this is a ring with an embedded rotating collar attached to an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod leg, which is about 2.5 inches long. When used with an Arca-Swiss-type head, this foot can also act as a small macro focusing rail by partially loosening the quick-release clamp. However, it would have been ideal if a built-in mini focusing rail had been implemented, allowing the stem of the lens collar to move back and forth from the foot/plate controlled by another knob. There is a small knob attached to it that locks the barrel in place as it rotates, with angle markings around it.

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Below the collar is a thicker, more rectangular 1.5-inch section that houses the tilt mechanism. This mechanism allows the barrel to bend up to 12 mm on each side. A knob on one side controls the speed of the tilt, while a smaller knob on the opposite side adjusts the friction of the tilt. There are marks on both sides to indicate the extent of inclination. On the back and bottom of this tilt section is a silver button that enables the entire front section (from the tilt mechanism to the front glass element) to rotate 90 degrees, allowing the tilt motion to switch between horizontal and vertical orientation. Is available.

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The tilt section is followed by a thin 0.6-inch rectangular section that houses the shift mechanism. There is a line down the center of this section where the base and barrel meet, marking the point of transfer motion. On one side is the shift control knob, which has its own indicator symbols, while on the opposite side is the friction/lock knob for lens shift. On a full frame camera, this lens can move up to 10 mm in either direction. Additionally, a button on the corner of the section allows the base to rotate 360 ​​degrees, changing the shift axis to horizontal, vertical or diagonal orientation.

Application and user experience

Tilt-shift lenses, which have been around for some time, offer many applications in photography. They can function like any other lens of the same focal length, without using shift or tilt adjustments.

Because of their shifting capabilities, tilt-shift lenses, including the Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift, are ideal for photographing architecture, interiors and other scenes requiring precise perspective control. By keeping the camera level, perspective distortion can be avoided. However, to photograph larger structures, the subject must be relatively far away. The lens is also suitable for landscapes or city landscapes, whether capturing a single frame or creating panoramas with very large image sizes. Perspective-wise, the results are similar to using a slightly wider lens, but the camera alone provides significantly higher resolution than the sensor.

The addition of a tilt function enables selective focusing in a variety of scenarios. For architecture or city landscapes, one structure can be distinguished from others, even if they are the same distance from the camera. This effect can also be applied to people or objects, causing depth of field much shallower than the lens’ maximum aperture of f/2.8.

With the addition of macro features on this tilt-shift lens, the same effect can be applied to very small objects as well. When photographing products or still life, lens shift features can be used to create much larger panoramas that cover more surface area. The tilt feature can also be used to adjust the focal plane when the long side of the object is not perfectly parallel to the camera’s sensor. This will result in more small details of the object being in focus and will make focus stacking easier for hyper-detailed macro shots of small objects. Another use of the tilt function is to position the camera at an angle where the light source cannot be repositioned, where there are fewer reflections. This will allow the user to adjust the focal plane and focus properly, even when shooting from a relatively oblique angle.

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The same effect can be applied when photographing nature macro. The lens can focus about 270 mm from the sensor (technically less than 10 cm from the front element) and can provide a 1:1 perspective of small insects, flowers, or other natural details that are too close to see with the naked eye. Too small for. ,

The shift mechanism makes it easy to make small adjustments to the camera’s position as a small movement can completely disrupt the framing. Meanwhile, the tilt mechanism can bring more details into focus with or without focus stacking. Alternatively, it can also be used to implement selective focusing; However, this may be less necessary as the depth of field becomes increasingly narrow when focused very close.

As mentioned earlier, tilt-shift lenses are lenses that will twist and tilt to capture a shot depending on the desired effect or optical challenge. Further enhanced by a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and the ability to achieve 1:1 magnification, this lens essentially transforms and expands to get the perfect shot. Using the lens requires familiarity due to the many control knobs, rings and buttons, but once properly oriented, it can work wonders in achieving otherwise impossible images and simplifying many challenging tasks. Could.

what i liked

  • Combined capabilities of tilt-shift and 1:1 macro lens
  • extremely versatile physically
  • Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture

what can be improved

  • More lightweight materials to reduce overall weight
  • Possibly a built-in sliding macro rail on the collar

Purchase

you can buy Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Macro Lens here,





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