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Shift Lenses

MHOL190246
Posted 04/04/2017 - 16:14 Link
I have been contemplating the purchase of a shift lens fro some time. My research has more or less directed me to the Lensbaby Composer Pro II with the Edge 50 lens. Does anyone have any experience of this lens?
JAK
Posted 04/04/2017 - 17:31 Link
The Lens baby Composer Pro II a tilt-shift lens rather than a standard shift lens like the Pentax 28mm F3.5 Shift, the Pentax one doesn't do tilt at all. With a tilt lens like the Lens Baby you can play around with focus areas, with the shift lens you can straighten out the verticals in camera on tall buildings or take two 'shifted' shots to combine to give a panorama or even a 3D composite. So really they're quite different so do you require tilt shift or standard shift? You didn't mention requiring tilt in your post so it may not be your best option, it really depends on your intended purpose for it.
John K
Edited by JAK: 04/04/2017 - 17:37
RobL
Posted 04/04/2017 - 18:20 Link
The Samyang 24mm TS tilt shift lens is available in Pentax mount, worth checking out.
MHOL190246
Posted 06/04/2017 - 15:32 Link
Thanks for the suggestions, but, does anyone on the forum own the Lensbaby lens cited in my original post?
JAK
Posted 06/04/2017 - 21:50 Link
MHOL190246 wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions, but, does anyone on the forum own the Lensbaby lens cited in my original post?

I can't find any mention of Lens babys on here since 2014.
There's a review here: http://uk.pcmag.com/lensbaby-composer-pro-ii/72401/review/lensbaby-composer-pro-...
I still say it isn't a shift lens but a tilt lens; that review makes no mention of a shift function at all. If its a shift lens you're after, that isn't it!
Just as an aside, the camera sensor can be shifted to some extent to simulate the effect of a shift lens. A tilt effect can be easily simulated in software.
John K
Edited by JAK: 06/04/2017 - 21:53
petrochemist
Posted 07/04/2017 - 16:13 Link
MHOL190246 wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions, but, does anyone on the forum own the Lensbaby lens cited in my original post?

I have a lensbaby, but only the inferior (less controllable) Muse model. Fun to play with but mine at least has quirky optics that wouldn't be suitable for use as a standard tilt lens. The Edge 50 might work better for your application. I ended up getting an old micro four thirds camera & a tiltable adapter to my Pentax lenses. It worked out ~£150 much cheaper than a proper shift lens!

Adding Shift makes the adapter MUCH more expensive, so I've yet to play with that properly.
Mike
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Pentax:K5ii, K7, K100D, DA18-55, DA10-17, DA55-300, DA50-200, F100-300, F50, DA35 AL, 4* M50, 2* M135, Helicoid extension, Tak 300 f4 (& 6 film bodies)
3rd Party: Bigmos (Sigma 150-500mm OS HSM),2* 28mm, 100mm macro, 28-200 zoom, 35-80 zoom, 80-200 zoom, 80-210 zoom, 300mm M42, 600 mirror, 1000-4000 scope, 50mm M42, enlarger lenses, Sony & micro 4/3 cameras with various PK mounts, Zenit E...
Far to many tele-converters, adapters, project parts & extension tubes etc.

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Edited by petrochemist: 07/04/2017 - 16:16
MHOL190246
Posted 08/04/2017 - 08:57 Link
Thanks for the suggestions. Certainly food for thought

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