Tilt shift Lens

I would like to have the option of using a tilt/shift or at least a shift lens effect occasionally on my A6000. Any forum members have experience of using the adaptors available in conjunction with a suitable legacy lens? Recommendations or warnings please.

I don't want to spend the sort of money that a purpose made shift lens commands - I just wouldn't use it enough to justify the cost.

If you want a cheaper option, Lens Baby lenses could be a good way to start. They generally don't have great quality but could get you started.

I don't have an answer to your lens question but you could use the perspective control tool in either Photoshop, Lightroom or Capture One. Personally I'd rather shoot it with a PC lens rather than correcting in post but having the tools available in post processing is nice to.

You could probably simulate the effects of a tilt/shift lens by using focus stacking as well as perspective control, but it would likely be a pain to do.

A real tilt/shift lens does have some very special properties*.

I too would be interested in hearing about peoples' experiences of tilt adaptors (not so worried about shift) : the ones that I have seen so far are expensive but don't look very well made.

Since tilt/shift is all about perfect focus and quality, I don't think a lens-baby would really meet the requirements.

* There is a terrific picture on the web : a model railway train running diagonally away from the camera and ALL the train is in sharp focus. Even very stopped down, a normal lens would not have the depth of field to achieve this. (Sorry, I don't have the link any more).

mike_j said:

I would like to have the option of using a tilt/shift or at least a shift lens effect occasionally on my A6000. Any forum members have experience of using the adaptors available in conjunction with a suitable legacy lens? Recommendations or warnings please.

Click to expand...

If you want very good image quality at a medium price, this url shows a way to use a Mamiya MF lens as a tilt/shift lens for Canon or Sony with adapter.


The Mirex web site is www.mirex-adapter.de/tilt_shift_adapter.htm. The web page is in German, but you can use www.translate.google.com for a pretty good translation. Paste in the Mirex url.

I use the Mirex 352 "shift" adapter with my Mamiya 24 and 35mm lenses. It's 319 Euros. It has a Canon fitting which I connect to a low cost Canon/Sony-E adapter to my Sony A7 or a6000. It works great. Their model 302 is Canon mount "tilt-shift" for 400 Euros.

If you are shopping for a Mamiya 645 lens (or Pentax 645, or Hasselblad) try ebay. The 35mm "non-autofocus" models are in the $200 range. The autofocus models cost more and MAY NOT have a focus ring??

-John S.

The canon FD 35mm F2.8 tilt shift lens is very good.

Not as pricey as the EF tilt shift lens, but still over $600USD.

If you can find one cheap, get it.

Come to think of it, I have not used it much with my a7r and a6000, should try to do that more often.