Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Overview
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I own it | I want it | I had it |
Canon's update to its 24mm tilt-and-shift lens is a substantial improvement on its predecessor. Thanks to a new barrel design the tilt and shift axes can be freely rotated with respect to each other, which substantially increases the creative possibilities. Build quality is exemplary and the optics are superb, with essentially no distortion and minimal chromatic aberration. The only slight weakness is some softness towards the edge of the frame when the lens is used at more extreme shift positions; best results are obtained with the lens stopped down to F8 or smaller.
Lens type | Prime lens |
Focal length | 24 mm |
Image stab. | No |
Lens mount | Canon EF |
Max aperture | F3.5 |
Min aperture | F22 |
Min focus | 0.21 m (8.27″) |
Weight | 790 g (1.74 lb) |
Length | 106 mm (4.17″) |
The Canon TS-E 24mm F3.5 L II is a lens which, given its price, has high expectations to meet. The good news is that, in almost all respects, it succeeds - the build quality is exemplary (certainly on a par with the EOS-1 series bodies it's likely to be paired with), and the new, more flexible system of movements works very well indeed. The ability to rotate the tilt axis freely with respect to shift increases the creative possibilities substantially, but despite this additional complexity the layout and operation of controls is still very straightforward and easy to master.
Good for: When centered, this is among the sharpest 24mm primes our there, with almost no CA or distortion. No matter what position it is in, this lens will draw straight architectural lines, with low color fringing even in the corners of the frame.
Not so good for: Corner sharpness isn't great in extreme shift positions, although this isn't a huge issue in normal use at small apertures.