Re: Tilt lens for panoramic

["M. Denis Hill" <Denis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I suspect that you want to use "shift" to achieve the desired results. A
lens like the Nikkor PC (perspective control) 28mm and 35mm (and perhaps
also the Canon, but I only know Nikon) will give you "fall" like a view
camera, reducing the sky while not causing a curved horizon.

Tilt is used to alter the plane of focus, another potentially useful
technique for panoramas where very near and very far objects must be in
focus, but tilt is not useful for in-camera "cropping."

Shift (rise, fall, shift) involves moving the lens up, down, or sideways
relative to the lens mount, while keeping it (the lens) aligned with the
film plane. Tilt involves moving the lens "out of alignment" with the
film plane, i.e., the top of the lens (glass) is further from the film
than the bottom.

A good source of info on these principles is "View Camera Technique," by
leslie Stroebel.

If I'm not mistaken, many stitching programs are designed to compensate
for the effect you are experiencing.

Harold Wong wrote:
> 
> I know in the past, people have talked about using tilt lenses for landscape
> panoramic photography. This week, I rented a Canon TS 45mm lens to play
> around with and found it not what I expected. My original impression
> was, if I place my camera perfectly parallel to the earth, I can tilt
> the lens down to take out some of the sky and bring in more of the
> landscape. While the image in the viewfinder is what I expected, I
> noticed a "curving into position" of the landscape as I swing the
> camera. Since I shoot multiple frames and stitch them together later,
> this "curving into position" or distortion is not going to work. How
> have others used tilt lens in the past? Thanks.
> 
> Harold

-- 
M. Denis Hill	mailto:denis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Hill Group	http://www.thehillgroup.com
Marketing communications: writing, editing, photography
949-366-1641 San Clemente, California, USA