The idea behind shift lenses is to let you keep the film parallel to
straight lines in the scene. Pine trees or buildings won't have their
tops pointing together when you point the lens up. (Or similarly with
horizontal lines when you point the lens to the side)
They give you the choice. Think of how a building looks when you take a
picture with a wide angle pointing up versus using a telephoto pointing
nearly horizontal. The shift lens can give you either effect on straight
lines.They let you change the relative sizes/placement of the edges of
the photo with respect to the center of the photo and can make a photo
look like you are standing in the center when you are really standing at
the side to avoid something you don't want in the picture. Probably
harder to visualize, extreme shift causes "distortion" similar to what
you see at the edges of super wide angle lenses. Sometimes you want it,
sometimes you don't.
As Jan implied about his recent trip, they are very handy when you want
steep canyon walls to look like steep canyon walls.
-jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Ferguson" <mikeferguson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2003 3:46 PM
Subject: Re: [OM] Shift lenses - was: Allow me to introduce myself...
> On 5/9/03 10:56 pm, "Jeff Keller" <jrk_om@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Immediately after you buy one of
> > those the 35/2.8 shift
>
> OK, guys,
>
> Just an hour or two after my post and I'm getting a lot of great
ideas, and
> a longer post in response to those is coming...
>
> But I do have a burning question. Can someone explain this shift
lenses
> thing to me. I would hate to consider myself a stupid man (:-)) but
I'm
> just not getting it.
>
> So, from first principles, if you would - a lens that (from what I can
tell)
> shifts up and down on its mounting - for why?
>
> Yours confusedly
>
> Mike
>
> PS My wallet has scurried off into a corner and hidden - why is that?
>
>
> < This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
> < For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
> < Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
>
>
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|