
This is an important update on the TSE 24mm lens from Canon.
This new version is heavier, more versatile and definitely a step up optically.
Distortion is practically non-existent, which is a big plus for architectural photography: you don't have to correct the pictures with software like PTLens.
Chromatic aberration is almost inexistent, and sharpness is outstanding.
The tilt feature makes it possible to take a picture of a garden (or any planar scene) with the foreground and the background all in focus. The minimal focusing distance is 21cm. By the end of the first day I was proficient at using this feature.
The shift feature is used mainly for architectural shots. You'll get better results (edge sharpness and proportions) with such a lens than with perspective correction in software, and you will save time.
It's a manual focus lens that should be used with a tripod. Focusing when using the tilt feature requires a bit of practice to get it right, and is considerably helped by using Live View. For this reason you should use it on a 5D mark 2.
When used at the extreme shift position the top of the image is soft wide open but becomes acceptable at f/11. On this count it does better than the Nikon 28mm pc lens I was using before (which is an older design).
One problem with this lens is that it is very obviously a "professional lens", so I would not go walking around in a poor country with this lens. It's also very heavy so that would get tiring.
One wonders if it could not be improved further with autofocus, but that would require redesigning the camera as well, as well as adding a motor to operate the shift, which is a non obvious proposition.
Please take your time to get familiar with the locking switches on this lens before you go around in the field as you might accidentally try to unmount the lens from your camera when trying to change the axis of shift.
Get more detail about Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Ultra Wide Tilt-Shift Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras.













