Thoughts on using a tilt shift or telephoto long lens for documentary or film?

[Lasers_pew_pew_pew]

Hi guys, could I ask your thoughts on using a tilt shift or telephoto long lens for documentary or film? Or if you have any good examples of when either have been used?

 

I'm trying to justify buying either for myself for documentary film making and short narrative films. Even stuff for youtube.

 

Thinking telephoto definitely for any sit down interviews for documentary, and any really close up details of objects for documentary and film. Telephoto for fast sideways movement far away as well. 

 

But struggling to justify it to myself when I've got a gh4, sigma, 18-35, and m43 speed booster.

[Damphousse]

 

Hi guys, could I ask your thoughts on using a tilt shift or telephoto long lens for documentary or film?

 

 

What would you use a tilt shift lens for?  Good tilt shift lenses are expensive and rather specialized.  I've only used them for architecture.  You can also use them for special effects.  Unless I was a architectural photographer or videographer a tilt shift lens would not be my second lens.

 

As for long lenses you just have to see what works for you.  Obviously you want the camera a comfortable distance away from the talent in an interview.  The 4k crop on the GH4 is 2.2x.  So just do the math.

 

As far as getting "close" to subjects what you are talking about is a macro lens.  You can get telephoto lenses that are also macro lenses.  Whatever telephoto you get, macro or otherwise, just check what the close focusing distance is.  If you can, see what the magnification is as well.

[Nikkor]

Tilt for blurring effects only looks good on large format, on small formats like 35mm it looks gimmicky (althought some wedding photographers like to use the 45mm 2.8 tilf/shift lenses).

[richg101]

 

this shot would be impossible without tilt.  however there would very few times I can imagine myself undertaking a shot like this on a regular basis unless technical photography were a particular interest of mine.    

[mehrpower42]

Just take a look here:

 

[Damphousse]

Just take a look here:

 

>

 

I think the tilt-shift shots are superb!

 

Here are the making of videos:

 

[Lasers_pew_pew_pew]

 

this shot would be impossible without tilt.  however there would very few times I can imagine myself undertaking a shot like this on a regular basis unless technical photography were a particular interest of mine.    

 

Can I ask why'd this be impossible without a tilt shift lens?

 

Thank you for all the thoughts guys.

 

I actually just worked out that my 18-35 has such a close focus limit while, that it actually acts like a macro. I can get REALLY close to stuff, and add in that I can always crop in 4 times with 4k. That leaves me with not really needing a macro ever I don't think?

 

Also managed to pick up this lens for £30 off ebay! I am very happy! http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/80200f4ais.htm

 

 

I think the next step would be to ignore the tilt shift for the time being (although second hand one on ebay for just over 200 quid is really cheap I think?), and pick up an old nikkor 50mm. Just for the sake of having a fast 50?

 

Even though I can't think of when I'd ever need it? To be honest, after trying the 4k crop in tactic with my gh4 for the first time today, I'm not sure I need one, and I'm not even sure now that I needed a telephoto in the first place?

 

What do you think the benefit of using a telephoto over a wider lens but with 4k crop would be guys?

[Nikkor]

Perspective is totally different. That lens you got is great and cheap, once you use it you'll see what it's good for.

 

What tilt and shift lenss is 200$? Send me PM :D

[richg101]

Can I ask why'd this be impossible without a tilt shift lens?

 

 

The part being machined is very small (only around 60mm wide) meaning it needed a 250mm lens in macro setup relatively close in order to fill the frame.  this means that dof is razor thin.  (even at f22).  Alongside having to run the lens at f22, I had to use a large amount of horizontal tilt to follow the plane of focus desired (the face of the metal billet was the point of interest).  if tilt hadnt been used the image would have been usable, but not nearly as sharp across the entire face of the machined part. 

[noone]

Perspective is totally different. That lens you got is great and cheap, once you use it you'll see what it's good for.

 

What tilt and shift lenss is 200$? Send me PM :D

Don't think you will get a lens for that but maybe a tilt shift adapter from EBAY (haven't looked lately and even they are likely to be more).

 

For a long lens have a look at this.

 

He used a old Tamron adaptall 300 2.8 - maybe not the best 300 2.8 but none of them are bad and it might be the lightest 300 2.8

 

 

http://www.newsshooter.com/2014/08/17/storytelling-in-reverse-michael-sutton-tells-how-he-shot-his-short-beacon-using-photron-high-speed-camera-canon-1d-c-and-gopro/

[maxotics]

As Araucaria alluded to, decent tilt-shifts start at about $800 (for Rokinon knockoff).  Good ones are close to $2,000.  I had the Canon for a while and came to these conclusions:

 

1. The lens is heavy and cumbersome.  All focus is manual.  NOT remotely run-and-gun.  

2. Tilt is a fun effect, but rarely used.

3. Shift is VERY useful (controls perspective).  However, people are used to the strange perspective of buildings, say, with normal lenses, so when you make the image look straighter through shifting, architecturally speaking, it's a bit distracting in video.  A similar problem bedevils super HD.  All the detail distracts from the overall feel of the image.  

4. I experienced inside the lens adapter (Canon to Sony) flare problems when shifting.  Complex subject.

 

In photography, I can get good enough shift effects through photoshop.  A great benefit of tilt-shift lenses, however, is you can see in the camera the immediate effect of your settings. This is even more important in video. Also, the lens evenly disburses the image on the sensor.  Post-process tilt effects degrade resolution at the edges.  With 4K you should be able to get good post-shift at 1080 (again, keep in mind that post shift requires throwing out some resolution).

 

In short, you have to really WANT, and understand, the effect you can get from TS lenses to use them.  TS lenses are NOT easy to use!  But as righg101 pointed out, in certain shooting situations they do what no other lenses can.