What about perspective control?

[Yann Gourhant]

Nikon PC-E and Canon T/S lenses can do pretty cool stuff. Has anybody tried them on a 35mm adaptor?

I can think of some interesting shots for film.

- A shift could be handy for perspective correction. That could be done in post-production, but would result in a little image degradation, I guess...

- With a shift, you should be able to film a mirror without seeing the camera.

- A tilt would create near infinite depth of field, and I guess "Orson Wellesian" shots...

What do you think? Couldl it work on a film as it works in still? And most of all, is this worth the price?

 

[pmark23]

I have a Lens Baby tilt-shift (with wide adapter) for use with the HVX/Brevis. I use it for selective focus control (left side of frame in focus, right side out of focus), and perspective distortion (instead of correction). It's also a great all-round f--k-things-up lens.

Seeing it used on the opening scenes of "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" sold it for me.

 

[Hans Moleman]

It was worth it enough for Kaminsky to rehouse a lensbaby to fit PL, and he almost got another Oscar for it.

 

[ecking]

Seeing it used on the opening scenes of "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" sold it for me.

I was about to reference that but you beat me to it.

 

[Taylor Rudd]

I wanted to do something similar to Diving Bell but didn't want to purchase a conventional T/S or a lensbaby. So I bought two off brand lenses on eBay and took them apart. I created 4 different configurations with their optics for a project dealing with a coma-induced reality.

This is some test footage from that day.
http://trudd.com/files/With_SD.mp4

I didn't have time to build a mount or support for the lenses, so I just held them in front of my Letus. That was okay for this project, as the client wanted a very rough, jerky feel. If I were to do this again I would build some kind of support...

If nothing else I know a little bit more about optics from dismantling the lenses and playing with the elements. I suggest everyone do the same.

 

[ESTEBEVERDE]

I have a Lens Baby tilt-shift (with wide adapter) for use with the HVX/Brevis. I use it for selective focus control (left side of frame in focus, right side out of focus), and perspective distortion (instead of correction). It's also a great all-round f--k-things-up lens.

Seeing it used on the opening scenes of "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" sold it for me.

It was worth it enough for Kaminsky to rehouse a lensbaby to fit PL, and he almost got another Oscar for it.

Yes indeed!

 

[JohnLeeFilms]

Music video director Dean Karr uses some pretty funky stuff with lenses. Not sure what. Watch Manson's "Sweet Dreams" or Nickel Creek's "When in Rome" and you will see. Very different and artistic stuff.

 

[Matty_g]

just watched the new series crash and they seem to be using some tilt and shift lenses for dialog scenes.

I have some test footage with the nikkon 85mm T&S and my sgpro around here somewhere.

 

[RyanT]

Could definitely be cool. Along with taking the lens out during the shot, it's something I've wanted to try out for a while.

 

[puredrifting]

The Len Babies are great tools for getting those really strange looks.

I LOVED the Diving Bell and the Butterfly, what an amazing film, the best I have seen this year on DVD.

Dan

 

[Yann Gourhant]

The lens baby, is just a "tilt" lens, right? No shift?

I bought two off brand lenses on eBay and took them apart. I didn't have time to build a mount or support for the lenses, so I just held them in front of my Letus.

Cool, I wanted to do this too! I'm going to trash one of my old Minoltas and make something like a view camera...

I LOVED the Diving Bell and the Butterfly, what an amazing film, the best I have seen this year on DVD.

Everybody talks about it. I have to see it. And it's a french movie, for once