We all know that the lens is one of the most crucial photographic equipment. Each lens will gather light, produce different angles of view, and perform different functions from what it was designed for. From wide-angle to telephoto lenses, the perspective and angle of view are all different. In addition to the lens’s design and aperture size. Additionally, there are lenses that were created for specific uses, such as fisheye lenses and the “Tilt-Shift lens” that we will be discussing today.
Tilt-Shift lenses are specialized lenses that are frequently employed in commercial photography, including product photography and architectural photography. Because this kind of lens can change the perspective of the image from behind the camera (using the shift function) and the focal plane to make any section of the image sharp and properly focused (using the Tilt function), which is essential in commercial photography.
But the characteristics of the Tilt-Shift lens can also be used in creative photography as well. For example, in landscape photography, we can adjust the Tilt function to make the image look like a miniature scene, and what I used this time is to use the “Tilt function” in Portrait Photography to adjust the focal plane to focus on the desired position or spot adding uniqueness to the image.
Now, we need to clarify something. When a Tilt-Shift lens isn’t tilted or shifted, it can still be used as a regular lens. The tilt function could be a little challenging to comprehend at first, but after you figure it out, it will be helpful and beneficial. The key to being able to regulate and modify this function is understanding how the focus plane operates.
Normal lenses will produce a focus plane that is perpendicular to the camera sensor. The focusing ring on the lens regulates the focal plane’s movement from close to distant, and the aperture determines the depth of field (DOF). For instance, when you shoot with a large aperture like f/1.4, you will get shallow DOF and when you stop down the lens to a smaller aperture (smaller number), the DOF will grow, and the image will have more depth of field. That is the bare minimum of what a focal plane is and how it is utilized.
Now, on to using the Tilt function. The best explanation that I can give briefly is to imagine the focus plane like a large clear glass sheet parallel to the camera sensor. Remember that the focal plane does not have an end boundary in its plane, it goes on to infinity. Now, if you adjust the Tilt function of the lens, the glass sheet (focal plane) will tilt along with the front end of the lens that is tilted. If you use a smaller aperture the glass sheet will become thicker giving more depth to the focal plane. That is the most straightforward approach I could come up with to explain how the Tilt function operates.
When viewing a photo captured using a tilt/shift lens, it initially seems as though the line of focus is parallel to the ground, blurring the top and bottom portions. Many people attempt to recreate this appearance using editing programs or even Instagram filters. That’s not the case, which is the issue. The focus plane is not perpendicular to the ground; rather, it is inclined. Because of this, it’s incredibly difficult to accurately recreate the look in programs like Photoshop. Yes, depending on the image, sometimes you can, but you can’t.
And this is the first time for the FUJIFILM GFX SYSTEM that I can use these functions completely. Both Tilt and Shift on the digital medium format camera with the latest lens FUJINON GF110mmF5.6 T/S Macro with a large image circle up to 85mm. That means that this lens can effortlessly cover the GFX’s medium format sensor and Tilt / Shift comfortably with no loss to image quality.
The FUJINON GF110mmF5.6 T/S Macro also comes with not one but two rotating points! Meaning that you can rest assured that there won’t be any angle you won’t be able to adjust no matter if you are using the camera horizontally or vertically. All the knobs and switches are located nicely on the barrel, one side being the adjustment knobs for tilting and shifting the lens, the opposite being the locking knobs to lock the degree of how much you tilted or shifted and a locking switch to ensure the use of this lens as a regular 110mm lens without accidentally tilting the lens.
As for the optical performance of this lens. I would have to say that this could easily be one of the sharpest lenses I’ve ever used. From center to the edges, this lens gives an extremely high-quality image through the frame.