Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L Tilt-Shift Lens

2021-11-08T07:24:38

Perfect for me

CHUCK G.

2021-11-01T13:35:59

The lens works ok. The front element sticks out & you have to be careful not to scratch it. The software package, from Coral, requires an internet connection & can not be installed on a stand alone computer. I was unable to use it & ended giving it away. I have always had problems with Coral & usually uninstalled it.

BOB T.

2020-03-22T20:00:00

These two photos was taken in one frame shot - not in five frames then stitch later. It was taken around 5:30PM in Long Island NY. I am challenging myself into taking my photographs AS IS, without heavy editing in the end of the shot (only touched contrast, exposure and thats it. This lens performs well for me, and in the long run this lens will save me a lot of time editing for i can correct distortions in the field immediately. I heard there are people using this lens for portraitures and landscape and they produced amazing work. The price will compensate the use in the long run and the lens was built to last. I advise people to have external monitor for composing for the built-in camera monitor is getting smaller every year. The lens is a prime lens, a mechanical equipment manual all the time, i consider this a machine built with metal and glass - not automatic/electronic lens. This lens moves in three different directions, tilt, shift, and rotate --X, Y and Z axis, in aviation roll, pitch and yaw. The thing negative is it doesnt come with hood for protection in the field you have to be very extra-careful for the glass protrudes out of the barrel. When i go out for shoot the positive effect is the lens is so obviously protrudes and the people respect you immediately for they think you are a living legend in photography, LoL. You can actually hear people from the background say "shht move back the guy is serious look at the lens. Is that a lens?" the bleeding wallet will heal right away. The lens cap was poorly designed for an expensive lens. The lens is remarkably beautiful, engineered and well-built to last.

THESHOOTERDIDITAGAIN

Originally posted at

2019-10-03T20:00:00

Just purchased this wonderful lens to add to my tilt-shift tool box. The L series build is exceptional and the glass is an example of optical perfection. Took some full frame test shots controlling wide angle perspective. Impressive! I am VERY excited to put serious creative composition to work with this lens!

tjhammer

Originally posted at

2019-02-14T16:20:23

Well-build, but expensive.

Zhiqi L.

2019-01-10T17:33:40

Great lens for many purposes.

Zhiqi L.

2018-11-27T19:00:00

I’ve bought refurbished lenses here before and had great results, but am returning this one. It arrived and I noticed first that the front element had water spots on it. Obviously hadn’t been refurbished if it came with spots on the glass. Next I noticed a nick or 1/8” long scratch in the front element. Not refurbished.

Mark m.

Originally posted at

2018-07-23T10:51:02

Extremely sharp and versatile. A bit of a learning curve but not overwhelming. Recommend a camera with a good live view screen and a Hoodman loop for focusing.

WILLIAM P.

2016-03-04T19:00:00

This lens takes some work to understand, but there's no other piece of equipment at any price that makes the near-perfect pictures this lens takes. Panoramic vistas, distortion-free architectural shots, expanded or shortened DOF shots - all from one lens. And it is hideously cool looking in and of itself - a masterpiece of optical sculpture. If any of those types of photos are in your sights, there's no substitute. It's worth every penny.

Agachado

Originally posted at

2014-12-22T19:00:00

This lens is technically flawless and simply amazing. I shoot landscape and architectural photography. This lens handles both so well. Of course, it's main application will be architectural photography. But it shines in landscape as well, especially if you would like to look up towards the sky at a 45 degree angle and not have all the trees vertically converging toward the center of the photograph! So, if you are wondering is it worth the money, it is for me. And if you are a serious landscape or architectural photographer, it will be for you as well. And yes, there is a third party filter and pinch cap attachment that allows full movement with no vignetting, contrary to what other reviewers say. So, have your cake and eat it too!

Mr B.

Originally posted at

2014-11-29T19:00:00

I am a professional photographer in Seattle. I shoot interiors for both commercial and residential builders, architects, and interior designers. I also shoot many yacht interiors for builders, brokers, and dealers. I have had the 16-35 zoom… and it worked OK but you lose a lot of both quality and image when you straighten out the lines with software. So far the 17mm tilt shift along with the 24mm tilt shift and numerous other lenses I have are the way I shoot. The 17mm is clearly the best lens Canon has ever made. Maybe you could argue about the 24mm too? I have an aftermarket lens hood and a 145mm circular polarizer for the lens…. which is quite useful. My only beef is the knobs hide the adjustment lines and you really need a flashlight in your hand to work the lens in a dark restaurant or yacht environment… relatively a small problem.

photobymike

Originally posted at

2014-07-21T21:00:00

Amazing lens, crispy sharp and a drem for architectural photographers. Only down size is the lack of threading...

Thibault R.

2014-07-15T21:00:00

Amazing lens, great construction and very reliable/tough/durable. Highly recommended!!

Thibault R.

2014-07-14T21:00:00

A great lens, sharp corner to corner

PAUL M.

2013-09-09T21:00:00

If you shoot architecture, mountains, or anything else where you need to look up, you need this. Or if you like the toy/model effect, this works for that too. Solid construction, locks and knobs are smooth and efficient. Tilt and shift axes can be rotated independently from each other.

Andrew B.

2013-06-17T21:00:00

Excellent for wide angle shots. Detail is phenomenal. Crisp and clear all the way to the edge of the picture. Everything you would expect from the best. But wait!!! You can control the image perspective, do easy panoramas, make megapixel monsters, and control the plane of focus. The ultimate in image control!!!

Henry

2013-01-21T19:00:00

With such a wide angle, I was conserned about sharpness in the corners. I found the lens does very well. Overall I have found it to be quite sharp. Unfortunately it does not work with autofocus. The best way to focus it is using the camera's live view at 10X. I would recommend getting a Hoodman to use with it. It is solidly built. The user must be careful to protect the protruding lens element. No filters are possible.

ANDERS S.

2012-10-29T20:00:00

I bought this lens after my extreme satisfaction with EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM. I wanted a lens that corrects the super wide angle distortion effect. I took this lens with me to Paris and used it to photograph cathedrals and buildings. After few attempts, I was able to control focusing without then need of a tripod and captured tall structures up close with virtually no distortion. In the narrow streets of Paris, it is the only way you can capture the beauty of the Parisian architecture. As described in the manual, aperture and focusing need to be adjusted after tilt or shift. While this may sound complicated, it really is not. You can still take advantage of the in-focus indicator by manually adjusting focus while half depressing the shutter release. Exposure can be easily corrected by viewing the recorded image. In short, I was able to take crisp and sharp images with virtually no distortion by keeping the aperture relatively small and making successive corrections with few exposures, all without the use of a tripod.

Jay

Originally posted at

2012-09-16T21:00:00

Great lens for architecture and tight spaces. Love the angle of view and really has become my main wide angle for interiors. The 24mm has always been a little long for many rooms, the 17mm fills those gaps.

DAVID W.

2012-02-19T19:00:00

Best lens for architecture work. Check focus using live-view!

Steve D.

2012-02-17T19:00:00

I have these lens to use it in architectural photography, but the amazing thing it's that you can do a lot of things with it. It gives you a lot of possibilities to expand your imagination. Now I use it everywhere I go, for example I go to vacations to Las Vegas with family and I take amazing photos from the city and family only with these lens. Its a little bit hard to get an exact tilted picture without a tripod, but, they are better than if I take it with another lens. Quality of the pictures are very good, it's my first L lens and I just love it.

AV

Originally posted at

2012-02-12T19:00:00

I was surprised how much I use the 17 TS-E over the 24 TS. It really covers an interior with excellent perspective correction. it is a also great lens for exteriors in tight situations although the perspective can appear quite exaggerated. The 17 TS-E is worth the price. One has to be extremely careful of the front element at all times.

STEPHEN R.

2012-01-22T19:00:00

We've been happy and very impressed with every photo taken with this lens, whether in very tight small rooms or exterior shooting.

BHumma

2012-01-22T19:00:00

Great lens for architectural work. Very sharp pictures from edge to edge and pretty straight lines. Since you're probably a semi- or pro photographer buying this lens, you're probably already careful so you know about being careful with the lens being exposed. The hard cover for the lens is great. Big knobs make it easy to use compared to other ts-e lenses I've used.

joetphotography

2012-01-06T19:00:00

I've now owned the 17mm TS mounted on a Canon 5D MarkII for several months shooting home interiors for the Real Estate market. My 'backup' lens is now my 7D with a Canon 10-22mm lens, which is my comparison setup. I will not go into detail here as many others have already provided that type of excellent feedback. This lens is simply awesome and does what the top-notch 10-22mm lens could not do. When I stand on the sidewalk in front of a building and cannot get back any further due to traffic, the shift capabilities of the lens simply captures all the building while maintaining the straight vertical lines of the building. The quality is simply amazing. Often when viewing the photo on my computer for the first time, I just sit back and say "Wow" out loud. The build is great and since I always use a tripod, the weight isn't a problem. Speaking of weight, some have suggested it can be used hand held. This is something I tried and decided I would not attempt again without the tripod. The reason? If I'm outside shooting the exterior of a building or home and it is raining, then it would be much easier to hand hold rather than carrying a tripod. However, using live view to get focus in addition to trying to keep the camera level both vertically and horizontally is a real challenge. Yes, it can be done, but under an umbrella in the rain, it is a challenge!! Of course, even if not raining all that I mentioned would still be true. I've also noted a challenge early on with sometimes not getting the focus right. The depth of field for some shots turns out very shallow, which is the opposite of what I need. I'm convinced for an interior shot in a home, I don't need to use the Tilt feature of the lens. I've also noted that using F8 or F11, F8 seems to give better quality results, so a higher F stop isn't the answer. Perhaps it was just operator error as not all shots have the focus problem. The bottom line is that if you want to have all the tools at your disposal to produce fantastic results, then spend the money and get this lens. If you can deal with 'bent' vertical lines and crop out much of your shot just to keep verticals straight, then go with the 10-22mm. However, the 10-22mm is made for the EOS line with the 1.6 sensors, which means it effectively is a 27mm lens. It cannot be mounted on my full frame 5DMII.

inspiredlogic

Originally posted at

2011-11-05T20:00:00

I've been an architectural shooter for over 20 years. I've been through several wide lenses starting with the 20mm, then the 17-35, 17-40, 16-35 and I currently have the 16-35 Mark II. While it's the best of the zooms and better than the fixed 20mm, it can't even come close in image quality to the TS-E 17mm. The only thing lacking is the ability to polarize this lens, which is something I do quite often when shooting interiors. So then I need to use the 16-35 instead, but I'm eventually going to get the TS-E 24mm Mark II and then will have that option, albeit not as wide. Otherwise this lens combined with my 5D Mark II creates files that look almost like photo-realistic illustrations. The edge sharpness has always been an issue with other UWA lenses, until this lens. If you think this is an expensive lens, then you're probably not the demographic that should be using it.

JohnMac

Originally posted at

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Great if you want to have less ceiling in your shot. You can also shoot so it appears that your right in front of a mirror. Obviously, not the same as having a movable back element like a View Camera, but, close.

RANDY S.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

The 17mm TS-E is superb photographing tight interior and exterior views. I use it for HDR and conventionally lit architectural work. With the tilt-shift is it much more usable that a conventional 17mm and has become indispensable. I didn't imagine I would use it as much as I do. It is very sharp, has great contrast, and good flare control for such a wide lens. The front element protrusion requires immediate replacement of the protective cap for safety.

STEPHEN R.

2011-05-19T21:00:00

I have used T/S lenses and bellows cameras for many years but this lens takes some getting used to. Unshifted it is a very impressive lens - considerably better than the 16-35 F2.8 II. The tilt / shift modes are very good and light fall off is not a big issue. However, the extreme wide angle of this lens makes focusing and framing quite difficult - especially when tilted. In general this lens needs to be used on a tripod with the rear LCD carefully reviewed. You can shoot handheld but it is not an easy operation. I found that getting the results I wanted took several weeks of experience and it takes months to get the best from this lens.

Phil W.

2011-03-03T19:00:00

I'm a professional architectural photographer and a semi-pro landscape photographer. With extensive 4x5 film experience, this lens gets me back to 99% of the capability of a 55mm lens on 4x5 using film. Some people on other forums have suggested that the bulging front element would cause endless flare problems. It doesn't. I'm often required to shoot interiors with light cans recessed in the ceiling overhead. There is a certain angle approximately 20 to 30 degrees in front of the camera, and 5 or so degrees behind, that will occasionally cause minor flare. In every instance so far I've been able to shade the lens with my hand and eliminate the flare completely. Setting the camera up with illumination directly overhead has never been a problem. I've had extensive experience with the Canon 17-40mm zoom and it has far worse flare issues regardless of the focal length used. I suspect having to tilt that lens up when shooting exteriors contributes to this problem. Others have suggested that there is a steep learning curve in using this lens effectively. Without 4x5 experience you will have to spend some time getting familiar with the Scheimflug principle in order to use the tilt feature correctly, but the shift feature alone will be usable right out of the box. In shooting architecture, shift (Rise & Fall is all you will use 95% of the time. Product, tabletop and landscape shots will benefit the most from using tilt. There are abundant resources to help understand the whys and wherefores of using tilt to manipulate the plane of sharpest focus if you don't have experience. Quite honestly, until this lens came along, I had little inclination to invest in a 35mm or digital solution that got no wider than 24mm. My specialty has always been architectural interiors and too often 24mm just isn't wide enough. That being said, the Canon 24mm Tilt-Shift will be in my gear case very soon because it is a very necessary focal length also. In fact, I just upgraded to a larger rolling case to accommodate the additional Canon Tilt-Shift lenses I will soon own. Some have suggested that the lens is heavy, bulky and therefore difficult to use handheld. If you are planning to shoot without a tripod this is not your lens. Hiking long distances to shoot scenery and carrying the bare minimum of weight might eliminate this lens, but be aware that there are many landscape photographers willing to carry extra gear to ensure the best possible image. With the lightweight carbon fiber tripods available today, taking the handheld approach simply doesn't make sense to me. There are many light weight zooms available for a handheld approach and I think would be better tools for the job if you want to shoot this way. For the landscape photographer willing to carry the additional weight of this lens, the benefits will be astounding. Employing tilt to ensure sharp detail from foreground to infinity using f/8, as opposed to stopping down to f/16 or f/22, will yield far superior images. Image sharpness gained with using the 17mm Tilt-Shift lens this way will far surpass any conventional lens on the market. If you ever look at the cross section of a conventional 4x5 wide-angle lens designed without the constraints of a mirror box and lens flange, you will be further amazed at what this lens is capable of. 4x5 wide-angles typically do very well with just 8 elements arranged symmetrically as opposed to the retro focus design employed for SLR cameras. And yet, there is near zero barrel distortion or chromatic aberration. This eliminates at least three steps in post production. I haven't talked about keeping verticals vertical, but the gain in image quality by doing this in camera is reason enough for me to own this lens. Last but not least, to suggest that the price/value is less than 5 stars due to the high price tag requires that you don't take into account the amount of gear required to set-up and shoot conventional 4x5. If you compare this len's capability shooting digitally as opposed to using a digital view camera solution, your savings in weight and cost are measured by several pounds and tens of thousands of dollars. Looked at in this light, this lens (along with the Canon 5D Mk II) is at least 10 stars!

Lock,Load S.

Originally posted at