Reorienting the Tilt and Shift axes of a Canon TS-E lens
In their standard configuration, Canon’s Tilt/Shift or TS-E lenses come with the Tilt and shift axes oriented 90° from each other. Many photographers prefer to alter that orientation so that both Tilt and Shift operate coaxially, or in the same plane. (For the record, Jack prefers this orientation and has performed this modification to all three of his TSE lenses.) Below is a brief tutorial explaining how to perform the modification.
First off, this is a relatively simple process involving only the need for basic mechanical skills. HOWEVER you will need a QUALITY jeweler’s style Phillips–head screwdriver in size "00". The chrome-plating on hardware style Phillips drivers is slick and can allow the driver to slip in the slot and strip the head making it very difficult to remove. This will result in possibly requiring a professional repair, so I recommend you start with the proper style screwdriver. The one I use is available from www.micro-tools.com as a small set of slotted and Phillips head drivers in a convenient pouch.
Now that you have the proper tool, we are ready to begin. I perform this operation on the inverted lid from a banker’s box. In addition to providing a clean working surface, it serves as a safety catch for the small screws you will be removing.
Here is the lens as it comes from Canon:
First remove the four screws located here (Tip: If you have a stubborn screw, try placing a drop of alcohol on the screw and let it sit for about 15 minutes -- this softens the factory thread-locking compound and can make removal easier, though it may slightly discolor the finish on the lens, so do not overdo it):
Next carefully rotate the of the lens 90° in a COUNTER-CLOCKWISE* direction from the rear of the lens as shown in the photo. You go counter-clockwise as the small electrical ribbon harness inside can get strained of you rotate in a clockwise direction (*Revision: The new versions of the Canon TSE lenses appear to have slightly longer ribbon harnesses than earlier versions. This added length allows you to rotate the rear assembly clockwise as well, thus placing the tilt and rise adjustment knobs on the same side of the lens. I happen to prefer this new arrangement slightly to what is shown below):
Reinstall and tighten the four screw in an “X” pattern until they are snug. Presto, you are done! Here is the lens as it appears after conversion. Note that the control knobs for Tilt and shift are now located on opposite sides of the lens.
