The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

The "new" Hartblie 45mm Super-Rotator Tilt-Shift Lens

Don Libby

Well-known member
A while back I mentioned that I was interested in using a tilt/shift lens on both my Sony A7r (IR) camera as well as the Phase DF. While I'd much prefer a Canon 17 T/S I wouldn't be able to use it in IR due to a difficulty in finding proper filters (I've had the body re-converted to shoot full spectrum); added to the fact I couldn't use the lens on the DF. I had thought briefly about the Canon 24 t/s which while solving the problem of the filters it still was limited to the Sony.

All this got be thinking about the Hartblie, a lens I used to own several years ago and one I wish I had never sold. I've tested using various medium format lenses on the 7r and was pleased with the results. The 45mm Hartblie is equal to around 28mm on the Sony and will use the "sweet-spot" of the lens so corners shouldn't be a huge issue. I also thought I could use the lens on the DF for when I needed the tilt/shift and the hell with the corners.

The Super-Rotator arrived less than 24-hours ago and I've been working with it since. My camera is still in UPS hands so I've not tried it in IR as yet using Sandy's 7r instead and my DF/IQ 160. Overall I'm pleased - however it's still early....








Sony A7r handheld lens set at zero


DF/IQ160 lens set at zero handheld


7r pano test from yesterday - 3-files merged

Processing was simple, I opened in C1-Pro applied the lens profile then saved to PS-CC to save as a Jpeg. The test pano was the only file(s) that took a little more work. This is just early preliminary work. While it isn't perfect for the DF/IQ it seems to work well on the 7r.

More soon...

Don
 

segedi

Member
Pretty cool! Been thinking of trying TS myself.

Confused on one point, how is the 45mm lens equal to 28mm on the smaller format Sony? Wouldn't it be equal to about 28mm on a 645?
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
Medium format lens...

The 45mm will be 45 on 645 which is equal to 28mm in 35mm terms. I gave up thinking what the 35mm term was while shooting 645. What I look for now is what a medium format lens equals to if I put it on the Sony; in this case 28mm.

I know, clear as mud...

Don
 

Don Libby

Well-known member
On another note; the 7r was returned from Life Pixel this past Monday afternoon. I had it all of 60-minutes before heading out the door for Yuma and onto San Diego. I had limited time to set up custom white balances for the various IR filters and zero time to actually shoot anything. While I didn't get a chance to use the Hartblie in San Diego I did get a chance to shoot it at a rest area (of all places) on the way there. I'll post a couple sample soon shot in 830nm.

Don
 

segedi

Member
Looking forward to those shots!

In any regard, the medium format lens should perform very well at the extremes due to the bigger image circle and like you said, it will hit the sweet spot.
 
Top