When I went on a photo safari in the media harbor of Düsseldorf to shoot with the new 7Artisans 50mm f1.4 Tilt Shift lens, I tried to challenge unexpected results no other lens can do. When I shared the first results with some of my close photographer friends, they started to laugh. They told me, all what you are doing with this lens I can do also with Photoshop, if I want. True, I said but you will be spending hours on the PC and “paint” your pictures. I am out there in nature, at the point of my interest, and I use the tools and features of the lens and create the wanted image in much shorter time. I even have the advantage that I do not lose any resolution, contrast or generate fail colors while shooting my picture to the point I want it.
Let us have a look to the technical details of the lens.
The mechanical and optical lens specifications are great. No doubt this is not a toy lens as the low price compared to the functionality might make us believe. It´s a wide-open lens f1.4 and the 12 diaphragm blades are promising a smooth bokeh wide open. Shifting can be done in steps, the tilt functionality is seamless adjustable in high precision.
All in all, a well build and robust lens. A quality product as expected by 7Artisans.
On all the images below, made with the 7Artisans 50mm f1.4 tilt/shift lens, I made one image without using tilt or shift function and next to it one or even two image with tilt or shift correction. Both functions, tilt and shift, can be used in horizontal or vertical image direction and even in many steps in between, as the complete lens can be rotated in relation to the lens mount. All this provides one with so many possible creative image corrections/distortions.
I marked for you which correction/distortion I used for the separate images.
A special remark I want to give to the last image on this page, as expected the sun star produced at f16 with the 12 Diaphragm blades are stunning.
My conclusion: The 7Artisans 50mm f1.4 tilt/shift lens is NO toy lens but a wonderful tool to realize creative images. It´s not an all time on lens or a lens for the daily photo bag, but it allows images and perspectives that are hugely different. Typically, one would say it´s an architectural lens but I am sure also in many other situations, this lens can enhance the expression of your images. You must try it. Go out and shoot and have fun.
