Macro tilt-shift solution for the Fuji

[StaaleS]

Greetings all!

I've recently gotten my grubby little hands on the 60/2.4 macro. It is quite a useful little thing for model photography (the scale model kind, not the leggy blonde kind), but inevitably I find that I run out of depth of field on a regular basis. No suprise really, it's just those nasty laws of physics.

I know that on my other system (Canon) a well-knowns trick is to hook a 90mm tilt-shift up to a set of extension tubes, this allows for really close focusing for macro use and tilting the lens allows one to place the plane of focus pretty much where it will do the most good.

Has anyone done anything similar on the Fuji? Obviously it would be a hack involving third-party stuff. I have an ex-Soviet 35mm/2.8 tilt-shift laying around, it is a medium-format lens with a Canon EF mount but full manual controls, no electronics whatsoever. Could I perhaps combine this with an EF mount adapter and Canon extension tubes to get where I want? It would admittedly be somewhat wider angle than is perhaps ideal, but one takes what one can get. I have the lens already, but not the adapter and tubes, and would just ask around before investing.

 

[willie_901]

I have not read any reports of close-up TS work done with the Fujifilm X-mount. I'd say your plan to try the ex-Soviet lens is a good idea.

What about a bellows system instead of tubes and a TS lens?

 

[narsuitus]

Has anyone done anything similar on the Fuji?

I have used an adapter to attach my Fuji X-Pro1 to my Nikon PB-4 bellows. The bellows provides limited tilt, swing, and shift features which I can use for perspective control and depth-of-field control.


Nikon PB-4 bellows by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[StaaleS]

Aye, a bellows would be the non plus ultra approach, a T/S lens is just a poor man's approximation of one. Since I don't happen to have one laying around I think I'll give the extension tube approach a try.

 

[narsuitus]

My Nikon 28mm f/4 perspective control lens has a shift feature but no tilt feature.

I was able to find a reasonably priced ($30 USD) Nikon F to Fuji X tilt adapter that allows me mount my 28mm lens on my Fuji X body. This adapter adds a tilt feature for control of depth-of-field to a lens that already has a shift feature for perspective control.


Shift and Tilt by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[StaaleS]

Ah, cute. It's the tilt I need for my purposes. I've just ordered a set of el cheapo tubes and a ditto Canon EF-Fuji X converter off ebay... the quality is probably no better than necessary but it's just air, not glass so I will take my chances 🙂 Actually, I own a few old, manual Nikon F lenses so might look into that particular adapter at a later date. It would be more flexible and allow for more useful focal lengths than my 35mm...