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[OM] 24mm shift (long)

Subject: [OM] 24mm shift (long)
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 21:13:58 -0700
From: "Gries, Robert" <RGries@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

...am I to understand that there is a bellows
attachment that will shift/tilt any OM lens so that one can photograph
architecture?

I don't think anyone said that, Robert. A prototype tilt bellows was apparently around long ago, according to Paul Farrar's page. I've been gathering parts for such a project, but now I need to gather time for the project.

I have a photocopy of an article from Model Railroad magazine. It's a construction article for a 35mm tilt/shift bellows. It looks much more complicated -- and not much cheaper -- than hacking an existing Olympus bellows.

Finally, there's a German company called Zoerk ("oe" is an "o" with an umlaut) that makes a telescoping extension tube that mounts in sort-of ball-joint on the camera mount, so you can tilt it. They also make a shift adaptor. Their stuff is VERY expensive, and has long lead times. Ken Hansen in New York City is the importer, and he told me last spring that Zoerk is basically a one-person operation, and so cannot meet demand -- even at more than the cost of a Zuiko 24mm shift!

The big problem with all such schemes is that common 35mm lenses have image circles that are too small to tilt or shift much, and also that they no longer focus to infinity if anything is introduced between lens and body that changes the register distance.

The only Zuikos I think might work would be the 135mm and 80mm macro lenses, and then only with rear-tilt, which requires less of an image circle than front-tilt.

Most people use enlarger lenses, which have plenty of image circle, albeit with compromised sharpness at other than normal magnification ratios.

Can I end my quest for the allusive 24 mm Zuiko shift?

No, you may not. You must pay your pennance like the rest of us Zuikoholics. :-)

...  I currently own a OM 2n
with a 35 mm Zuiko shift.  This lens and a graduated neutral density filter
have served me well for a long time, but I am becoming more interested in
finding and purchasing a 24mm shift lens for the same camera...

One thing you'll miss on the 24 is you cannot use filters with it.

Here's a couple panoramas done with the 24, full shift up, 12 frames each:

  <http://www.bytesmiths.com/Art_Gallery/SilverFalls/SilverFallsTour.mov>

I'm particularly pleased with how well these shifted frames stitched, with very little of the rushing around the sides that one usually gets with wide lens pans. One serendipitous accident is that there was a family there taking pictures, and I managed (luck over skill) to get the mother taking a picture of herself!

All were done with an OM-4T on Kodak Gold 100, except a couple Kodachromes. Here's the lenses used:

Lower South Falls, north side: Zuiko 21/2
Lower South Falls, south side: Zuiko 21/2
behind Lower South Falls: Zuiko 16/3.5 fisheye
unnamed falls: four stitched frames from Zuiko 90/2
fallen tree: Zuiko 90/2
Lower North Falls: Zuiko 90/2
Double Falls, summer: Zuiko 24/3.5 shift, full up
Double Falls, winter: Zuiko 35/2.8 shift, full up
wood sorrel: Zuiko 90/2
Middle North Falls: Zuiko 18/3.5
mossy tree: Zuiko 40/2
Winter Falls: Zuiko 18/3.5
stump: Zuiko 16/3.5
decayed wood: Zuiko 90/2

: Jan Steinman <mailto:Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: Bytesmiths <http://www.bytesmiths.com>

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