Tilt Shift Lens Interior Photography
Tilt Shift Lens Interior Photography presents an authentic representation of entire interiors in one image (together with floors and ceilings) using the Tilt Shift method, where there are no different deformations of the rooms as is the case if we want to show this effect by editing images in different programs.
Today, we will not talk in detail about the concept of Tilt Shift Photography but we will be focused on interior images. You can certainly read our post on Tilt Shift Photography and learn every detail about this concept. Today we will focus on explaining in detail how to make the best possible Tilt shift lens interior photography, we will talk about adapters that can completely replace Tilt Shift lenses today and how they are used. Finally, we will also show you some examples of Tilt Shift Interior Photography.
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Tilt Shift Lens Interior Photography: Step by Step
Tilt Shift lenses have a larger image circle than traditional lenses. What does that mean? Well, that means if your camera is on a tripod and your sensors are flush with the rear wall of the interior in the camera position, then the horizontal mode sensors on the tripod are flush with the rear wall of the interior which allows us to use the shift function of the lens. To turn it on push it up use part of that big image circle to show a lot of the image from a higher framing point to the center of our camera.
We can also shift the lens down 45 degrees within and left and right so anything from that large image circle can be projected onto the sensor. It’s ideal for interior photography because we can incorporate high ceilings into our framing. We can get creative and start doing panoramic interiors, start including large parts of our scene to bring it together, there’s a lot we can do with tilt shift lenses, they’re quite creative, and we can make endless variations of interior shots at different angles.
When you use a tilt shift lens instead of tilting the tripod down to see more floor and less ceiling You Can level off the camera so the walls are straight and then shift the lens down and as a result, you’ll show more floor while keeping your wall straight with a tilt shift lens. You can also rotate the lens so your shift function works side to side instead of up and down, this is great for single-point perspectives where you want to keep the horizontal line straight but you also need to see a little bit more of either the left or the right side of the image, because if you pan the tripod left to right then the horizontal lines look crooked and we don’t want that.
Now if your composition requires you to shift diagonally meaning a little bit up and down and sideways then you can also do that by rotating the lens into an in-between position. If you rotate 45 degrees the lens snaps and locks into place but between 90 and 45 degrees there’s no way to lock the lens off so if your composition lands you in this zone just be careful not to bump in anything when focusing or in between frames.
In addition to using the basic shift functions like we explained, another great application of a tilt shift lens interior photography is what is called a stitched panorama. Stitched panorama is where you shoot part of the scene and then shift the lens and shoot another part of the scene and then Stitch the frames together in post. Only the lens is moving and not the camera and the images should line up perfectly and be easy to blend.
If you are asking why would you do this instead of just switching to a wider lens, maybe some of you don’t have a wider lens or you might just like the way this focal length looks better than the wide angle that has more distortion.
The Importance of adapters
A very important thing for tilt shift lens interior photography is the use of adapters on the lens. If you already have a tilt shift lens, then tilt shift adapters will only improve the quality of your tilt shift photos. If you do not have this type of lens, then tilt shift adapters will save you money.
These adapters can turn regular lenses into amazing sources of tilt shift photos. In short, these adapters will allow you to make tilt shift photos like a pro with your regular lens, and you won’t need to buy special tilt shift lenses that are quite expensive compared to ordinary ones (prices of tilt shift lenses range from $800 to $2500).
Below we bring you the best adapters for this type of photography according to diyphotography.net. These adapters are compatible with a wide range of camera lenses starting from Canon FD, Canon EF or Nikon F, up to Fuji X.
Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR Tilt/Shift Lens Mount Adapter For Nikon Nikkor F
EF/EF-S Tilt/Shift Lens to Sony E Mount Smart Adapter
Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR - Tilt/Shift Lens Mount Adapter for Canon RF
Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR - Tilt/Shift Lens Mount Adapter for Canon FD and Fuji X
How Does a Tilt Shift Adapter Work
A tilt shift lens can change both angles of the glass itself or it can shift sideways. Tilting creates blur and sideways move your camera off the direct line of sight. Also, there’s a twist knob for locking your tilt and a lever you press to shift the lens, there’s also a small button that allows you to rotate the adapter so that both of these motions can go in any direction up or down whatever angle.
For the blur, it’s important to use a fair lens wide open and the adapter needs a shallow depth of field that it can manipulate. Because you’re angling the lens to create your effect the amount of blur is dependent on three things: the angle of your tilt, the speed of your lens and the aperture. The adapter will give you the ability to move the lens, which will change the perspective and composition of the image, which is very useful when taking images of interiors using the tilt shift method.
The vast majority of such adapters do not have autofocus, which is another advantage for tilt shift photos, because you will be able to manually manipulate the focus and the photos will turn out exactly as you imagined.
Tilt Shift Lens Interior Photography: Examples
In the end, we would like to show you a few examples of tilt shift lens interior photography that represent the application of everything we talked about in our text. We described each image and pointed out the advantages of tilt shift lens interior photography, which are clearly visible in the images. For more examples of tilt shift images, you can check out our article on the 25 best Tilt Shift images you can find on the internet in 2023, where there are great interiors as well.
Tilt-Shift Panorama of Wedding Ballroom
In this image, we immediately see the application of tilt shift lens where a huge wedding hall is shown, and as you can see, it all fits in one photo. This would certainly not be possible using an ordinary lens. Alternative ways such as editing in photoshop could achieve a tilt shift effect, but anyone who has any understanding of photography would be clear about how that image was made and also this image’s brightness would be lost.
It is important to emphasize the position of the walls in the space in the photo, where everything is in its place thanks to the use of a tilt shift lens or its adapter. If by any chance we wanted to get this effect by editing the photo in one of the programs, it would be difficult to get rid of the problem of deformed walls.
Tilt-Shift Modern Hanging Kitchen
This image is an ideal example of photography for companies that deal with real estate and where they want to show as much as possible in one photo, without losing the real appearance of the room or causing unwanted deformations. Tilt shift lens interior photography is ideal for that.
In addition to kitchen sets, accompanying devices, or the entire furniture if it is a living room, with tilt shift technology you can also display high-quality floors or some super interesting and high-quality lighting on the ceiling. By using the tilt shift method of photography, you will surely make your life easier when trying to present a certain space to potential clients as authentically as possible.
Tilt-Shift Image of Modern Waiting Room
Even from this example, it is unnecessary to mention how tilt shift technology can help you to show smaller rooms in just one photo. You can notice that the floor and ceiling fit into the picture without any problem, and this goes to show that this same effect could be achieved in rooms that are quite larger than this one, if not twice as large. It is also important to make sure that the focus is not lost anywhere and that all objects in the room are clearly visible.
Tilt-Shift Night Shot of Apartment
Here we have another room that is shown in its entirety in one photo with tilt shift technology. All the advantages of the room and its multifunctionality are highlighted. The good thing about this method of photography is that you inevitably get the visual feeling that the room is a little bigger than it actually is. Again, this is great for real estate companies or even individuals looking to sell or rent their house or apartment.
FAQ
What are the benefits of using a tilt-shift lens for interior photography?
Tilt-shift lenses offer many advantages for interior photography, which certainly includes thanks to the entire interior with floor and ceiling, recording wide-angle shots without distortion, as well as realistic image display without deformation.
Are tilt-shift lenses expensive?
The answer to this question is YES, Tilt Shift Lenses are expensive, many would say without too much reason, but their price on the market ranges from $800 to $2500.
Is a tilt-shift lens necessary for interior photography?
A Tilt Shift Lens is not necessary to obtain a tilt shift effect when taking photos, the effect can be obtained by editing, for example, in Photoshop or by purchasing a Tilt Shift Adapter, which is the best option, because today the latest adapters have even better performance than the Tilt Shift Lens and cost around $200.
Can I achieve the same effect as a tilt-shift lens in post-processing?
The answer is yes, but that image will never fully compare to photos taken with a tilt shift lens or tilt shift adapter. You can only get closer to the real tilt shift effect in relation to your editing capabilities.
