User Guide

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USER MANUALS
HTS 1.5 – 3043400 – 2011 – v3
Item no.: 3043400
HTS 1.5
4/8
17
Approach
Whether solving a problem or creating an ef fect, a simple initial
analysis of the situation is advisable, particularly in regard to
tilt.
The key with tilt is to establish where the plane of focus already
is in the set-up and subject, and where you want it to be. Only
then can you make the appropriate corresponding movement.
This applies to both corrective action (to ‘increase’ the depth of
eld) and to selective focus situations (to ‘decrease’ the depth
of eld).
Shift is much easier to estimate as results are obvious. How-
ever, a combination of tilt and shift can introduce new consid-
erations in certain circumstances. See under Specications
for details. Likewise, rotation will also introduce a slightly more
complicated situation to arise.
While it would be possible to work out which movements to use
with charts and mathematics, a visual check has to be the nal
point of judgement. View camera users have various methods
of working (see Scheimpug principle, for example) and you
might nd that a simplied version of this concept is enough for
everyday use.
The main point to remember is to keep a careful check on all
parts of the image because increasing sharpness in one part of
the image can create unsharpness elsewhere.
Avoiding problems
•Ensurethelatestrmwareisinstalledinthecamera.
Read the recommendations regarding lens choice to be
aware of the limitations with certain models and accesso-
ries etc.
• Forcriticaluseproceedasfollows:
Move the lens upwards (or from the left to the right when
tilting sideways) into the zero postion and then lock
it.Ensurealsothatthecameragripdisplayindicates0°.
• Checkforpossiblevignetting.
• Somecombinationsand/o r conditionsmightproduceslight
color casting. See the Phocus manual (Lens Corrections >
Custom White) for solution.
• Afterusingtilt,carefullyre-checkfocusoverthewholeof
the image.
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Make an HTS profile
You can make a special prole that lets the two most of ten
used actions (for example) in this situation - Stop Down and Mir-
rorUp-bemoreeasilyaccessiblebyreassigningtheAE-Land
User buttons on the rear of the grip.
1. Press the Menu button on the camera grip.
2. Turn the front control wheel until Settings appears.
3. Press Enter (ISO/WB button).
4. Turn the front control wheel until Custom Options appears and press
Enter (ISO/WB button) again.
5. Turn the front control wheel until User Button function (Custom Option
#4) appears.
6. Turn the rear control wheel to select Stop Down.
7. Press Save (or half press the shutter release button) and press the
Menu button again.
8. Turn the front control wheel until Settings appears and press Enter
(ISO/WB button).
9. Turn the front control wheel until Custom Options appears and press the
Enter again.
10. Turn the front control wheel until AE-L (Custom Option #5) appears.
11. Turn the rear control wheel to select Mirror Up then Save (or half press
the shutter release button).
12. Click on the Proles button.
13. Scroll the rear control wheel to the prole you want to replace and press
Save (ISO/WB button).
14. Turn the control wheels to highlight the X symbol and press Sel (AF but-
ton) to delete the name.
15. Turn the control wheels again to highlight each character in turn, press-
ing the Sel button to save it. Finally press Save (ISO/WB button).
After loading the HTS prole, you can activate the Stop Down
and Mirror Up facilities much more conveniently. Changing the
prolewillreverttheAE-LandUserbuttonsbacktoyouroriginal
settings immediately.
MENU
F
F
F
F F
ISO / WB
Enter
R
ISO / WB
Save
R
ONOFF
PROFILES/ESC
1
7
13
2
8
14
3
9
15
4
10
5
11
6
12
F
F
R
ISO / WB
Save
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Tilt in practice
With some imagination, tilt can both
solve a number of problems and also
create a number of new directions.
22
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TILT AND SHIFT ADAPTER
USE OF TILT
By tilting the lens in relation to the image plane, you can effec-
tively tilt the plane of sharpness in the subject. Depending on
your idea of the nal image you can either use tilt to enlarge the
apparent depth of eld or reduce it.
The full image
HCD28 + HTS 1.5 at f/11
No lens tilt produces some lack of sharpness in the foreground and background, partly due to insufficient depth of
field.
Lens tilted a few degrees to the right produces an image with perfect sharpness from the foreground to the back-
ground.
Lens tilted a few degrees to the left produces an image with an apparent shallow depth of field.
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Tilt, to solve problems
A classic problem in close-up product photography and similar
areas, is the lack of depth of eld. Using smaller aper tures is
of course the standard solution but using very small apertures
can degrade the image because of optical diffraction. Addition -
ally, there might not be enough light to produce the ideal ISO/
shutter speed/aperture setting choice for the given situation.
An undesired compromise in sharpness, therefore, often has to
be accepted.
As seen in the previous diagrams, tilting the lens can allow near
and far objects to be in focus at the same time, without resort-
ing to very small aperture settings. Consequently you can avoid
degrading the image through diffraction and probably obtain
sharpness that might not have been possible anyway.
With regard to the concept of depth of eld, however, you are
advised to read a fuller explanation under ‘Terminology’ to gain
a better understanding of what to expect from the HTS 1.5 and
how to exploit it to the fullest.
Tilt, in use
At rst sight, it might appear that tilting the lens should solve all
problems, but this is not necessarily the case. As seen in the il-
lustrations, a narrow depth of eld when reoriented can exclude
parts of objects that were included before. In the example given
it would theoretically be possible to create an image where only
the lower parts of all three objects are sharp, leaving the upper
parts unsharp.
It is therefore not just a matter of objects being at various
distances from the camera but in what ‘plane’ they are lying as
well. You should be aware of this occurrence and keep a careful
check on all parts of the image when applying movements.
Selective focus
Another common use for tilt is selective focus. This allows you
to isolate a specic part of subject by allowing it to be sharp
while throwing the rest of the image out of focus. This is normal
practice with the use of large aperture settings but the effect is
to create a at plane of sharpness parallel to the camera.
If the lens is tilted however, the depth of eld also tilts creat-
ing a zone of sharpness at an angle to the camera instead. In
addition this also allows other areas to be more out of focus,
increasing the emphasis on the sharper areas. See under ‘Cre-
ative opportunities’ for an example.
Selective focus can of ten be seen to good use in portraiture.
Emphasisoneyes,forexample,iseasilyachievedbytilt.Experi-
ment with tilting up and down as well as sideways for different
effects. Again, wider aper tures are to be preferred so as to
increase the sof tness of the out-of-focus areas.
Tilt - in practice
21
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TILT AND SHIFT ADAPTER
HC80 + HTS 1.5 at f/11, 10 degrees tilt
By tilting the lens downwards,
there is very good sharpness
from top to bottom in this
image.
Stopping down the lens to the
smallest aperture, instead of
using the HTS, could only have
produced a compromise in
sharpness.
Tilting in combination with the
H lens/Phocus integral lens cor-
rection has produced a superb
result.