Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Lens Review

Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Handling and Features

This lens has a premium feel to its construction, with a combination of metal and high quality plastics being used in its build. As a result the lens has quite a bit of weight to it for its size and feels very solid, although at 645g, it isn't overly heavy when paired with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III used for testing.

Manual focusing is a pleasure, thanks to the smooth action of the focusing ring. A rear focusing system has been employed, so the lens does not extend, and the front element does not rotate during focusing. Closest focus is 40cm, which isn't massively close, which is a shame as the tilt-shift adjustments are especially useful for close up work. The controls for tilt and shift movements are smooth to operate and the amount of force needed to turn the dials can be easily adjusted via smaller dials on the opposite side of the lens, which can also lock the lens at the desired setting. The lens can be shifted up to 11mm off axis, or tilted by up to 8 degrees, which provides plenty of scope for adjustment.

A useful hyperfocal scale is marked onto the lens barrel although these values will only apply if no tilt movements are set. The tilt and shift parts of the lens cannot be rotated independently, which may limit the scope for adjustment.

Add your message