Nikon PC-e Nikkor 24mm ED-N tilt and shift lens

Nikon PC-e Nikkor 24mm ED-N

This is not an official review. I don't have the need, nor qualifications to write technical reviews. I am just a photographer, not an engineer. There are good in-depth reviews, like the Ken Rockwell's one. (Google his name and lens model, you will find it quick).
I just share with you my hands-on experience and thoughts on using (or not using) this a bit unusual piece of equipment.

I do lots of architecture photography (see some examples here), and falling walls on wide angle lens shots always bother me. The geometry and perspective of such photographs are sometimes hard to fix on Photoshop.

So, when I heard a while ago about Nikon’s PC (perspective correction) lenses – I wanted one.
There are only three models available, and for architecture 24mm definitely sounded like a good choice.

When I was able to save enough dough, I bought it used for a bargain price of $1650. Ouch, quite expensive! But – is it worth the price?

My first impressions:

It is heavy. It is bulky. It is really well crafted, but at the same time I find it a bit crude, like an unrefined prototype, or like a Russian military gear thing.

The lens shifts and tilts in both directions, but you have to use a small, flimsy and uncomfortable screw to hold the lens from sliding down because of gravity. I am sure it could be solved in a more satisfactory way.
It has several pitfalls like that, and you really need to learn it well in order to use it properly. It is totally manual, so you need to set focus manually, and need to remember that exposure reads correctly only when lens is in central position, falling drastically down when tilted. It gets really dark, as much as 2 or 3 full stops down. You need to remember that, and still – the only way to make sure is to do test shots.

The lens – as it says – corrects perspective (up to some point, not as well as I hoped). It also tilts - a bit the same way as the Lens Baby – which is quite a nice thing. Because it allows you to select a part of your photo where EVERYTHING is in focus. Things very close to your camera, as well as things which are far away. In a single line. And, other part of photo can get a nice bokeh, losing its details in a fine blur. It is a nice effect – but there is a problem: when using dSLR Nikon camera, it is extremely difficult to see it properly in viewfinder. I use D300s, and I have a constant problem with properly composing in-focus and out-of-focus areas. Image in viewfinder is too small, and I set the focus a bit blindly. I would need an external, larger monitor to do it properly and get sharp details exactly where I want them.

I miss the fine tuning of manual focus on some old film cameras which had a clever enlargement option. That would be perfect for PC-e. Perhaps new generation of Nikons, like upcoming D400 with newest Sony sensor will have it solved. New Sony cameras using its new, remarkable CMOS sensor can highlight in yellow all image parts which are in perfect focus. With such extra help, manual focusing and blurring on PC-e lens would be much easier. As it is for now, it is a hit and miss game.
(If you really enjoy tilting effects - old fashion view cameras with digital back are the most fun - but also must weight and most price!)

The bottom line here is that you need lots of time to fiddle around. And, if you don't have that time on hand, you risk getting home lots of bad shots.

What I like about it:
The lens is SHARP. Yes, one of sharpest lenses I know. It is reasonably bright too, and its Nano coating suppose to help reducing internal reflections and keeping top detail of your images. It is solidly made, very strong. Feels like a piece of a military gear. Focusing ring is smooth and precise. Lens does help with perspective correction, and also offers the way of keeping one part of image in focus, letting the other part get blurry. Nice for creative shots.

What I don't like about it:
24mm is good for full frame. For architecture using DX format cameras, it feels a bit off. It feels usually a tiny bit not enough. (It works on DX as 36mm lens, and you would wish for a wider angle than that). 20mm would be much more helpful. But it was made for full frame, so I can't really complain.

Shifting and tilting sucks. It is tricky to keep lens in desired position with these tiny screws, and you can actually cut your finger when it shifts, it has very sharp edges on shifting surfaces. It is too much exposed to dust, sand, and other dirt, when shifted or tilted. You need to really care to keep it clean. Good indoors, but when you are on a rough location, it may be tricky. As mentioned – focusing is difficult using regular viewfinder, and exposure is badly off when lens is tilted more than just a bit. It is understandable, but makes quick photography very difficult.
The option to rotate lens for changing shift/tilt planes is good, but would be better if working all way around, it offers only a limited rotation. Also the release knob for rotating is not the most friendly and feels rather primitive.

My conclusion:

24mm Nikon PC-e lens is the most whimsy part of my expensive equipment. It can do really good things – but only if you love it, spend lots of time with it to learn it by heart, and if you have ample time on your locations.
If you are not sure you need – most probably you don't. If your style is to take a bunch of quick pictures and go – forget it. You need a tripod and lots of time to set it properly, each and every time.
If you have lots of $$$ and do mostly architecture and landscape – it definitely is a tool to consider for some work (just some work, not too often). But, if you do such shoots only from time to time and don’t have time or patience, don't bother, it will be your nightmare.
For almost $2000 you can buy a Lens Baby which will be fun and give you kind of similar tilting effects, and you will have lots of money still in your pocket. You will travel lighter and happier, and if you know Photoshop or Lightroom, you will correct the most of falling walls perspective problems without the need for PC-e lens.

Do I like it?

Honestly – I don't know. One day I do, another, when I get bunch of bad, unsharp photos – I can't stand it.
What is really unfortunate about it: to use it well, you need to constantly use it, to really know it by heart. But – you don't need its effects all the time and it is really heavy and slow to use. So, you tend to use it only when you really need it – but by that time you don't “feel” it so well, and are prone to do bad images, or spend well too much time fiddling with it. So, while in theory I agree it is a valuable tool, I may consider selling it one day, to get some more handy piece of equipment for everyday use...