The best tilt-shift lenses enable you to tilt the angle of the optical path, relative to the image sensor. They also allow you to shift the optical axis so that it’s off-centre but still parallel to the imaging plane. These two adjustments let you control the plane of sharp focus and correct converging verticals in architectural shots. It might sound revolutionary but, in fact, large-format film cameras were taking this sort of thing in their stride, more than a century ago.
So what’s so special about tilt and shift? Tilting the lens enables far greater control over depth of field than simply adjusting the aperture setting, and without the latter’s restrictions on shutter speed. By tilting the lens in one direction, you can gradually increase the depth of field until it’s almost infinite.
I've also been seeing a growing number of ‘macro’ tilt-shift lenses that 0.5x or even full 1.0x magnification at their closest focus setting. These lenses therefore work very well for extreme close-up photography, where gaining sufficient depth of field is always a struggle. Tilt the lens in the opposite direction and you can make the depth of field very small, enabling a ‘toy camera’ effect.
The shift function gives you the ability to take control over perspective effects. A classic use of the shift function is in architectural photography. Shoot from ground level with a regular lens and tall buildings will appear to lean inwards towards the top. By dialling in the necessary amount of shift, you can counteract the appearance of walls tapering inwards as they rise up.
Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! In this guide, he has selected the best-buy tilt-shift lenses for a variety of different camera systems.
The best tilt-shift lenses
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Best all-round tilt-shift lens
I've enjoyed using the full-frame compatible Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt Shift 0.5x Macro, and my colleague tested the lens on a Sony A7 III camera. It's also available in a variety of other mount options, including Nikon Z, Canon RF, and L-mount.
As usual for tilt-shift lenses, the mechanical movements require very precise engineering, both in the optical construction and the lens movements. Venus Optics has done a good job here, creating a really solid lens with good handling, although some of the controls are a little tricky to operate and are cramped for space.
Any slight handling hiccups are offset by the fabulous image quality that this lens delivers. Sure, it can be a little tricky to set up, but you’ll be rewarded with stunning pictures, making it well worth the effort.
See our full Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt Shift 0.5x Macro review
Features ★★★★★ | There’s a full set of tilt-shift features plus 0.5x macro magnification. |
Design ★★★★☆ | Handling could be a little more refined and it’s a fully mechanical lens with no built-in electronics, but the design is sound. |
Performance ★★★★★ | Image quality is absolutely trop-drawer, with excellent sharpness can clarity along with the minimum of unwanted aberrations. |
Value ★★★★☆ | It’s expensive for a Laowa lens but very much more affordable than own-brand tilt-shift lenses from the likes of Canon and Nikon. |
The best tilt-shift lenses
Best shift only lens
This is the widest shift lens currently on the market, with a field of view no other shift lens can match. Unlike the other lenses in this list, however, the Laowa 15mm shift lens does not offer a 'tilt' function. It also has the narrowest maximum aperture. Even so, these issues won't be of any concern to many photographers who shoot with 'perspective control' lenses.
As well as having the most expansive field of view, the lens delivers impressive image quality. Levels of sharpness didn't look overly good in our lab tests, but in real-world shooting, I was very happy with the rendering of fine detail and texture. One niggle is that in harsh lighting conditions, the lens suffers from internal reflections that can reduce image quality, giving rise to ghosting and flare.
Also worth considering is the shift-only Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift, which is available in a massive choice of different lens mount options.
See our full Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift review
Features ★★★★☆ | The shift feature is top of the list, enabling perspective correction that’s often favored in architectural photography. |
Design ★★★★☆ | Build quality and handling are excellent, and the design enables shift orientation in 15-degree intervals through a full 360 degrees. |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Center-sharpness is excellent, edge/corner-sharpness less so. Color fringing can be noticeable but distortion is negligible. |
Value ★★★★☆ | It’s much more affordable than some camera manufacturers’ own-brand tilt-shift lenses, but lacks a tilt feature. |
Best macro tilt-shift lens
A big and chunky lens, the Laowa measures 85x162mm and weighs in at 1215g (2.7lbs). As such, it’s supplied complete with a tripod mounting ring that has an Arca-Swiss compatible foot. That’s all but essential, given the lens’s requirement for tripod support in macro shooting, but that’s not all. Laowa actually calls the mounting ring a ‘Shift holder’, as it also keeps the lens fixed in place when using the Shift function, so only the camera body is moved. That’s ideal in ‘shift’ shooting.
The optical path is based on 13 elements arranged in 10 groups, and features two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements and one HRI (High Refractive Index) element. The overall aim is to optimize sharpness, clarity and contrast while keeping unwanted aberrations to a minimum.
See our full Laowa FFII TS 100mm f/2.8 Macro 1X review
Features ★★★★☆ | It’s a full-featured Tilt and Shift 1.0x macro lens, although it lacks any electronics. |
Design ★★★★★ | The ‘full manual’ design isn’t really a setback for tilt and shift shooting and the overall design is excellent. |
Performance ★★★★★ | Image quality is nice and sharp with excellent clarity, and the tilt and shift mechanisms add an extra dimension. |
Value ★★★★★ | Compared with own-brand Tilt and Shift lenses from camera manufacturers, it’s an absolute bargain. |
Best GF wide-angle tilt-shift lens
This Fujifilm lens for the medium format GFX system gives you a full range of movement, and thus full creative freedom. The oversized image circle enables a generous +/-15mm of shift, and up to +/-8.5 degrees of tilt. Furthermore, the tilt/shift function can be rotated through 90 degrees with a 45-degree click step along the way.
You can also rotate the lens on its mount through 90 degrees clockwise or counter-clockwise in 30-degree click-step increments. The net result is that you can employ either tilt or shift functions in any orientation that you want.
Handling is typically complex for a tilt-shift lens, but image quality and overall performance are absolutely sublime.
See our full Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS review
Features ★★★★★ | There’s a full range of features, including tilt, shift and rotate, plus full electronic communication. |
Design ★★★★★ | The design is impeccable, with great handling and superb build quality. |
Performance ★★★★★ | Image quality is fabulous, with excellent sharpness even at full tilt or shift. |
Value ★★★★☆ | It might be the best tilt-shift lens in the world but it’s also one of the most expensive. |
Best GF macro tilt-shift lens
The GF 110mm is a mighty medium format lens that's really solidly built from metal parts. Handling is every bit as complex as I’d expect from a fully functional tilt-shift lens, with lots of control knobs and levers.
As with other tilt-shift lenses, autofocus is off the menu, so manual focusing can be the typical challenge if you generally rely on autofocus to do the job for you.
Control for creative effect benefits from a full range of adjustments. There’s a sizable +/-15mm of shift, and up to +/-10 degrees of tilt, plus the bonus of up to 0.5x magnification for macro photography.
See our full Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS Macro review
Features ★★★★★ | The feature set includes all of the regular attractions, plus 0.5x macro, where extension of depth of field can be useful. |
Design ★★★★★ | Build quality is epic and handling is superb. |
Performance ★★★★★ | All aspects of image quality are excellent and manual focusing is very precise. |
Value ★★★★☆ | Like the companion GF 30mm tilt-shift lens, it’s extremely pricey. |
Lab data and comparisons
The graph below shows the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. The two Fujifilm ‘GF’ medium format lenses lead the way for sharpness, and they proved razor-sharp in practice. The Laowa TS 100mm is also very impressive, whereas the Laowa 15mm doesn’t score as highly.
Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For prime lenses (rather than zooms), there’s only one single distortion figure.
Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a lens might have virtually no color fringing at the center of the image frame, but much more towards the edges and corners. The results look more flattering when everything’s averaged out, based on the overall data. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.
How we test lenses
The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion, and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners, and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.
There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).
We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.
Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World
