Clendon,
A shift or "PC" (perspective correction) lens is the architectural
photographer's "secret weapon." There are a number of other tricks you can
use them for too. About 75-80 years ago (and more) when the only camera
was a large format "view" camera with back, bellows and lens board,
perspective was controlled by tilting and/or shifting the back and/or the
lens board. Since nearly all medium and small format cameras have the lens
firmly fixed to the body (even if interchangeable), eventually the "shift
lens" was created to allow shifting. Canon now has one that can tilt as
well, bringing back most of the perspective and depth of field control that
was domain of large format view cameras.
Olympus makes two shift lenses for the OM: an f/2.8 35mm and an f/3.5
24mm. They are *expensive* and require manual stop-down. I have hand held
mine, but it is not as easy as with a normal lens.
One of the best sites I've seen with a great explanation of what a shift
lens is, and how it works, is Frank Sheeran's. This is the URL for his
shift lens page:
http://www.bsag.ch/~fs/camera/fov.html
-- John
At 18:18 7/7/00 , Clendon Gibson asked:
>In the discussions about ladders, stools, twelve foot
>photographers, and cherry pickers, I keep hearing
>about this thing called a shift lens.
>
>I guess it takes distortionless pictures, but which
>distortion are you trying to avoid, and how does it
>manage?
>
>Thanks for any enlightenment.
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