Review on Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L UD Aspherical: The Ultimate Tilt-Shift Lens for Canon DSLRs by Yiorgos Reynolds

The Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L is a fantastic lens for architectural photography; especially indoors with small confined spaces. I'm often asked which Canon wide-angle tilt-shift lens I should buy (first). Here are some thoughts: 1. The TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II is slightly sharper and better at correcting chromatic aberrations. Another benefit of the 24mm lens is that it's much easier to use with filters (I use the Lee Foundation 4" x 6" Neutral Density Gradient (GND) Set). The 24mm is my tilt-shift lens and I prefer it for landscapes. But when I need a wider field of view, especially for architecture, I regularly use the TS-E 17mm f/4L.2 lens. While the 24mm tilt-shift lens is better in some respects, the TS-E 17mm f/4 might be the best tilt-shift lens to start with for three reasons: 1. You want to shoot indoors, 2 You want to photograph cityscapes with tall buildings (e.g. to capture downtown New York or Chicago) 3. You complement your purchase of the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III. Extenders work great with Canon's tilt-shift lenses and the TS-E 17mm f/4L combined with a 1.4x extender gives a focal length of 24mm. A final note for those considering this lens: the convex nature of the front element makes it difficult to use filters. But thanks to Fotodiox, this lens lets you use a circular polarizer and ND filters with their "WonderPana" filter system, which they made specifically for this lens (they also have WonderPanas for other convex lenses like Canon's excellent EF). . 14L f/2.8L II). The WonderPana easily attaches to the TS-E 17mm f/4L, just like a lens cap snaps on. Brilliant design by Fotodiox! I still can't use GND filters with the lens, but between the 1.4x Extender III and the WonderPana system I can basically reproduce a TS-E 24mm with a TS-E 17mm. I still prefer to have and use both, which I do, but knowing these things can be helpful for those struggling with the dilemma of whether to go with a TS-E 17 or a TS-E 24 mm should start.