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Canon 45mm f/2.8 TS-E

The Canon 45mm f/2.8 TS-E for the longest time I have always considered it the middle child of the TS-E line-up. If you wanted to use something wide to shoot architecture you reached for the 24mm f/3.5 TS-E or now with the release of the even wider 17mm f/4 TS-E and if you were doing portraits or close up work on product the obvious choice was the 90mm f/2.8 TS-E. So why would Canon release this poor middle child?

It is this particular photojournalist's theory that the lens was created for people like myself who shoot a variety of things and need something that would be the equivalent of a walk around TS lens. Some times you'll find yourself on assignment and needing to photograph a building or other structure and really need to keep the lines of the building straight and undistorted. Then while in the same day find the need to photograph a portrait of subject that may not be terribly interesting and would benefit the photographer to spice things up; perhaps tilting and shifting the focal plane to give a selective focus look adding drama to the photograph. So this is where the 45mm f/2.8 TS-E becomes useful, you've only got to carry one lens around with you.

45mm isn't terribly wide but when photographing a building a few steps backward is usually not an issue and can be done with great ease making 45mm plenty wide, yet when in a portrait situation 45mm is only 5mm wider than a 50mm making it nearly a normal lens so as not to stretch out the face of the subject.

Canon says that its got a floating lens assembly or some sort of marketing language that helps the lens stay sharp when at close focusing distances and with a close focus of about a foot from the front element the lens will let you get fairly close to your subject; the lens also allows the use of the Canon 12mm extension tube which will let you get significantly closer if that is what the job at hand requires.

The focusing ring like all of the Canon TS-E lenses is very smooth and has a great feeling when being focused though the entire range, the lens does not extend or pump while being focused which I like because it illustrates to me that the lens was well designed and engineered. It comes with a fairly large hood and soft caring bang, things usually only accompanying L lenses. The hood is useful when photographing outdoors and just gives the lens an overall cool and completing look.

In terms of optical quality this lens is hands down second to none, wide open at 2.8 I would say that the center sharpness is as good as any lens with corners falling a bit softer in comparison. As with most lenses when you get this thing stopped down to f/4 is when it really starts to shine, everything is tack sharp from corner to corner and comes though with beautiful clarity.

So in conclusion it seems as though Canon's middle child is no slouch being built as tough as its siblings, image quality as good as its siblings and all the versatility of the middle child it's no wonder so many photographers go to this lens when 24mm is too wide and 90mm is too tight 45mm seems just right.

Happy Snapper
Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:21:38 +0000

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