Fujifilm GF 30/5.6 T/S lens, usage notes for view camera users

The Fujifilm 30 mm f/5.6 tilt/shift lens can emulate any two, and in some cases, even more, of the standard view camera movements. It manages this by allowing the user to mount the tripod either to the lens or the camera body, and allowing the shift and tilt axes to be rotated freely. I’ll go through the common view camera movements, and explain how to achieve these with the Fuji T/S lens.

• Front rise and fall. Mount the camera body to the tripod. Rotate the shift axis so that the shift is vertical.
• Front left and right shift. Mount the camera body to the tripod. Rotate the shift axis so that the shift is horizontal.
• Front rise and fall combined with front left and right shift. Mount the camera body to the tripod. Rotate the shift axis so that the shift direction is at the desired angle.
• Front tilt. Mount the camera body to the tripod. Rotate the tilt axis so that the tilt is vertical.
• Front swing. Mount the camera body to the tripod. Rotate the tilt axis so that the tilt is horizontal.
• Front swing combined with front tilt. Mount the camera body to the tripod. Rotate the tilt axis so that the tilt is at the desired angle.
• Rear rise and fall. Mount the lens to the tripod. Rotate the shift axis so that the shift is vertical.
• Rear left and right shift. Mount the lens to the tripod. Rotate the shift axis so that the shift is horizontal.
• Rear rise and fall combined with rear left and right shift. Mount the lens to the tripod. Rotate the shift axis so that the shift direction is at the desired angle.
• Rear tilt. Mount the lens to the tripod. Rotate the tilt axis so that the tilt is vertical.
• Rear swing. Mount the lens to the tripod. Rotate the tilt axis so that the tilt is horizontal.
• Rear swing combined with rear tilt. Mount the lens to the tripod. Rotate the tilt axis so that the tilt is at the desired angle.

It takes more planning to use this tilt/shift lens than it does to operate a view camera. Using a view camera that has symmetric front and back movements, you can achieve the desired results by just manipulating the camera controls, where with the T/S lens, you may have to remount the camera and start over again with the movements to achieve what you want. But you can probably get there with this lens.