Wide Angle Lens Advice

[Daniel_Paul]

Hi there everyone,

I am looking for advice really and maybe some critique on my Tokina 11-16mm lens.

The problem I seem to be having is getting the landscape straight. For example the below, I am certain when taking that the image is straight but looking at them in Lightroom they just look 'off'. It may be that I am looking at it wrong when I'm taking them and thus always getting an off-axis looking shot. I am using the lens profile adjustment in Lightroom currently which makes a good subtle adjustment.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. I am mostly using the lens for Landscape and Building photography.

DSC_7388 by Dan Smith, on Flickr

 

[woof woof]

Whst's the problem? Is it the leaning verticals that you are complaining about? If that's the case all lenses do this and it looks like normal perspective to me, I think you've tilted the lens upwards while shooting?

 

[ancient_mariner]

What Alan said - converging verticals will always happen if your camera is not level. If it had been then the top of that fence would be level with the centre of the image instead of near the bottom.

 

[Daniel_Paul]

Yeah I think you're right I was probably shooting upwards on this shot. It might be because I am more used to shooting with a longer lens range possibly.

 

[odd jim]

Yeah I think you're right I was probably shooting upwards on this shot. It might be because I am more used to shooting with a longer lens range possibly.

You need to shoot level with the subject to avoid such issues with ultra wide lenses, which would mean standing on a ladder

 

[woof woof]

Yeah I think you're right I was probably shooting upwards on this shot. It might be because I am more used to shooting with a longer lens range possibly.

Longer lenses do his too. All lenses do.

You can see what's happening without using a camera. All you need is to carry a picture frame around with you and hold it up and view the scene or maybe you can avoid carrying a picture frame and just make a frame with your fingers... As you tilt the picture frame or your fingers although the scene will look straight to your eye if you note the angle of the frame / your fingers with reference to any verticals in the scene you'll see exactly what your camera and lens captured in that shot.

 

[gad-westy]

As others have said really. You'll notice this more on wide angles as the perspective is often a bit more extreme as you're closer to your subject generally. It can be corrected in Lightroom using the vertical correction slider but bear in mind that you'll lose a bit or a lot of the photo and it can make things look odd if the correction is extreme. Have a play, see what you think.

 

[Musicman]

The shot in the OP is tilted a little to the right. That may be what is setting you off.

Lines though the centre of frame should be vertical to ensure it's perfectly level. Get that right before doing any perspective correction.

Looking at it on my phone ATM, but on a decent sized screen I'm able to spot 0.1 degrees accuracy.

 

[Daniel_Paul]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Much appreciated!