Site icon ProVideo Coalition

Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR adapters: tilt and shift for the masses

Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR adapters: tilt and shift for the masses

If you’ve always wanted to use one of the expensive tilt & shift lenses from Canon, Fotodiox has something for you: tilt and shift adapters for different cameras, from Fujifilm to Blackmagic. Each adapter costs $199.95!

Canon’s tilt and shift lenses are extremely popular and excellent for everything from architecture to landscape, but have one inconvenient: they are expensive, especially if you do not have ways to pay for the investment. So, for many people, tilt & shift is nothing but a dream, unless they are willing to spend money on a real T&S from Canon (to be used with Canon cameras)… or use a solution like the Novoflex Balpro T/S tilt/shift bellows, which is versatile but costs over $1,000.00.

https://youtu.be/sCbV_z-rKAw

The Novoflex Balpro T/S solution is interesting because it can be used with nearly all 35 mm and many medium format cameras up to 6 x 7 cm. Featuring  a standard adjustment of 26mm horizontally, and rotation 15° left and 15° right, the system provides a tilt and shift function at the front and back of the bellows.  The solution from Fotodiox is different, and you need to buy one adapter specific to the camera you intend to use, but the price is only… $199.95!

Now, there is a catch with the Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR adapters, and it is better to say it right away: the adapters available at the moment are designed to be used with Pentax 6×7 lenses (P67, PK67) and Pentax 645 (P645), meaning you need to acquire a lens from one of these systems, besides buying the adapter. Not a problem really, if you really want tilt&shift, because old Pentax 6×7 and 645 lenses are available in the second hand market at reasonable prices.

There is also a Fotodiox adapter to use Hasselblad V-mount SLR lenses with Canon EOS, both EF and EF-S mount, on SLRs/DSLRs, compatible with a wide range of models, from the EOS Rebels to the top of the line EOS-1. The TLT ROKR adapter allows for distortion control, and also adds the the ability to tilt and shift these legendary Hasselblad lenses on your Canon system giving you even more control of your images.

Fotodiox suggests that although the TLT ROKR is currently available for Pentax 6×7 and Pentax 645 lenses only – and the Hasselblad V-mount – , the company wants to expand its catalog, so more lens mount options are coming soon. Fotodiox offers at the moment a total of nine different adapters, eight of them for Pentax 6×7 and 645 lenses, available for Canon EOS (EF, EF-S mounts) and Nikon (F-mount) DSLRs, Sony Alpha SLT (A-mount), Sony Alpha mirrorless (E-mount) and Fujifilm X-Series mirrorless. The company also plans to extend the compatibility to other models, with Pentax as the next name to add to this list.

There is also an adapter for Micro Four Thirds cameras, meaning some of Olympus and Panasonic models are compatible with the system.  Less popular but also compatible are the Kodak Pixpro S-1 and the Chinese YI M1, which also use a Micro Four Thirds mount. For cinematographers, the good news are that the Panasonic AG-AF100, which is a MFT-mount can also be used with a TLT ROKR adapter, as well as Blackmagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera (BMPCC), also a MFT-mount cinema camera.

The Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR adapters are an accessible way to achieve tilt-shift flexibility with vintage work horse lenses, meaning more people will be able to explore the techniques and discover the advantages tilt&shift bring to photographers and videographers. The TLT ROKR’s three axes of movement allow for up to 10 degrees of tilt, up to 20mm of lateral shift, and 360 degrees of rotation.

The TLT ROKR’s precision tilt mechanism is perfect for creating dramatic in-camera “miniaturization” and selective focus effects. The shift functionality is great for distortion correction and capturing ultra-wide or ultra-tall panoramic images. Use the 360 degrees of rotation to compose your image or place your creative effects just where you want them.

https://youtu.be/m7Zc14QDdZY

Designed with precision tolerance that creates a solid, gap free, no play, no wiggle connection with no adjustments needed, the TLT ROKR adapters are built of an all-metal construction with chrome plated brass mounts for a secure and solid fit backed by Fotodiox’s 24 month warranty.

One final note to remember. These are manual adapters, meaning lens functions that rely on electronic communication with the camera body, as AF, AE metering or image stabilization will not work. Exposure has to be set manually or metered using Aperture Priority mode with stop-down, old school style. It is convenient, before acquiring a Fotodiox Pro TLT ROKR adapter to understand the limitations of the accessory. Once you’ve, then there is a whole new perspective of the world to explore!

Exit mobile version