Best lens for shooting Artwork

[William W]

If you are sure you are going to use a crop sensor camera like the 7D, and you think you may want to do macro, perhaps it is worth considering the EF-S 60mm macro instead of the 50 f/2.5. I had a 50 f/2.5 but sold it fairly quickly to trade up the 60 once I got hooked on macro. The 60 is a true 1:1 macro, while the 50 is 1:2. The 60 has USM focusing and full time manual focusing, neither of which the 50 has, if I remember right. And it is a truly wonderful lens. On the other hand, it costs more, and it is not usable on a 'full frame' camera.

I concur.

For clarity, the reason I suggested the 50/2.5 was based upon cheapest price and also it being the sharpest lens and the FLATTEST FoV – but the EF-S60/2.8 is also a sharp lens.
(Price and also the benefit of the swivel screen was also the reason I suggested the 60D and not the 7D.)
Yes - the 50/2.5 is not USM and does not have FTMF.
Yes - the 50/2.5 is 1:2, but there is an adapter – “Life Size Adapter” which makes it 1:1.

There might be good reasons NOT to buy the technically “best” gear for this particular job – it is a compromise. It is likely that the OP will use this gear to take photographs of other things other than just copying artworks.

WW

[Photon Hacker]

I'm surprised than nobody suggested a large format film view camera.

[Colin Southern]

I'm surprised than nobody suggested a large format film view camera.

I'm not - the original question was "Best LENS for shooting Artwork", not "Best Camera"

[William W]

↑ Ditto.

Also even if we were considering the "best camera". . .

– if “best” is to include: flexibility; ease of operation and set up ON SITE in various locations; cost; easy and quick turnaround of prints – then a View Camera might not be that good of a suggestion compared to a DSLR and a lens with camera movements – and - I guess it is why he and me both, have a TS-E 90.

WW

[Colin Southern]

I guess it is why he and me both, have a TS-E 90.

Had a brain fade with the TS-E 90 the other day when I used tilt to compensate for the fact that the art wasn't completely perpendicular

The artist signs her name at the bottom right of the painting - which in this case was a translucent area of seawater - I though "How cool - she's blurred her name to match the distortion of the water" ... hang on ... Doh doh doh doh doh (by the time I woke up, the art was with the courier on it's way to the other end of the country!).

Doh!

[William W]

Had a brain fade with the TS-E 90 . . .

Gidday Colin,

. . . the younger daughter (the blonde one) apart from other forms of address for her Father - refers to these moments now as “senior’s moments” . . . I believe she is setting the scene to move to using phrases such as “senior’s week” and “senior’s month” . . . I had better cut back on the blonde jokes . . . I have no idea why Parents pay for a good education to give their kids all the skills to outwit and out talk and out debate us.


On another note – do you always carry around a little screwdriver for the TS-E to set the tilt and shift back and forth?
I do, but - after setting T/S opposed, when I first got the lens I have never had the need to re-set it to the way Canon supply the lens.
I have often wondered why Canon supply the lens set up that way?

Bill

[Colin Southern]

Gidday Colin,

. . . the younger daughter (the blonde one) apart from other forms of address for her Father - refers to these moments now as “senior’s moments” . . . I believe she is setting the scene to move to using phrases such as “senior’s week” and “senior’s month” . . . I had better cut back on the blonde jokes . . . I have no idea why Parents pay for a good education to give their kids all the skills to outwit and out talk and out debate us.

Hey Bill,

Old saying: "Be nice to your children ... they get to choose which rest home we go in to"

On another note – do you always carry around a little screwdriver for the TS-E to set the tilt and shift back and forth?
I do, but - after setting T/S opposed, when I first got the lens I have never had the need to re-set it to the way Canon supply the lens.
I have often wondered why Canon supply the lens set up that way?

Bill

I have a lot of little screwdrivers, but I struggled to find one that fitted those tight little darn screws! Got there in the end though.

Like you, I changed it once and never looked back. I like the design of the TS-E 17 much better though (can change as one wishes) (bought one, but sent it back though -- just couldn't see a need for it -- EF14mm does all I want).

[William W]

have a great day
CU later. . .