Rating: 9/10
Pros: Good image quality.
Well built.
Cons: Heavy for its size.
Small locking knobs.
Expensive. (But this is a specialised lens for certain applications)
Its a crime to give out lens pouches that do absolutely nothing to protect the lens.
My experience with this lens is limited to the shift function. For those doing architectural photography, this lens is a godsend. It will give you +/- 11mm of shift, which is adequate in most cases. Note that anything shift movement over 7mm is represented in red on the shift scale. Presumably, there will be some deterioration in image quality once the lens is shifted over 7mm. Personally, I'm more concern about geometric distortion with excess shifting.
This lens will not work with hyper-distance focussing when shifted. Either you focus to infinity or trust the camera's built-in distance gauge (point the focussing cursor to your intended subject and turn the focussing ring until the yellow dot appear in the viewfinder). Even in neutral position, I sometimes encounter focussing error with the background not in focus when using hyper-distance focussing. I oversome this by using the modified hyper-distance focussing.
There are also concerns about vignetting or light fall off when fully shifted. I've not noticed any vignetting but I do have to adjust the exposure. A rough guide would be 0.5 stop for every 3 to 4mm shifted.
If you are looking for a quality 24mm lens, forget about this one. Money will be better spent on the EF 24mm f/1.4L. You should only consider this lens if you need the movement. Its will not replace good o' medium or large format systems but its a good choice if you decide to stick with 35mm format. This lens will open up more opportunities.
Sample images
Shifted to 11mm
Shifted to 6mm
