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I recently bought a 24 PC and thought I would share my experience so far.
First, you do not want to be in a hurry. I find it hard to focus through the viewfinder (D2x). The near point is OK but using the tilt to achieve focus on the far point can be frustrating. In fact maybe more frustrating is the difficulty I have seeing the bottom line in the viewfinder. I must say I wear multifocal glasses but when the sun is on the side I guess most people would have a problem.
The handling is not too bad but I find the drag adjustment on the tilt a little flimsy. The detente to rotate the lens can also be awkward.
When I manage to get things right the results are great (sharpness, contrast... etc) and I do not regret buying this lens. It makes me think more about the picture I am about to take. It also makes me lust after a FF camera
Cheers,
Gerard

Gerard,

This is a great lens, but yes, you need to be very deliberate in how you use it.

Have you Googled Scheimpflug yet? If you're wanting to use the swings and tilts to change the apparent DoF, you should do that, and understand how the lens can use the different planes of focus. Armed with that knowledge, you can then predetermine mathematically what angles you need to employ, and then set them up before you start to worry about focus. If you get your number crunching right, focus should not even be an issue.

I suspect that you're trying to this by eye, and yes, that would be quite frustrating. What you're attempting is a very complex optical setup, and it does take some time ad practice to master. For a first effort, you've done bloody well, and make sure that you bring this lens to Leon's next week so that I may confiscate it.

We had a 45 with a D700 for a week or so, and boy, was that ever fun.

this lens can be a bit of a beast on a D2x as I found using it on a D2Xs...... using the same lens on a D300 or D700 it is much better...... on the FF body it is just fantastic......

Gerard,

great lens you got there. It certainly is on my list. I was trying one out earlier in the week, very nice on a FF camera. Other advantage of using it on a D3/D700/D3X/D300 is that you get auto aperture control.

Looks like you were visiting Mungo Nat. Park, great part of the world , if I'm not mistaking. Must have been getting hot.

thanks for the report,

André

Gary,
I cannot make it to Sheepie's next weekend.
I find the numbers system a bit dodgy as the height and angles vary a lot. If I take my time it should be OK.
Yeah Big Pix a D700 would be nice...
Cheers,
Gerard