Wide Lens for Interior Architecture photography.


Acros

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Jan 2, 2008
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Hi All, I am looking buying a wide angler lens for Interior works photography.
It have to be prime lens and wide enough for narrow spaces.
I'm using Canon 50D and what filter should be good for interior ambience lighting?
My company ask me to shoot our completed job instead of hiring pros, Any suggestion and tips?

Thanks in advance.
 

why must it be a prime lense?
And how wide is wide, how narrow is narrow? got actual dimensions or approximations, is it condo or hdb size etc etc.

According to the Canon priceguide list, the widest prime lense is EF 14mm f2.8L II USM for FF camera. With your 1.6x crop factor ~ 23mm, still wide but costs $3k.
For crop body zoom lense, EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, after crop fov is ~16mm. Much better, and only $1k.

If the lense is not wide enough, it can still work out provided there is space for you to move back. Though the typical apartment floor layout is that there is little space to maneuver.
Some recommend stitching to solve the issue.

Filter has little effect other than it's intended usage, which is to protect the lense. Taking care of your white balance & exposure is more important. you definitely need a tripod. In a dark
room, an external flash will be useful as fill flash.

Good luck & have fun
 

For interior, an UWA lens works better. The perspective of UWA lens makes the room looks more spacious.
 

Most interior shots are done at about 24mm to prevent distortion and and f/8 and above. Something for you to think about.
 

The widest you could get on crop is the Sigma 8-16mm zoom. Any wider, you have to get a fisheye, which presents another kind of distortion to take care of. These are the extreme options you could have.
 

My company ask me to shoot our completed job instead of hiring pros, Any suggestion and tips?

tip 1 : tell your company to not expect professional results from an amateur
tip 2 : don't buy lenses for one off jobs which eventually then rot in the dry cabinet till you sell them
tip 3 : going super wide isn't going to save you if the eventual image becomes distorted
tip 4 : read up on interior photography and learn tricks of the trade
tip 5 : pray very hard if you still need to do it

hope that helps. as for what filter, i don't see why you need it. can always tweak the WB if you aren't happy with it. get a gray card if you want to get it right from the first shot.

and if it must be a wide prime, 14mm on a FULL FRAME. will be your widest.
 

Thanks All,

Been taking some for the Company portfolio, and all using my 17-40 lens. So thinking of buying lens at the company expense.
Yes it may not be super wide cos of the distortion but at time my 17mm cant capture the ideal perspective which I desire.
No, I'm taking aparment or condo, we are more to commercial and corporate designer.

Appreciates all the comments. Thanks again.
 

Tilt-shift lens?
 

Since the setting is more commercial/corporate, the space constraint should not be as bad as condo/HDB environment...

If you are not using tilt-shift, a ultra-wide is important in case you want to do some distortion correction. The 14mm looks quite ideal but it is definitely more expensive.

I am not sure to what extend you have been shooting but like what others have said, white balance is very important. I doubt you need filter for most but I would rather have a fill flashes to help create better lighting impact. As such, wireless triggers like the ST-E2 would be necessary if you using any of the Canon flashes (e.g. 580EX)... The more creative photographers might use color gel for better effects ...

The rest i guess you will have to try it out and improve along the way.. that i think is the best way to learn...


Thanks All,

Been taking some for the Company portfolio, and all using my 17-40 lens. So thinking of buying lens at the company expense.
Yes it may not be super wide cos of the distortion but at time my 17mm cant capture the ideal perspective which I desire.
No, I'm taking aparment or condo, we are more to commercial and corporate designer.

Appreciates all the comments. Thanks again.
 

Hi All, I am looking buying a wide angler lens for Interior works photography.
1. It have to be prime lens and wide enough for narrow spaces.
2. I'm using Canon 50D and what filter should be good for interior ambience lighting?
3. My company ask me to shoot our completed job instead of hiring pros, Any suggestion and tips?

Thanks in advance.

1. my best guess that the idea of using a prime lens came from a "smart alex"?? I am saying this is because you will only have one single choice, EF14mm f2.8L (as mentioned by foxtwo) If you are using a full frame camera, like the 5Dmkii, it make sense but with a 50D it just doesn't make sense. (Reason... already explained by foxtwo)
2. No filter will be good for interior ambient lighting, if you are talking about improving iq.
3. You better set their expectations right, this can mean your career is on the line.
 

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Our comments are only references for you. It's best if you can rent out some lenses and try out yourself. Since you are in the design industry, I'm sure you will be able to tell which lens produces the best result for you. After that, then you ask your company to fund the purchase. At least you can lower the risk of buying a wrong lens with your company's $$$.
 

Thanks All,

Been taking some for the Company portfolio, and all using my 17-40 lens. So thinking of buying lens at the company expense.
Yes it may not be super wide cos of the distortion but at time my 17mm cant capture the ideal perspective which I desire.
No, I'm taking aparment or condo, we are more to commercial and corporate designer.

Appreciates all the comments. Thanks again.

Eh, 2nd suggestion, use company expenses to buy FF camera and use with the 17-40mm. It's a better deal than buying a wider lense by 3mm (14mm) for ~$3k, and getting a crop factor lense.

17mm on
your 50d is ~28mm, even if not judging by apartment sizes I reckon for a midsize company's reception area, offices and conference rooms 23mm (14mm) is still difficult with a lot of restriction imposed.

Distortions by UWA cannot be avoided but by following proper techniques can be minimised. Post processing will correct for the rest particularly at the extreme 4 corners.

I went for a meeting recently and after showing my portfolio the client remarked he treated distortion very seriously and is most particular about the verticals. (Should point out my verticals are indeed straight, he was just making his perference known.) He knew some terms like tilt-shift and when I briefly explained to him the technical restrictions, lense restriction he admitted he didn't really understand all that. you on the other hand is capable of understanding all that and thus am able to make informed choices over what is possible vs what is ideal and what is fantasy. For example, my personal fantasy would be something like a Hassy SWC with digital back. But the onl
y thing possible for me is a D700 with 17-35mm lense.
 

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You don't need expensive lens for interiors. Sigma 10-20mm F/3.5 EX DC should do the job. Get a few good flashes instead.
 

Use a TS-E 17mm manual lens for best results! :D
 

Thanks All,

Wish the got budget for FF but doubt so, even so it will be me using it not the rest of designer. So it will be no no.
Most likely I will go for 10-20 Sigma. And will be post processing to desire picture.
 

instead of using UWA and ending up with a distorted perspective, why not spend the $ on a good tripod and pano head, using your current lens, take verticals (@ 35mm )and stitch them to get a distortion free, high-res picture. Unless your aim is to get a new lens :)
 

Thanks All,

Wish the got budget for FF but doubt so, even so it will be me using it not the rest of designer. So it will be no no.
Most likely I will go for 10-20 Sigma. And will be post processing to desire picture.

Good choice.
 

If you ask me, I'll tell your boss not to be so stingy and engage a photographer. There are professionals who do this sort of work and rightfully so. Stay focus on what the business is suppose to do and let the different specialists do their jobs. Let the people with the proper equipment and experiences to handle the shoots and you do not have to worry about what to get, how to maintain and the investment costs.

A lot of designers are masturbators of their own designers and ideas and the photo shoots, if done by themselves, will never end. They will go on forever shooting and go on forever editing.
 

If you ask me, I'll tell your boss not to be so stingy and engage a photographer. There are professionals who do this sort of work and rightfully so. Stay focus on what the business is suppose to do and let the different specialists do their jobs. Let the people with the proper equipment and experiences to handle the shoots and you do not have to worry about what to get, how to maintain and the investment costs.

A lot of designers are masturbators of their own designers and ideas and the photo shoots, if done by themselves, will never end. They will go on forever shooting and go on forever editing.

I have had a hired senior pro photog with some serious accolades + double hatting photog lecturer in a certain local art school screw up a dept photo shoot so bad that we nearly lodged a complaint. And guess who had to render free service to do a proper one.

Anyhow there I can absolutely not see why there is wrong in trying, since in this case it is probably not time critical or one off like a wedding dinner shoot. You will be surprised what "non specialist" can do.

Ryan