Essential Equipment for Architectural Photography
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- What are the essential pieces of equipment that you need for architectural photography?
In this video, I show what equipment I actually use when I work.
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#architecturalphotography #architecturephotography #essentialgearforphotographers 
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I'm highly impressed with those lovely words from16:13 to 16;19 about carrying photographs of your wife and son which reminds you why are you doing this work.
परिवार ही सब कुछ है, है ना?
Thanks for the recommendations!
Thanks Steven - interesting to see your kit
Many thanks, Steven!!! Much appreciated advice.
Another really informative presentation!
Another video with great informative content! Thank you!!!
Just discovered your channel and have really been enjoying the compositional videos so far. I love your notes on the Pelican case that you can use it as a step stool or a seat. Such real world practicality!
And, if you are forced to gate check it on small plane flights, it can stand up to the rough handling. I pack a layer of bubble wrap over everything inside when I know I have to take a small plane.
Thank you Steven. Much appreciated. Love all your content.
Thank you for sharing. Excellent.
This is such a great channel!
Thanks a lot for sharing such a value information.
very interesting, thank you Steven
I watch your videos because you talk about the important things not the equipment, but this is great advice. Thanks :)
You are the best! Thanks, Steven!
You're very welcome, Manuel.
So glad to see your video today. I thought there wouldn’t be a reference to drawing, painting, or jazz music. But it was there!
I really enjoy your no-nonsense, crisp presentations, which is why I was convinced to buy your book, Steven. From the scan I've just done, its money well-spent - just what I need. Thank you.
Thank you, Edward. I am certain that the book will help you with your work. We release videos regularly, so be sure to be on the lookout for the new ones.
Best, Steven
Great video. Thank you.
Thank you again Steven! Very nice content again!
Thank you!
I just want you to know that I really appreciate the content you've been putting out.
Thank you, Josh. I'm grateful that you are finding the videos of interest and of help to you in your work.
Amazing session with you sir. There are so many take aways. Keep posting and thank you for sharing
Thank you, Satish!
Great videos! But what I liked the most is that you carry a picture of your wife and son to remind you why you are doing what you are doing.
Really inspiring!👏👏
Thanks, Gerard. Yes, the photos do help when shooting a really tedious project.
Outstanding!
Thank you!!
Just came across your channel while researching TS-E lenses. i have started going over all the videos on the channel but enjoyed this one particularly because I have much of the same equipment even though I am a just an amateur. I am part of a group of volunteers that photograph historical homes for a state preservation non profit. It is the most demanding and enjoyable thing I do in photography.
Hi, Kevin. Please check out my video on Architectural Photography and Historic Preservation. Perhaps you and/or other volunteers might share one of your historic photos with the community. I am amassing a collection of such photographs to show in a later video. Thanks.
Yes sunscreen is critical. Thank you Steven, love your content!
Great video, Steven. I had to giggle when you showed the picture of your wife and son, but a nice human touch though !
Finally I get to see a new video from you! I’ve been keeping busy with completing my degree dissertation in languages and it’s nice to open up RUclips now that I’m done after a month or so and see that you’re still uploading! Love from Italy 🖤
Congratulazioni per aver terminato la tua tesi!
@@stevenbrookephotography grazie!
Thank you Steve for all this usefull informations you share with us in all your videos ! That help me a lot as a beginner.
Best regards from Switzerland
Du bist herzlich Willkommen!
Great information. Looks almost like my kit.
Really excellent description and great kit. I’m gonna hire a 24mm shift tilt lens for a job on Monday. Thanks Steven!
You’ll love using this lens.
I should add this: You'll probably only be using the SHIFT control. But make certain that the TILT position on the lens is set exactly to ZERO.
You are simply the best on youtube
Thank you, Santi
My 2 ¢ the 50mm ts-e is spendy but the image quality is absolutely stunning . It's multi use lens: a macro with tilt, quite versatile for product photography, art archiving etc. I also recomend the 11-24/4. Rectilinear beast for tight spaces and epic- wide interiors.
Great videos, buyng your ebook now!
If one does't already have the 45mmTS, then the 50 is a great lens to own.
Great video as always, dont forget to check used market for the tse lenses, i got my 17mm and 14tse for 2700€ in perfect condition, instead of 4500€ for the brand new ones
Hey, Paul. One thought about buying used lenses. If you have a conveniently located camera tech, have them check your lenses on an optical bench to be certain there are no focus or alignment issues. If there are any, and they're minor, a tech can make the readjustments.
Thanks for sharing. Awesome content. Where are you with adding flash to the scene? Especially for window pulls?
Hi, Jason. Thanks for your note. The short answer: I don’t use flash. In the days of film, I used tungsten hot lights. Now, if I do need extra lights, I use a set of GVMs. To get the right view out of the window - and I know how important that is for those doing real estate photography - I have the best and most predictable success using layering (as I’ve outlined in my Layering video.) That way, I can precisely control the density and color of what I see through the window, and I'm not restricted to dawn and twilight times to do this. Usually, I can do this with just two images. As I’ve mentioned in some other replies, I don’t emphasize the use of lighting grips in these videos because (1) some simply can’t afford them, (2) many locations prohibit the use of any kind of additional lighting, especially historic houses and art museums, and (3) layering is just so convenient.
I'm happy to be a new subscriber and owner of your ebook. As of now I haven't found anything about supplemental lighting; do you use any or is everything available light? For the past few years I've also used a flash layer combined with ambient layers in Photoshop and sometimes a flash window pull. Thanks.
Welcome to our community, Alan. Thank you for purchasing the book and for subscribing. I have answered the question about artificial lighting in the past, only to say that I haven’t discussed it in these videos for several reasons. First, for students and photographers for whom architectural photography is not (yet) their main interest, the cost of purchasing a set of artificial lights may be prohibitive. Second, and I have encountered this often, locations such as art museums, museum houses (which I photograph often in my preservation work), and other such facilities may prohibit the use of artificial lights, especially strobes. Third, inevitable time constrains often obviate setting up supplemental lighting. I believe it’s important for a photographer to know how to shoot with whatever light is given them. Please check out my videos on “The Highlight Dodge” and “Layering” for examples of how to successfully simulate the effects of on-site artificial lighting in post-production, including window pulls. This all said, yes, I do own a set of lightweight GVM lights that have variable color temperature and intensity controls. I use them rarely, as I do prefer working with available light, multiple exposures, and detailed post-production procedures.
Sir... Your videos are really helpful for me. I really like your approach.
I'm very pleased to hear that. Hope you'll check out the other videos, as well.
@@stevenbrookephotography Yes Sir. I have seen most of them and will surely see all eventually.
Hi Steve! great video, I have a 24 tsl lense and recently I´m thinking about getting a 17 mm tls, but I want to ask if it makes a lot of distortion on the corners. For example in furniture on interiors or making rectangular buildings seeing like triangular axes.
Thanks for your videos!
Thanks for your note. The Canon 17mm TS is a spectacular lens. It’s sharper to my eye than the 24mm TS. It has almost no curvilinear distortion and very minimal chromatic aberration. I usually use this lens at f/11 or f/16, which eliminates any potential issues at the corners --there really aren’t any. This is a beautifully designed lens with great glass. Consequently, the lens is also great for making stitched panoramas. Because of its enormous coverage, however, you have to take care in its use. To avoid distortion, especially in the foregrounds, stay on axis as much as possible, particularly for interiors. Also, all things being equal, shoot at a low eye height, again to reduce distortions. Flare can be a problem, particularly if you’re shooting mid-day or around street lights at night. You can easily shield the lens without getting into the frame. If you take these precautions, this can be an invaluable tool in photographing architecture.
11:14 The electronic level in your 5Ds does indeed take care of front to back. Look more closely.
I have tried those spirit levels, I tend to lose them on the second outing.
Yes, you're correct. (But, my spirit level does fits snuggly and hasn't yet fallen off.)
so nice to see a pro using 24-105, i got that exactly same lens :) i heard few guys said that is zoom lens (especially 24-105 is a kit lens) is not top quality lens and not for pro :D
I've never had a problem with that lens. Admittedly, I rarely use it at its widest. But from about 30mm-105mm it's just fine. Any irregularities are easily fixed in Camera Raw.
Hi Steve, thanks for a really informative video. I shoot Architecture, and Art, and have a question; I would like to get a PC lens for my Sony A7IV full frame camera, but budget is limited. I was wondering if it makes sense to use a medium format Mamiya 645 lens, 35mm, with a fotodiox shift adapter. I like the concept of the shift adapter, because I could use different focal length lenses on it to get different results. What are your thoughts?
Hi, Gam. Thank you for your note. I do not have experience with the Mamiya lens or the fotodiox shift adaptor. (The 645/35mm is equivalent to a 22mm on a 35mm camera, which is certainly wide enough for standard usage. But you would have to check its performance: barrel distortion, chromatic aberration. And also check the degree of shift that is obtainable with the shift adaptor without vignetting.) I welcome anyone in our community familiar with this gear who can weigh in on this. However, in my opinion, the medium format solution seems to be a clumsy alternative to simply purchasing a high-quality PC lens for your 35mm camera. You could, for example, use a 17mm PC lens, and crop in tighter when the 17mm takes in too much information. My Canon 5DS has a built-in cropping function, which I do use on occasion when I need a field-of-view somewhere between a 17 and a 24 and don't want to change my position in the field. As I’ve mentioned before, the majority of my work is photographed using a 24 PC lens. In the end, I try to keep everything as simple as possible.
Your video is very helpful. I will be making a documentation of African traditional architecture, I have a canon 5dsr, a tokina 16-28 f.28 and a canon canon 50mm f2 macro which tilt/shift lens should I buy, canon 45mm f2.8, samyang 24mm f3.5 or loawa 15mm f4 macro, the price are almost the same in Malaysia. Thank you and you just got your self another subscriber.
Thank you for your note, Muhammad. I don’t like the reviews I see for the Loawa 15mm. The Samyang 24mm does seem to be a bit better. However, in my opinion, the single best lens for you, given what you already have, is the Canon 24mm Tilt/Shift. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it is very well made with great optics and smooth operating mechanisms. The chromatic aberration is minimal and correctable. This is a lens that you will have forever. Also, with multiple frames and photomerge, you can almost recreate what a 17mm lens will cover. Your project sounds wonderful and I would love to see some of your work once you get into it. Good luck.
Great vídeo Steven, really apreciatte this kind of content in youtube. Cheers from Spain!!
I was searching for the video on "polarizing filters" but I'm not able to find it.
Thanks Steven for such great content. I'm a begginer in this passionable field of architectural photography so my doubts can sound like rookie. I bought your e-book and respecting to gear you recommended having a grid focusing screen for the viewfinder to get faster axial compositions. My doubt is: - The hotshoe bulb level can displace the grid focusing screen or they are both essencial for the job?
Hi, Pedro. Both are needed. I use the bubble level as the surest way to level the camera both vertically and horizontally. The grid screen is an invaluable to aid in composition, particularly when you need to align the horizontals with the actual picture plane. The camera itself can be level horizontally, but the horizontals elements in the image may still not be perfectly on axis.
@@stevenbrookephotography Can i suggest that in a future video you can show us how to operate these two systems together?
@@pedroreimaophotography I will do that. In the mean time: (1) Level your camera first! (2) Compose your image (3) If your view is to be axial -- that is, the main horizontals parallel to the picture plane -- then carefully rotate your camera on the tripod until the horizontals line up exactly with the horizontals in the grid screen and the top and bottom of the frame.
@@stevenbrookephotography Thank you Steven for your tips.
Great channel, I like your videos. I am perplexed by the use of a ball head and not a geared head. I would think the precision of a geared head would be paramount to getting good verticals, etc. Do you have a reason for your preferrence?
Thank you for this question. I do think geared tripod heads are great. I used one with my 4x5 view camera. However, now that I am shooting a smaller, lighter 35mm camera, the (ungeared) Arca Swiss ball head I use is faster and I find more convenient. It has a rough release knob and a secondary knob to control the resistance. I set the latter to the resistance I prefer and leave it. I can quickly level my camera in both directions with one release knob, using the spirit level in the camera’s hotshoe. That said, I know many photographers do prefer a geared tripod head.
Besides the speed of using them, ball heads have another advantage, and that is their stiffness. Taking a look at the excellent resource of such measuremnts, The Center Column, the highest ranking geared head, the Arca Swiss Cube only reaches 1/3 to 1/4 the stiffness of the highest ranking ballheads. While often the tripod is the weak link in the chain, with the application of architecture (as opposed to trave/hiking) and the fact of considering to eventually put an expensive and heavy geared head on top in mind, it makes sense to assume a good tripod with high stiffness is used, which does benefit from an accordingly good head (cf. the "Optimizing Ball Head Choice" series of articles on The Center Column).
A disadvantage of most ball heads is the quite noticeable movement induced to the ball as one tightens it. If you e.g. are picking out small details like an ornament high up on some wall with a long telephoto lens, I can very much imagine a geared head such as the Cube being a pleasure to fine tune the composition with.
My Arca Swiss p0 would always shift the view down and to the right when tightening it in such situations, the FLM CB-48 FTR II I use these days has a tightening mechanism that results in minimal movement in this case.
It also has a tilt function, basically a knob that when tightened adds extra friction only in a horizontal axis, so that you can easily tilt the ball to move the view up/down, but need notably more force to tilt it sideways. It does not turn the head into a gimbal (and is often criticized by people expecting that), but works great to avaid accidental sideways tilt if one just wants to adjust the composition vertically.
Waw what a great channel! All your videos have a lot of very informative content! I was just wondering why you suggest a "ball head" instead of a "pan head"? I hear most of the people suggest pan head for landscape and architectural photography. Which "tripod head" would you recommend for a beginner (also a manfrotto such as the tripod?) Many thanks!
Thank you for your note. Here are my suggestions:
I use an older Manrfrotto 055X PROB.
(The much improved, replacement model is the 055X PRO3). SPECS:
Load Capacity 19.8 lb / 9 kg
Maximum Working Height 66.9" / 169.9 cm
Max Height w/o Center Column 55.1" / 140 cm
Minimum Working Height 3.5" / 8.9 cm
Folded Length 24" / 61 cm
I prefer a ball head for several reasons. (1) The smaller profile. (2) I dislike the three handles of the traditional pan/tilt tripod head. (3) I like being able to use a single release that enables me to adjust both vertical and horizontal alignments in one step, utilizing the two-way bubble level to easily align. Ball heads do have a pan adjustment, as well. Manfrotto has several ball heads to consider. Whatever you decide to buy, be certain that the camera-to-tripod head is rock solid. Purchase the best tripod and tripod head that you can afford. An unsteady tripod and/or a loose connection to your camera will make you crazy. I unequivocally believe that architectural photographs must be taken on a tripod. These are very important pieces of equipment.
@@stevenbrookephotography Thanks Steven, this is helpful info. Great content on your channel. 👍
Thanks for your notes. Hope the videos are helping you with your work.
I enjoyed your video on the "prime directive". I wanted to ask if making the distortion corrections in software is suitable for professional work. Are there any downsides, aside from the time involved, that would make tilt shift lenses really preferable?
Thanks for your note. With the excellence of the sensors of the newer cameras, there is no noticeable loss of quality in correcting vertical alignment in Photoshop. Yes, it’s time consuming - but necessary. The benefits of a perspective-control lens are many. Of course, having the verticals aligned when you take the photo precludes having to do this in Photoshop. More importantly, using a PC lens allows you to see exactly the image you are creating without having to imagine how it will look once you make post-production corrections. Further, a PC lens allows you to shift your point of view without having to reposition the tripod - important if you are trying to maintain an axial orientation. A PC lens will also allow for distortion-free stitching of images to create one large view. In sum, if you are planning to do a lot of architecture and design photography, a PC lens is really indispensable.
@@stevenbrookephotography Thank you for your detailed reply. All very good points. I can see the benefit of getting as much right in camera as possible but still being well versed in the corrections that can be done in software.
With a high enough resolution sensor (IOW more than you need), there is also the option to shoot wider with correct perspective and crop. Remember, a shift lens just is a wider angle lens with a bigger image circle that your sensor format normally uses, to which you crop in optomechanically by the sensor only picking up a small(er) part of the image circle and the mechanics of the shifting mechanism select the region of the image circle your crop sits in.
I do enjoy the actual photographic process as such very much (and thus find T/S lenses an interesting experience to work with) and very much not enjoy post processing.
That said however, I can not at all agree with (or even understand) correcting perspective in post being time consuming or tedious. I am not using any proprietary software such as the one mentioned, but not only did panorama stitching software (such as Hugin) have the relatively straightforward feature to set control points on what should be horizontal and vertical lines and do the correction for you, even better my current RAW editing software of choice (darktable) can automatically detect lines in an image and correct the perspective accordingly with one or two clicks.
Also, this happens on a large screen and you can quickly and easily verify it to be perfectly aligned down to the pixel, whereas in the field, no bubble level or view finder will allow for that level of precision, unless you zoom all the way in and manage to scroll the zoomed in view with the line near the edge of the viewfinder/screen to try and gauge whether they keep the same distance or not.
Also, I found when playing with the Canon TS-E 17mm for a few weeks that (at least the given copy) did have quite some field curvature (or other issue?), maknig the manual focus process way more tedious, as focusing on a buliding front in the center would leave the corners out of focus, jumpnig back and forth between magnified views of corner and center would yield a completely sharp image. And that was on a low resolution 6D.
position and shift the rear part with the attached camera
Very insightful, thank you so much. No artificial lighting?
I will definitely discuss this topic in an upcoming video.
@@stevenbrookephotography Great! Looking very much forward it.
Steven, If you could only afford a canon 24mm f1.4 usm Ef or a used 24mm ts-e for urban architectural building photography which would you choose?
Thanks for your question, David. If I had a chance for a reputable camera technician to put the used 24 TSE on an optical bench to thoroughly check out, I would pick that one over a non-perspective control lens. If you are planning on making architectural photograph a mainstay of your work--or at least a significant part of it--I still believe a perspective control lens is the best lens to use.
thank you for all /which are the two lenses that are sufficient to start with?
I would start with a 24 mm tilt/shift lens. This is the most versatile focal length for both architecture and interiors. I rely on my 24-105 zoom for landscape views that do not include architectural subject matter. The 75-100 part of that zoom range is also ideal for details and portraits. After that, I would consider a 17mm tilt/shift. I produce over 90% of my work with just those three lenses.
I don't currently have a perspective control (PC) lens. When I am shooting large buildings, I am able to correct distortion on on-axis shots fairly easily and accurately. However, for off-axis shots, I find it very difficult to correct these images. I'm curious as to whether you believe that's a skill problem that I can resolve with more experience or whether this is typical and where a PC lens really helps. Also, with PC lenses, do they typically have the "reach" to get most images on their own, or do you sometimes have to combine them with a rail? Thanks.
Yes, a PC lens will help, but you should be able to correct off-axis, misaligned verticals in post-production. Often this requires aligning one side, then aligning the other, then going back to the first one to re-correct, etc. It can two or more manipulations to get it right, but it can be done. At times, you may have to add CANVAS SPACE to accommodate the changes. Further, with significant realignment to the sides you often “squash” the building. This requires a further set of adjustments to reestablish the correct height. I show this at 8:07 of this video: ruclips.net/video/Y9909XEBukk/видео.html
The 24mm PC lens (I have a Canon) will definitely cover most of your work. I do have a 17mm PC lens, as well. When they don’t entirely cover what I need, I stitch together shifted images rather than using a rail. ruclips.net/video/DLJEdtC1vco/видео.html
Got it. Thanks very much for the reply.
Tether to your iPad for shots looking straight up super effective and very easy
Tethered shooting, especially for interior photography, is an upcoming video.
@@stevenbrookephotography great. What’s your opinion on the Cambo actus system? Would that be difficult to cart around on site? I’d very much be interested in your opinion as it would provide significant control etc. thanks in advance
Thanks for your note. I am not familiar with this system. (Someone in our community might be, and hopefully they will weigh in.) That said, just looking at the set-up as pictured: this seems similar to what I unsuccessfully tried to set up with my 2x3 Arca Swiss view camera: use my existing Schneider lenses and a digital back of some kind. Ultimately, I decided that it was a clumsy (and heavy!) way to do what a standard high-res DSLR (or mirrorless, now) camera with high-quality perspective control lenses can more easily do. The new medium-format FUJI cameras and their recently-released PC lens are an extraordinary combination, and would also be an alternative to the Cambo Actus. You might like this gear. I don't think I would.
@@stevenbrookephotography thanks Steve. I think your right. Frankly it is a studio camera and agree it would be very difficult and clumsy. The Arca is allot more compact than the Actus. After a few days of research I’ve come to the same conclusion re a Fuji gfx as this seems to be the ultimate tool available on the market. I had a play with one in the store and you really can’t beat it for speed, portability and convenience. If you want the added capability of tilt shift you can attaché the gfx to the cambo….Thanks for the response
Hi Steve. I have the Canon ts-e 24mm II and 45mm. No raw programs I have tried recognize the lenses for corrections. Do you manually adjust for corrections?
Hi, Dan. Because of the variability of shift parameters that may be employed with these lenses, no profiles exist for these lenses as they do with primes. And so, yes, I do make the adjustments manually. I found that there is more noticeable chromatic aberration with the 45mm TS than with the 24mm.
@@stevenbrookephotography thank you, Sometimes DXO mistakes the 45mm as the Tamron 45mm
I laughed out loud at your tip with the photo, I will now look for a wife and a son asap. Thank you very much for your videos and the experiences you share with us.
Steven, can you "get" a TS-E 50mm using a TS-E 24mm with Extender EF-2X?
The 2X extender on a 24mm lens will give you about a 48mm effective focal length. It will cost you 2 stops of exposure. There are reports of some image degradation, as well. I have not used this set-up, and I welcome someone in our community to weigh in on this. There are also many thorough reviews online which discuss this topic. Since the converters are not inexpensive, I would encourage doing some research, including seeing some actual files taken with this arrangement.
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/732111-USA/Canon_4410B002_Extender_EF_2X_III.html
BTW, this is the 2X extender successfully being used on his Canon 17mm TS lens by one of our community, the brilliant and very tech-savvy photographer Beno Saradzic.
What exactly is that tripod, please? I also use those with the flip lever because I find them so useful and fast to use.
It’s a Manfroto. Very solid build.
@@stevenbrookephotography Yes, that I see. I only use Manfrotto. What I want to know is the number, (MK 190X?) the actual name if you don't mind.
I use a Manfrotto 550XPROB. It’s no longer made. This replaces it:www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1034139-REG/manfrotto_mt055xpro3_aluminum_tripod.html
Hi Steve, Is the first 24mm TS-E a viable option or a waste of money? I have the 45mm and want a wider angle, but, find the price of the TS-E II daunting.
Dan, if you are planning to do considerable work in architectural/design photography, then the 24mm TS lens is a must. Period. The 45 is simply not wide enough for most architecture and design subject matter. Details, yes. But not for overall views.
Not to dwell, but the alternatives - a 24mm prime, for example - will be limiting. To correct the parallax from having to tilt your lens, you lose material on the sides, requiring you to step back farther to plan for this. Not always possible.
The most valuable feature is the ability to align the verticals and see exactly what you are getting as you shoot. Next, is the ability to shift left or right to fine-tune the composition while keeping the image on axis. And finally, the ability to stitch images without having any misalignment is invaluable if you don’t have a 17mm TS lens.
The second incarnation of the 24TS brought what I think were significant improvements: definitely sharper, and with almost no chromatic aberration.
If you do decide on the first version, I suggest purchasing a copy of a sharpening program like TOPAX AI Sharpener, or something like it - as you will need it to improve the sharpness, especially if you shift the lens to its extreme position. Correcting this in Photoshop with Smart Sharpen may not be enough.
I strongly urge to you avoid used lenses. You just don’t know what has happened to them. Even a slight banging will screw with the alignment. And for a TS lens, this can be particularly disastrous. If you do buy a used one, take it to a reliable camera tech and have them check it out on an optical bench. Slight misalignments can actually be corrected.
To sum, if you are photographing architecture on a regular basis, the 24TS lens is anything but a waste of your money.
thank you for your help. Your answer was quite complete.
Hi. Not needing gear is great advice. I am an almost 80 year old architect who shot a lot of his own work bc I had to go with the pro photographers anyway and could barely afford them. I discovered why they were so pricey when I got serious. It’s a lot of work and plus timing is everything.
I started out with a Pentax 67 but switched to a medium format 69 Arca Swiss, a great camera!!! I used a braced leg geared column manfrotto with flip leg locks.
I disagree with you about the gitzo turn locks. Nowadays they are only a quarter turn and work beautifully.
Honestly, I think mirrorless works better for architectural work, than DSLR. Despite using a spot meter I had so many failed chromes. Partly due to lack of expertise but exposure issues are much much better and easier with mirrorless.
My kit now is Fuji GFX 50S, laowa 15mm shift, Canon 24mm, Pentax 645 35mm and 45-85mm with tilt shift adapter, plus the canon 100/400 v2 which works for roof top details but also functions as a quasi macro lens ( it can focus to 36 inches). The Pentax 645 lenses have excellent coverage for the 33x44 Fuji sensor and they rival the Fuji glass.
The A series Pentax 645 are dirt cheap on eBay by the way.
The way the screen moved on the GFX is really made for tripod work.
I use the gitzo systematic with a geared head. I’m very impressed you can make a ball head work for architecture. Before geared head I used a pan tilt style. Could never make ball head work for fine adjustments.
Anyway, if you ask 2 architectural photographers about gear, you’ll probably get 3 opinions, so this is my 2 cents.
The shot on your book cover looks truly superb!!!
Huh? Gfx with the 15mm laowa? How does that work?
@@josephasghar Laowa makes a 15mm shift [but not tilt] lens with 65mm image circle. This allows shifts which is all you need for architecture. You can photograph a 80 story building in 3 frames and put it together in PhotoShop. For certain situation the extreme wide angle of this lens works really well on the GFX. It has bulbous front so many people prefer the
Laowa 20mm. these lenses are really designed for the Canon EF series but can do 8mm of shift on the GFX
@@borromine yeah I have it. On canon. Interesting…
I love the ballhead - it's almost older then me ;) - how many interiors she was see?!
Hundreds, at least.
Not better to get small view camera like linhof 23 S and you will have all shift tilt controls 👌🏻
Absolutely not! I had an microscopically-precise Arca-Swiss 6x9 view camera, using cassettes and film. I tried for a year to adapt it to digital photography - useless. A digital back comes with a significant price tag, which I thought was not worth that steep price. And with all the multiple-layering (and other) techniques available with digital capture, using film for architectural photography is like chiseling in stone. Maybe fun for a hobbyist; not for a professional. A new 35mm (or medium-format) digital camera (mirrorless or otherwise) with PC lenses (17mm 24mm, 50mm -- or medium-format equivalents) will afford you all the shift capabilities you will need.
Well I use that with hasselblad Digital back plus Linhof 23 6x9 view camera works perfect no 35mm digital camera can’t come close to quality of medium format digital back!
Photographers using Fujifilm medium-format digital cameras with the newly-available shift lenses agree with you.
Thank you so much for the insights! I’ve been in a dilemma for a while now about tilt/shift lenses and still haven’t been able to handle it: for a non professional but building photography enthusiast, which ONE of those lenses would you recommend? One all rounder!
I have found that without doubt the single best lens for architectural photography is the 24mm shift lens. I have a Canon; the Nikon is also excellent. It's a wide enough angle for most situations, including interiors. Further, the shift capability makes it possible to stitch several shots into one large view without distortion. The newer versions of the 24 have virtually no barrel distortion and the smallest amount of chromatic aberration at the very sides when the lens is shifted to extremes. You can use a thin polarizer without vignetting. Finally, being able to shift the lens in camera and see on your viewfinder exactly what you are going to get will help you considerably in your compositions. You don't have to guess what it will look like after post-production manipulation. And with the high resolution sensors now available on most cameras, if the situation calls for a tighter view - say, a 35mm view - you can always take the shot with the 24 and crop after. The final size of the image will still be totally usable.
@@stevenbrookephotography thank u so much !!!! The 24mm it is then ! God bless !
Thank you, Steven, for this video and for your channel.
I wanted to ask if you had to choose only two lenses to keep, which would they be?
Wishing you much continued success!
If I were photographing architecture as my main focus, I would certainly start with a 24mm perspective control lens.
To accommodate both architectural details and landscape I would next choose a 24-105 zoom. My 3rd lens would be a 17mm perspective control lens. I do almost all my work with just those.
@@stevenbrookephotography Good to know, thanks very much, Steven!