Architectural Photography Lens?

drew sumrell · Feb 18, 2007

I am becoming increasingly interested in residential architectual photography. I have a Nikon D70S with an 18-70mm lens. It has worked OK in some situations, but I'm beginning to see the need for other focal length lens.......even a PC lens. What would be the most versatile or next best choice for a lens to purchase?

Thanks!

table1349 · Feb 18, 2007

PC Lens?

What focal lengths are you needing. Longer, shorter/wider, angle adjustment/tilt/shift?

drew sumrell · Feb 18, 2007

I would like to have a PC lens or tilt/shift lens one of these days, but I think a 200mm zoom or perhaps a 24mm lens may get more useage as a next purchase. I hoping someone with architectural experience can suggest which lens would be the most helpful as a second lens.

Aquarium Dreams · Feb 20, 2007

I also really enjoy architectural photography. I've been doing research for a couple of months and this is the combination I've decided on for my needs: (I have a Canon xti, and I don't know what the equivalents are for Nikon.)

Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L Tilt Shift Lens

Kenko DG Auto Extension Tube Set

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens

The tilt shift lens is expensive, but for me personally, it's the most important lens I can think of getting. 24mm is nice and wide, and with the extension tube set, you can make the lens effectively a telephoto of varying lengths and even (so I hear) use it for macro photography. Photo editing programs can help with perspective correction, but you lose data that way. Just something to think about.

The sigma is the widest zoom lens currently available for a full frame body. Personally, I like wide, and I find that when I'm shooting, wider is one of the things I wish for most.

Sigma also has an inexpensive telephoto, APO DG 70-300mm f4-5.6 with macro setting. It's a good lens, (the only one I've listed that I actually have) but I haven't used it much, personally. I guess it depends what kind of architectural photography you like. Do you find yourself wishing you could get more of the scene in the image or that you could get closer to specific details in the scene?

Anyway, I don't know if this is exactly what you were looking for, but I hope this helps.

fmw · Feb 21, 2007

If the D70 will work with a preset lens, then a 28mm PC Nikkor is what to get. There simply is no substitute.

Chris Voith · Mar 5, 2007

I got a Fuji S2 pro because I could use my Nikkor 18mm rectilinear on it in manual mode. Later, they made a DX 12-18(?) zoom. This is what I now use for most interiors. I have a Nikkor PC lens but never use it any more. P'shop is much easier, more precise and gives tons of different ways and permutations to "fix" perspective issues (or create new ones).