Top 10 Best Cameras for Architectural Photography (2024)

FAQs

What is the best lens for architectural photography? ›

When you start trying to solve problems and really want to learn how to photograph architecture, the 24mm is the best lens to use. It is also safer for beginners than a really wide-angle lens, which can cause distortion. When I need that focal length, the 24mm is perfect, with close to no distortion, which is great."

Narrow aperture — Since buildings are so large, you want a narrow aperture to keep a deep depth of field. Aim for an aperture between f/8 and f/14.

Many professional photographers use high-end Canon or Nikon DSLRs, such as a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR camera or a Nikon D850 DSLR camera. There are many excellent options depending on the professional results desired. These are the crème de la crème of cameras, designed to produce amazing results.

Every architectural photographer needs a lens, and good wide-angle glass is generally the way to go, especially when you're starting out. A wide-angle lens offers an expansive field of view, which is essential for interior work (and useful for exterior work, too).

Olympus and Fuji have the best color accuracy. If you shoot RAW, your image is then subjected to an image processor that was NOT designed by your camera manufacturer who set the color algorithms, so you have less you can do with those images.

There are four main types of digital camera: compact, bridge, DSLR and mirrorless cameras. DSLRs and mirrorless models have interchangeable lenses.

A decent 6-megapixel camera is good enough for most normal camera usage. Go for higher megapixels only if you wish to use your images for canvas-sized prints or large hoardings. If your interest is in night sky photography, then too a higher megapixel camera can be important.

But since then, Nikon upgraded the series, coming up with D780 in 2020. This Nikon camera body outperforms the Canon in every area, from ISO range to video capabilities, image quality, speed, and autofocus accuracy. There is a catch as there is a considerable price gap between the two.

Main factors for pure image quality are:

Sensor quality (low noise, high dynamic range, and so on - all of which get better with a large sensor) Lens quality (sharpness, lack of chromatic abberation, quality of bokeh etc) Camera firmware, i e ability to use RAW format, or create JPEG files with good quality.

How do you photograph architectural details? ›

Look For Detail

Filling the frame with repeating patterns such as brickwork or tiles on a roof can create interesting abstract shots. Just fill your frame, watch your shutter speeds if you're working hand-held and make sure you're focusing accurately as blur really doesn't work in this type of shot.

For architectural works, proficiency in basic light painting is essential as it directs the viewers' attention. The way you control and play with lightiing, amongst other techniques, will elevate photos with more depth and realistic dimensions.

Architecture is a much-loved subject among passionate photographers. Although some specialized equipment and basic skills are required to get the best results, it's a great way to discover, or rediscover, the rich and diverse architectural heritage of Quebec.

The tilt shift lens corrects for that, and enables you to shoot buildings while keeping the lines completely vertical. Rather than pointing the lens up at an angle, the photographer is able to point it straight ahead and shift the lens up, keeping the perspective accurate.

Architectural photographers take photographs of buildings and other built structures in a professional capacity. Their photographs are often intended for commercial purposes, for the developer to publish online or in brochures, or for the portfolios of the project team.

Architecture Photography - Exteriors. Architecture photography covers two main genres: interiors and exteriors of buildings. Each has its own particular requirements. Exterior photography shows off not only the architectural features of the building but also how it sits in its environment.

All Color Science really means is "How the camera renders colors" - Sony is famous for being the most accurate; whereas Canon is known for pleasing skin tones.

Canon is just better at the photo-shooting experience. Matti is putting more stock in video performance as many platforms are heading that way. And for video, the Sony cameras are in the lead when it comes to features across the board (and they don't overheat as much as Canon).

Canon is generally known for being a company that produces cameras with great-looking color. In many instances this is true, Canon does a fantastic job at not only producing great-looking color but also relatively accurate color.

Is a DSLR better than a mirrorless camera? ›

The DSLR offers a wider selection of interchangeable lenses, longer battery life, and better low-light shooting thanks to the optical viewfinder. On the other hand, mirrorless cameras are lighter, more portable, offer better video quality even in lower-end models, and can shoot more images at faster shutter speeds.

Nikon is another top camera brand with a long history of producing optical devices, cameras, and lenses. Nikon was one of the pioneering manufacturers of digital cameras throughout the 1990s and continues to hold its own against competitors like Canon.

There are, however, two main types of cameras available today for the general consumer: the DSLR (or SLR) and the point and shoot.

It's no longer true that the higher a camera's megapixel count the better. The only thing more megapixels will give you is the ability to enlarge and crop pictures without individual pixels becoming visible. Other factors are much more important in determining overall picture quality.

According to scientist and photographer Dr. Roger Clark, the resolution of the human eye is 576 megapixels. That's huge when you compare it to the 12 megapixels of an iPhone 7's camera.

Whether you're taking photos for maximum resolution, pixel binning to get the greatest quality, or making use of the sensor for crisp 4K or 8K video, a 108MP camera phone puts unprecedented levels of photographic power in your pocket.

A higher crop factor means a larger sensor, which, in turn, equates to better resolution pictures. Most Nikon crop-sensor cameras have a crop resolution of 1.5x, while Canon cameras tend to have a crop resolution of 1.6x. Professionals who need magnification in their pictures will definitely prefer a Canon crop camera.

However, Sony is better at most things: autofocus, low light performance, native lens range, 3rd party lens support, dual card slots, exposure compensation dial, video, customisation, and battery life. Nikon is better at some things: grip and handling, menu layout, monitor resolution, and touch screen.

The Nikon is the slimmer and lighter of the two, while the Lumix looks and feels like a professional DSLR — bulky, but with much more direct access control. The S1 also features a high-resolution mode that produces 96MP images, a significantly sharper electronic viewfinder (EVF), and two memory card slots.

How do I know if a camera is good? ›

Checking megapixel count on an Android phone

Just open the camera app, click the settings icon (the small cog) and you should find the megapixel information listed under the heading "Photo size".

While sensor type and size, megapixel count and pixel size are all important when it comes to image quality, there are other, often overlooked, factors such as lens choice, file type, and the setting combinations used to capture the image that also have an impact.

If you're just starting out in architectural photography, I highly recommend against shooting with any lens wider than 24mm on a full-frame camera or 15mm on an APS-C camera. Extreme wide angle lenses come with their own challenges and if you're not practiced enough they're difficult to handle.

The tilt shift lens corrects for that, and enables you to shoot buildings while keeping the lines completely vertical. Rather than pointing the lens up at an angle, the photographer is able to point it straight ahead and shift the lens up, keeping the perspective accurate.

This makes 24mm an ideal choice for landscape photographers, wedding photographers, portrait photographers, photojournalists and street photographers who are looking for a wide angle view of the scene that doesn't feel unnatural to the viewer of the photo.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

If you're a Canon user, this is the wide-angle lens you'll want to get your hands on. It's an L-series lens, which denotes a higher quality glass and build. The 16-35mm range is ideal for real estate photography.

5 Tips For Shooting Interior Photography - YouTube

A wide-angle lens has a focal length of 35mm or shorter, which gives you a wide field of view. The wider your field of view, the more of the scene you'll be able to see in the frame. These lenses are ideal for many scenarios, and most photographers have at least one trusty wide-angle lens in their kit.

The 35mm is a lens that allows you to capture many different types of camera shots and angles. It's wide enough to capture background elements, but close enough to shoot more intimate shots like coverage and portraits.

How do you shoot tall buildings? ›

In architectural photography, anywhere between a 16-35mm focal length is ideal for interior shots. But for more detailed or intricate shots, anywhere from 35mm to 200mm will do the trick. The other most important aspect of these lenses is the aperture.

How to use a tilt shift lens for architecture and timelapses

Rokinon 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift Overview

This full-frame Sony E-mount lens offers a huge advantage over a standard prime, tilt of +/- 8.5° and shift of +/- 12mm, each of which allows a photographer to change the perspective of an image or correct for certain optical effects such as keystoning.

Which prime lens is better 35mm or 50mm? The 35mm lens focal length is more versatile when shooting indoors for its wide field of view and capturing more scenery when traveling than the 50mm lens which is more zoomed-in making it difficult to use indoors but ideal for traditional, headshots and portraits.

When it comes to photographing people, a 50mm lens emphasizes the subject, whereas a 24mm lens shows the environment. Image taken with a Canon 60D and a 50mm lens. That's why a 50mm lens is great for head and shoulders portraits, while a 24mm lens is great for photographing people in the context of their surroundings.

The best focal length is the one that best isolates the subject, or hero, in your image, and keeps out the distractions, or villains. As a general rule, choose a long focal length lens, like 70, 135, or 200mm to isolate textures and distant features to create dramatic backgrounds.