You’ve probably heard about the benefits of using a tilt-shift lens for architectural photography, specifically for exteriors. Those photos of a skyscraper or the office building that you just can’t to straighten out on camera? Not a problem with a tilt-shift! But what about using a tilt-shift lens for interiors? Is it as vital as when you’re shooting exteriors? I rented a 24mm TS lens and took a few photos around the house to test it out. Let’s compare!
Basics
First, let’s talk about what a tilt-shift lens is and what sort of magic it can do. A tilt-shift lens is essentially a lens that lets you tilt and shift from within the lens itself. Okay, let me explain some more! When we talk about tilting, imagine it as the equivalent of nodding your head up or down. This changes the perspective. This is what you can do manually on your lens so that the camera looks up. In the world of architectural and interior photography, though, this is a huge no-no because it causes lines to converge from the strong perspective. Shifting is when an object stays in the same tilt position, but just shifts up or down or side to side. Imagine holding up a piece of paper and sliding it up or down while the paper stays vertical - that’s shifting! So this means that a tilt-shift lens allows you to do both tilting and shifting within the lens itself, without moving the camera or tripod at all!
When shooting exteriors, this is a handy tool because you can control the perspective by adjusting the tilt and shift to capture a tall building without converging lines from the perspective. When shooting interiors, though, the benefits aren’t so clear. Is it really worth the investment if you’re not trying to straighten out tall buildings?
When you’re considering a tilt-shift lens for yourself, it’ll come down to the type of clientele you have, the budget that you can stretch to, and your workflow on location.
Pros:
- Cleaner edges on the frame, with straighter lines (less distortion)
- Great for capturing exteriors with straightened verticals, especially if the building is tall or you have to shoot from a slope
- Can capture a vanity or mirrored console area without getting you in the mirror (by shifting)
- For larger spaces, can easily stack exposures so you capture more area
Cons:
- It slows you down - no moving quickly with a tilt-shift!
- No zoom - all tilt-shift lenses are prime
- Less versatility
- Big price tag
So what does this all mean?
The first thing I would take into consideration is your budget. Tilt-shift lenses are not cheap, so if you have a limited budget, you would benefit from looking at lenses that are more versatile. In other words, get more bang for your buck first (get those workhorse lenses!) and then as budget allows, invest in the gear that is more of a “nice to have”. Lenses like a 16-35mm or a 24-70mm will cover a good range for you and give you the versatility of a zoom lens. Versatility also comes into play when you consider that the main benefits for a tilt-shift lens when shooting residential interiors is being able to shift in tight spaces. This is great for getting a straight-on shot of a vanity or console if there’s a wall in the way (like in a tight bathroom)
Next, consider the clientele that you serve. Is it ALL interior work? Then your benefits from a tilt-shift will be more limited. Tilt-shift lenses are absolutely known for being able to straighten out those building exteriors, but the benefits for interiors are much more specific and less common. So if you’re doing all interior work, then you won’t feel the benefits of this lens quite as much as if you shoot a fair amount of exteriors. I personally would want to be shooting some exterior on nearly every photoshoot to be able to justify the investment.
Along these lines, think about who you WANT to work with. Are you looking to work more with architects and builders? Then a tilt-shift lens would have you well set up for those clients because you’ll do some larger projects and exterior shots. If you want to work more exclusively with interior designers, then the tilt-shift probably shouldn’t be in your gear case until you’ve got more versatile lenses purchased.
Finally, consider your workflow. Are you still doing a fair amount of real estate work? Then steer away from a tilt-shift! These lenses make you slow down way too much for a real estate shoot, so it will either not get used properly or not get used at all. You’re better off going with a versatile zoom lens that reaches a bit wide so it can cover the compositions you need for real estate. Just like you consider your ideal clients, though, think about the type of shoots that you WANT to be doing. As you steer away from real estate photography and more in the direction of designers, your shoots will be longer, more methodical, and more collaborative. Still, you may not want to slow down the process too much, so really consider if you want to be forced to slow everything.
Side by side comparisons
First, let’s just look at the photos side by side so you can see for yourself the differences. A few things to note:
- All settings are identical for both lenses. Same shutter speed, ISO, aperture… The tripod was also kept in the exact spot between lenses as well.
- Since the 24mmTS is being compared to a 16-35mm, I got the zoom lens as close as I could to 24mm so that the framing of the shot could be as identical as possible.
- These photos have had identical edits done. The two things that were NOT done: Lens correction and straightening lines. This is because I wanted the comparison to be as native as possible. So the edits I did do are all for basics such as exposure, clarity, shadows, highlights, and white balance. I did not one edit difference on the second set of photos because the TS photo was noticeably brighter than the zoom lens photo. Otherwise, all identical!
In the photo above, there isn’t much difference from one lens to the other. The wide angle’s 24mm is a bit wider than the TS, but a bit of cropping could even that out. The tilt-shift lens did feel overall sharper, which was unexpected!
The biggest difference here, of course, is that the tilt-shift lens composition is lower, capturing more table and less ceiling. It was super convenient to be able to adjust this without touching the tripod, and it does help keep your verticals vertical while letting you shift the view down a bit. I want to note that the tilt-shift lens was also considerably brighter at the same settings. In fact, for this one, I had to do a slightly different exposure adjustment so that the comparison could be more even. I also noticed considerable difference in the handling of color from one lens to the other (in the editing, any color balancing was done identical on both photos).
Again, the 24mm focal length with the wide angle lens is slightly wider than with the tilt-shift lens, but that’s easy enough to edit by cropping.
TILT SHIFT: This photo was taken on an interior shoot with the rented 24mm TS lens! I decided to use the TS for this shot because I wanted to adjust to be able to see the legs of the coffee tables and the base of the light fixture. The space was tight, so being able to make this adjustment on the lens was a benefit. I also was feeling like the TS lens might be a bit sharper overall, and so wanted to incorporate it as much as I could in this shoot.
Conclusion
I was SUPER excited to rent a tilt-shift lens for interior photos! In fact, I took my rented lens on a client shoot and used it for a couple of shots. Being used to using a zoom, it was an adjustment to have a fixed focal length. I also had to give myself a little extra time for making the lens adjustments, which take longer as you’re learning. I found that the tilt-shift lens was most beneficial when I had a good composition but needed to adjust the ‘height’ while keeping my verticals straight. That’s the difference that you see in the living room shot above.
Is the tilt-shift lens worth an investment for interiors only? I haven’t found there to be enough BIG advantages, so I say it’s NOT a recommended investment if you shoot solely interiors. The true benefits come when you do extremely large spaces (like commercial spaces or very large residences with double height ceilings) and exteriors. For residential interiors only, the shifting abilities are the most beneficial, but I would consider heavily the options because tilt-shift lenses tend to have hefty price tags.
If your workload includes a fair amount of exteriors, a tilt-shift may be worth the investment…. but be sure to consider whether it’s versatile enough for your needs! For example, if you need a lens that can handle real estate shoots as well, then this is not the lens for you. Tilt-shift lenses force you to keep a slower pace, both because of the lens adjustments and because they’re fixed focal lengths. So the lens is best when you’re doing larger or higher-end shoots that allow you the time and attention.
Also, if your clients consist mostly of interior designers, you’ll want to compare this lens to a zoom lens such as the 16-35mm or the 24-70mm, which can offer the range you need with the flexibility to adjust quickly and seamlessly.
On the flip side, if you do a lot of work for larger projects, commercial work, exterior shots of any kind, or large developments, then you’ll want to consider adding this lens to your arsenal! It can make your life much easier when you go to edit, and it can give you more freedom to compose how you want in a large interior because you can stack multiple frames by shifting the lens. Again, though, I would take into account whether a tilt-shift lens is versatile enough for your needs.
Tilt-shift lenses are typically in the $1,500-$2,000 range, so it’s not an investment to rush. If you’re considering buying one, I recommend renting a tilt-shift lens from a local camera shop or an online renter (like LensProToGo.com) so that you can give it a test run before spending big bucks!
Whether you decide to go for it or not, it’s always good to know about your gear options. This way, even if you don’t invest in a tilt-shift lens, you’ll know WHY you’re not investing in it right now!
One final note: if you’re starting out with real estate photo shoots but aspire to shoot high-end interiors or architectural works, then this lens is one to keep on your radar. It may not be a good fit for your needs today, but once you’re working with larger, higher-budget clients it’ll be a lens to consider seriously! As always, though, it’s about the photographer, not the gear. Get your main gear first, make sure it fits your budget and needs, and THEN add the higher-end gear that is more specific and pricey.
xo,
Natalia