Best wide-angle lens for real estate photography?

Question

got my first real estate shoot on tuesday for this tiny apartment and im spiraling.

read the canon 10-18mm is okay but people say its too dark for interiors, while the 16-35mm might not be wide enough for bathrooms - actually idk if that matters. I only got $600 and need to decide today... which lens should i grab??

UmamiUmbel · Accepted Answer

> got my first real estate shoot on tuesday for this tiny apartment and im spiraling. Man, I totally remember that feeling. Back when I first started out, I was in the exact same boat with a tiny studio apartment shoot and a pretty empty bank account. I ended up grabbing the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM because it was all I could afford at the time, and honestly, I was so satisfied with the results that I kept using it for three years. Its super lightweight and that 10mm wide end is a lifesaver in those cramped bathrooms where you basically have your back against the shower door. Since you have a $600 budget, you actually have some solid options. If you want something that feels a bit more professional, I was really happy with the Tokina atx-i 11-16mm F2.8 CF for a while too. Its built like a tank and very sharp. But ngl, if I were you, I would go the budget route. Grab that Canon 10-18mm and then spend the leftover cash on a solid tripod or a flash like the Godox V860III-C TTL Flash for Canon. Learning to bounce a flash off a white ceiling did way more for my interior shots than any expensive glass ever did. I have done hundreds of houses now and still think starting simple is the way to go... youll be fine, just make sure you have that 10mm reach for the tight spots.

Dizaynersk_cien · Answer

In my experience, you are worrying way too much about a lens being too dark for interiors. Real estate is almost always shot on a tripod with long exposures, so having a fast aperture is basically irrelevant... you should be stopping down to f/8 or f/11 anyway to keep the whole room sharp. My big warning is to watch your focal length. If you are on a crop sensor, 16mm is nowhere near wide enough for a tiny apartment. You will find yourself trapped in a corner unable to get the whole bathroom in frame, which is a total rookie mistake. Over the years, I have seen so many people buy expensive glass that just isnt wide enough for the job. Focus on getting something that hits that 10mm range on a crop body or 16mm on full frame. Anything less and you are gonna be struggling big time.