Is Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 unavoidable for interior/architecture photography?

KariP wrote:

atolk wrote:

I get calls from an architecture design studio to shoot interiors and exteriors of their buildings. So far, I have been getting by with the EF 24-105mm F4 on a Canon 6D and now R6. I get good results, but was thinking about making my job easier and results more impressive.

For "architecture photography" everyone recommends tilt-shift lenses, which are expensive and prime. For "interior photography", the top recommendation is the RF 15-35mm F2.8 at $2,399. The zoom range is not that great, but I feel the 15mm wide end of the zoom is necessary as I am struggling to get tight spaces like bathrooms and meeting rooms in at 24mm.

F2.8 for interiors? Probably an overkill, lets more light in, but we are not looking for any artistic shallow DoF effects. Of course at 15mm, the scene should be mostly in focus at any aperture.

Is there a lens with a better zoom range, or cheaper, or in any way a better interior/architecture lens than the subject?

Would I go for a manual focus lens? Maybe. The scene is not going anywhere. But the touch AF on R6 is a godsend when the camera is tripod mounted.

Thanks!

F2,8 is not really useful - i guess you are using f8-16 anyway. IBIS + IS make the lens+camera surprisingly stable in low light

14-35 is more portable and has a bit lower price. 14mm can help marginally (?) - IQ is as good anyways. Some visible distortions - but they are easy to correct in PP or in camera IF you use jpeg.

I agree with much of what you say. The RF 14-35 is great, but for me personally I think it is TOO expensive for a f4 wide angle lens. I was excited when it was first announced, but once Canon announced the price, I decided to buy a like new used EF 16-35 f4 IS for almost 1/3rd of the cost, probably less than 1/3rd since I did not have to pay sales tax on a used purchase. But if budget is not an issue, I agree the RF 14-35 has many great qualities. If budget is a concern the EF 16-35 f4 IS L is a great option.