CV 15 or 21 for house interior?

robbeiflex

robbeiflex

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I've been on RFF for a few months now and enjoying it very much, thanks to everyone here for being so welcoming! I just got into film after a year of shooting a DSLR and this site has been a great help in making the transition. Now I finally have a question worth starting a thread for...

We're building a house right now, and when its done I would like to document it on film before we move in. I've been documenting the construction with a Nikon DX at 18 mm (equivalent to 28 mm on full-frame), and its fine for now but not really wide enough for the photos I want of the open spaces. I haven't used a wider lens, and I plan to buy a CV. Should I look for a 15 mm or a 21 mm?

Thanks in advance,
Rob
 
First off, when you say you have been documenting construction, I hope that includes nooks and crannies, wire pulls(including to outlets), plumbing locations, etc. I didn't and I wish I had.

As to your question, I don't have those focal lenths so I can't really say. I do have 24mm and 18mm in SLRdom. But from photos I have seen with the 15mm, I don't think you will be sorry. It really depends on how you see wide. If you really like wide, I would be inclined to recommend the 15mm again. Especially some I have seen Keith post. Granted, I think those were on his M8, so it wasn't really a 15. But others have posted with film cameras. Maybe some of those who have recommendations will show examples to help you choose.
 
The 21 VC is good and would work well for you. Very little distorsion and more than sharp enough. The 15 would make the interior look palatial. Even s small room looks like a ball room! Either one will work well for this type of shooting.
Also remember that once the house is done - you can use the lens for "regular" photography so keep that in mind when you are buying the lens.
The 15 is a bit of a speciality lens - it is WIDE. The 21 is more useful as an all-round wide.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I am leaning towards the 21 now but I have some time to decide. In the mean time, yes we are taking loads of pictures of details and these have already come in very handy!
 
I have both lenses and agree with Tom (hey, he is a mentor to me). The 21 is perfect for what you will do. The 15 adds whimsy! I like it on my Bessa L for crazy fun architecture shots, inside and out. And it a great landscape lens. (I would love to shoot a Steinway grand piano with it, too.) But for your needs right now, get the 21. It is superb and I do not think you will regreat owning it.

Go Andy and Frank Schleck!!!
 
Having done the same sort of thing in my last two houses -- nothing like as thoroughly as I intended -- I'd say that a 21 just isn't wide enough: better a 15. A lot depends on what you're after, of course, but as it's a personal record and not (I assume) an attempt to make the house look bigger than it is. the 15 would be the easy winner for me. That's what I used for my present house, bought in 2003 (Monday was the 7th anniversary of moving in): for my last house (1992), it was a 14/3.5 Sigma on a Nikon F. I've used 21s for 30 years or so, and Frances loves 18, but I'd certainly back 15 for this.

Cheers,

R.
 
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bobkonos said:
I have both lenses and agree with Tom (hey, he is a mentor to me). The 21 is perfect for what you will do. The 15 adds whimsy! I like it on my Bessa L for crazy fun architecture shots, inside and out. And it a great landscape lens. (I would love to shoot a Steinway grand piano with it, too.) But for your needs right now, get the 21. It is superb and I do not think you will regreat owning it.

Go Andy and Frank Schleck!!!
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Heey! I'm a BIG Andy and Frank fan too! Can't wait for the coming Tour de France. Last year's stage on Mont Ventoux was epic!

I haven't tried the 15mm but for my vision the 21mm is just enough wide for inside work.
 
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You need construction details so things can be found after the drywall is up. A wide lens is not required.

A 15 will allow an entire room if you stand in a corner.

A 21 is between a 28 and 15.
 
I have taken photos for a couple of friends selling houses, and would recommend the 15mm. The 21mm would work well for larger rooms/houses, but if you need to photograph smaller rooms, the 15mm does a better job of showing the whole space
 
The OP is documenting construction, not selling...

I also recommend the 15 and have used it myself in documenting construction in my own house. All you have to do is point & shoot! ;)

Brad Wiggins :: Team Sky :: Pinarello

Can't wait! :D
 
I have the 15 and make sure you buy a level or practice holding the camera very very level or your pictures will distort. That is distortion is also kinda cool.
 
I’d go for the 15mm, I have a 12 and that's a pussycat indoors, and one can always crop-down … more tricky to add extra

 
You can do it with any of them.

Wide lenses are not for placing more things or space into a scene, but for emphasizing the volumes that stand close to camera, and that is possible with both of them... I would add another lens to your documentation series, a 28 or a 35 to mix the wider shots with more standard views... Sometimes superwides' shots only can be boring and not give a realistic sense of the spaces.

Cheers,

Juan
 
a couple more, the only drawback with the super-wides is they really need printing big to get the best effect. I have one at 48” wide and one doesn’t notice the wide-angle artefacts it that





 
If you want the verticle lines in your interior photos to be parallel, make sure the camera is level. I always use a CV spirit level when I am shooting with the 15mm and quite often with the 21 mounted on a double shoe adapter with the view finder.
 
biomed said:
If you want the verticle lines in your interior photos to be parallel, make sure the camera is level. I always use a CV spirit level when I am shooting with the 15mm and quite often with the 21 mounted on a double shoe adapter with the view finder.
Click to expand...

Yep, I have one of those, but if I can’t frame it how I want I just shoot it anyway and sort it out later in Photoshop later
 
Hi Everyone,

A lot of good points above, thanks! Thanks as well for posting pics, this gives me a much better idea and I think I'm now leaning towards the 15 mm as a result. A level is definitely on my list now, and I'll be taking my tripod with me. I'll take a roll with my Rolleiflex as well instead of considering an extra lens for standard views. Construction details are not a concern, my digital is sufficient on a weekly basis for that.

BTW: I am also an avid cyclist and Luxembourg was buzzing last summer with Frank & Andy's performance in the tour - best of luck to them again this year! :cool:
 
During extensive remodeling last year, before moving into an older house, I used the 15mm a lot -- on an M8 where its angle of view is more like a 21 on film -- and it was a good choice I think. My only other choice though was the same lens on a film body, but I'm not sure that would have been better.

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Juan Valdenebro said:
You can do it with any of them.

Wide lenses are not for placing more things or space into a scene, but for emphasizing the volumes that stand close to camera, and that is possible with both of them... I would add another lens to your documentation series, a 28 or a 35 to mix the wider shots with more standard views... Sometimes superwides' shots only can be boring and not give a realistic sense of the spaces.

Cheers,

Juan
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Dear Juan,

I don't entirely agree. Wide-angles are used for both purposes, and (I suggest) more often for the former ('getting things in') than the latter (spatial relationships).

Cheers,

R.
 
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