What is the best focal length for interiors and real estate?
For interiors and real estate, 16 to 24 mm on full frame shows a whole room without the stretched look of anything wider. On APS-C, that's about 10 mm to 16 mm, and on Micro Four Thirds, 8 mm to 12 mm.
Recommended focal lengths by sensor size
Each row starts with a full-frame focal length, followed by the lens that frames about the same on each smaller sensor. Where a common lens is close, it's named, with what it frames like on full frame if that differs.
| Full frame 1x | Best for | APS-C 1.5x | Canon APS-C 1.6x | Micro Four Thirds 2x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 mm | Whole rooms from a corner | 10 mm frames like 15 mm | 10 mm | 8 mm |
| 24 mm | Larger rooms, a natural look | 16 mm | 16 mm frames like 26 mm | 12 mm |
| 14 mm | Bathrooms and very small rooms | 10 mm frames like 15 mm | 9 mm | 7.5 mm frames like 15 mm |
| 35 mm | Details and corners | 23 mm | 23 mm frames like 37 mm | 17 mm frames like 34 mm |
Why these focal lengths
Rooms are small, so you need a wide view. At 3 m, 16 mm covers about 6.8 × 4.5 m and 24 mm about 4.5 × 3.0 m. From a corner or a doorway, 16 mm fits most of a room.
Wider than about 16 mm, furniture near the edges stretches and rooms look bigger than they are, which disappoints people when they visit. Keep the camera level, at about chest height, so walls stay vertical.
24 mm and 35 mm are for corners, kitchens and details: a set table, a fireplace, the view through a door. They look closer to how the room feels in person.
To try these focal lengths where you actually shoot, Prospekt (Lens Simulator: Prospekt on the App Store) turns your iPhone into a viewfinder for your camera body: pick the body and a focal length from 14 to 300 mm, and the screen frames what that lens would. iPhone app, $3.99 once, no subscription.
Questions
Is 16 mm too wide for real estate photos?
No, it's the usual choice. It covers 96.7° across on full frame. Below about 14 mm (104.3°), the edges stretch enough to make a room look bigger than it is.
What lens is best for real estate photos on APS-C?
A wide zoom that starts at 10 mm, such as a 10-18 or 10-20 mm. On a 1.5x camera, 10 mm frames like 15 mm and 16 mm like 24 mm. On Canon APS-C (1.6x), 10 mm frames like 16 mm.
How far back do I stand to fit a 4 m wall?
On full frame, with the camera held horizontally, about 1.8 m (5.8 ft) at 16 mm and 2.7 m (8.7 ft) at 24 mm. Most rooms give you about that much space from a doorway or a corner, which is why 16 to 24 mm is the usual range.