My recommended purchases for interior photographers
I’ve put together a curated list of my top picks, covering everything from shoot-day essentials to office must-haves. These are the things that make my workflow easier, more organized, or just a little more enjoyable.
To keep it simple, I’ve linked them all through Amazon—you can click on the images to check them out directly. I hope this list helps you find a few new favorites too!
The Essentials //
Camera gear is expensive, I get it..But, the beauty is that, it’s either going to ‘save you money or make you money’. So think of it as an investment. I often get asked “If you were starting out again, what would you buy first?”
The truth is, I wasted a lot of time and money guessing and trying out a whole bunch of different gear. Not a wallet friendly experience, trust me. So, I’ve put together a list of everything I would now recommend. For starters, I have picked my 4 Essentials. This is the basic setup that will get you started in Interior Photography, from this, you can build up your gear over time to suit your budget and style.
01// A GREAT CAMERA BODY
Canon Mirrorless R5
Whilst this is the camera I use, I know starting up you might not want to go all in on the Pro Camera just yet! Scroll down below for a few more cost effective options I would recommend across both Mirrorless and DSLR options.
02// A GOOD ALL ROUNDER LENS
Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 ii
If I had to pick one multipurpose lens that was ideal as an interior photography starter lens, this would be it. I am all about the magazine worthy shots and finer details, both of which can be captured with just the one lens. The link below is for the ‘EF’ which can be used with the mount adapter featured down the page. RF lenses are available through Canon and other retailers in Australia like Ted’s or George’s Cameras. If you’re operating off a different camera brand just remember 24-70mm.
03// A RELIABLE TRIPOD
Manfrotto Tripod with Xpro Ball Head
You've invested in a good camera, good lens, and you get stuck with a shitty tripod, trust me, a shitty tripod can even make you so frustrated that you give up before you’ve even started..
04// A RELIABLE MEMORY CARD
SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO CFexpress Card Type B
I love these trusty memory cards! I use a combination of these and the SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC 128GB 200MB/s Memory Card.
ALL My Tried and Tested Camera Gear //
The secret’s out! I have built up quite the collection over time, so these are not ALL essential to get you started. You could get through 99% of photoshoots with just the gear above when starting out. This is just a look into exactly what I take to every shoot as some other key pieces you might want to invest in over time.
01// CAMERA BODY
Canon Mirrorless R5
Whilst this is the camera I use, I know starting up you might not want to go all in on the Pro Camera. Scroll down for a few more cost effective options I recommend.
05// ARCHITECTURAL LENS
Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt & Shift Lens
My favourite architectural lens! Must be used with the Canon Mount Adapter EF to EOS R on Canon Mirrorless Cameras.
09// BACKUP MEMORY CARDS
SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC 64GB 200MB/s Memory Card
Always good to have a secondary which runs alongside the primary card in your camera. Not all cameras offer dual card slots though. Don’t let that determine which body you buy though.
02// ALL ROUNDER LENS
Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 ii
If I had to pick one multipurpose lens that was ideal as an interior photography starter lens, this would be it. I am all about the magazine worthy shots and finer details, both of which can be captured with just the one lens.
06// CANON MOUNT ADAPTER
Canon Mount Adapter EF to EOS R
I had both a Canon Mirroless and Canon DSLR at one point, and all of my lenses were suited to the DSLR. Rather than invest in all new lenses at once, you can purchase this mount, which makes your older EF Canon DSLR Lenses compatible with the newer Mirrorless Canon Camera Bodies.
03// CREATIVE LENS
Sigma Art Series 50mm f1.4
It’s the must-have prime lens for your kit, not only because it’s perfect for capturing the intricate details in stone, timbers, curtains, and all the details that have gone into the design, but because it’s, also, great for getting creative. A cheaper, start up alternative would be the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.
07// TRIPOD
Manfrotto 190 with Xpro Ball Head
You've invested in a good camera, good lens, and you get stuck with a shitty tripod, trust me, a shitty tripod can even make you so frustrated that you give up before you’ve even started..
04// WIDE ANGLE LENS
Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8l
A cheaper alternative would be the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 - I used this for years. You would just need to use this with the adapter mentioned below. I only upgraded recently as I am slowly moving over to all Mirrorless compatible lenses (RF Lenses).
08// MEMORY CARDS
SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO CFexpress Card Type B
For this particular card,I like to use the 64GB rather than the 128GB just so I don’t have as many shoots on the one memory card - just in case something ever happened! I prefer to use smaller cards and a few of them.
16// BACK UP DRIVES / SSD
Sandisk SSD 1TB >
Having lots of images stored on memory cards or even your computer can lead to all kinds of problems. Best to back up all your work on Static State Drives. I use SSD’s as they’re less likely to corrupt.
10 // CAMERA BAG
Lowepro
Depending on how much gear you want to carry, Lowepro make a range of bags. They’re heavy duty and comfortable to carry. A decent camera kit can get heavy so find a bag that sits well on your shoulders.
11// CLEANING KIT
Urth
Maintaining your gear is a must. Specks of dust on lenses or having grit and grease between your body and lens can result in defective images and cause long term issues with your gear. Keep it clean!
12// TRAVEL TRIPOD
Manfrotto 190 GO Kit with MHXPRO-BHQ2 Ball Head
I worked off this tripod for five years. It is similar to the above, with the only difference being it has twist legs, a shorter extension height and is much more lightweight, making it perfect for travel.
13// WIRELESS CONTROLLER
Cam Ranger II
For those days on site when you need to be able to view your photos or be away from the camera while shooting. This trusty device pairs with your camera and iPad or tablet.
14 // IPAD / TABLET
Ipad Pro
This allows for viewing your images on a larger screen and makes setting up shots and showing your clients images a lot easier onsite. Some light editing and markups can also be done on these without having to lug your laptop around.
15// CUSTOM CAMERA STRAP
Lucky Straps
Now, the last thing anyone wants is to spend the money on a nice , shiny , new camera only for it to slip out of your hands and smash into smithereens..get a strap! These ones can even be customised with your name :)
Other Cost Effective Camera Body Options //
Here are some more cost effective options that will still get you great images once you know how to use them properly. They still work with the lenses listed above that are suited for interiors. I also recommend hiring gear if you are unsure, it’s great to be able to try something at a low cost to ensure that it suits your needs, so that you feel comfortable with your purchase.
MIRRORLESS OPTIONS
01// PRO BODY
Canon R5
As featured above, the R5 is the camera I use nowadays. Whilst it is an investment it’s still at the top of my recommendations. The other cameras in this section are comparable and I’ve ranked them in order of price.
02// SEMI PRO
Canon R6 Mark II or original R6
I almost don’t want to say it, but to be honest, the Canon R6 Mark II is actually very close in comparison to the R5. If budget is an important factor, then the original R6 is still a great option.
03// ENTHUSIAST
Canon R8
This camera is lightweight and fast. High frame rates and 4k video. Another great alternative at a lower price point than the R6.
04// ENTHUSIAST
Fuji XT-5
Whilst this camera body is more expensive, its lenses are definitely cheaper. This camera is a crop sensor in comparison to all others listed here which are full frame, so the interior lenses I would recommend specific to this camera are: Fujifilm - XF 23mm f/2 (equivalent to 35mm) and Fujifilm - XF 35mm f/2 Lens (equivalent to 50mm)
DSLR OPTIONS
You might be able to pick these up quite cheap second hand which is great for beginners and to get use to using the manual settings before going all in. It also means you won’t need the canon lens adaptor mount to use the more affordable lenses that I would recommend including the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, Canon EF 16-35mm f/4, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8.
01// PRO BODY
Canon 5D Mark IV
Great camera. I still have one in my kit as a back up to my R5 incase the worst should happen. I traded up from the 6D when I could afford it and I loved it. Still do.Its too hard to say goodbye..
02// SEMI PRO
Canon 6D Mark II
This was the camera I operated on for years. It served me well. And they hold their value. Very reliable.
MORE GEAR //
01// Laptop
Apple MacBook Pro 2024
This is the computer I operate off, for everything! Business admin, editing, zoom calls , you name it! I’ve always used Macs and would never think twice about recommending them to anyone.
02// Drawing Tablet
Wacom Intuos Pro Tablet
The best device for editing images, it streamlines the process and saves lots of time spent on the trackpad or mouse. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never look back ;)
03// Flash
Godox AD400 Pro Studio Flash/Light
An off-camera high power flash unit. Customisable settings, wireless connection with remote ( see item 4 ) Easy to use, setup on a tripod or hand hold. Purchase the umbrella and stand separately. ( items 5+6 )
04// Remote
Godox Pro-C Wireless Flash Trigger
Works seamlessly with Godox flash featured here and other models. Suite to most Canon cameras with the hot shoe.
05// Umbrella
Godox Portable softbox
This handy piece of equipment mounts straight onto the front of the AD400 pro acting as a diffuser for the flash. Without it you’re going to get bursts of very bright light and you won’t get the results you want when it comes to capturing interiors ..or most things for that matter.
06// Stand
Neewer Light stand
This stand is great and sturdy. It’s well made and cost effective. Nice and light to carry in hand along with your flash and camera bag on your back. Saves you a trip to the car ;)
07// Cages and attachments
Small Rig
These guys have a great range of accessories for a whole bunch of cameras. Their cages allow you to adapt handles, and other mounts for microphones, flashes etc. Very handy!
08// Batteries
Neewer Charger and Batteries
Don’t get caught out on a shoot with a camera that won’t turn on. Always keep a spare, charged and ready. This setup is ideal and an inexpensive alternative to buying additional Canon batteries and chargers.
