Subscriber Question:
Hello John,
I plan on visiting several European countries in the next 4-5 months with the purpose of visiting historical sites. My question is, which lens(es) might be best for shooting pictures inside the cathedrals? The use of flash is not permitted in most places.
I have a Canon R5 and the following RF lenses – 14-35, 24-105, 100 and 70-200 (all L rings). If there is a lens, other than what I have, that might do a better suited for the purpose then please feel free to suggest it. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
John’s response:
Cathedrals are photographically interesting and challenging for a number of reasons. From an architectural point of view, the large buildings pose a number of technical challenges and this is visible in their structure and form. Many cathedrals, especially those in Europe with a long history, are also steeped in detail and artistry. Working in the typically dark environment where tripods and flash are forbidden will test your skills and gear. Modern lenses and cameras with stabilization will serve a vital role here.
I would suspect ISO settings between 400 and 800, along with shutter speeds in the range of 1/60 to 1/8, will result in good looking exposures. Aperture settings of f/4 or f/5.6 will work handheld and give you plenty of depth-of-field. (If I was on a tripod I’d be at f/8 to f/11.) My shutter speed recommendations are a bit low for normal hand-holding of the camera, but with good stabilization, like your camera (Canon R5) has, this should be no problem for you. You can increase your chances of a sharp image by stabilizing yourself against a wall, a chair, or anything else sturdy that you’re able to lean on; sitting down can also work well.
My first choice of lens, with what you’ve listed would be the 14-35mm f/4. The super-wide focal length will be invaluable at capturing a large expanse of the interior space.
If you have the time, walk around the space to find all the available options before shooting. When you know what the options are, you’ll know better where to spend your time. Try and resist the temptation to shoot at 14mm for all of your shots. Use the zoom to find pleasing compositions a little closer in.
Your other lenses can also come into play if there are details that you want to see more clearly or if you have restricted access. The 100mm macro lens would likely be the least used lens and could be left behind to save weight.
