When I talk about real estate photography, I am talking about
both inside rooms and exterior elevations. Shooting these photos
require two different approaches. Rarely is there enough
light for
interior photos and there is usually too much or the wrong kind of
light for exteriors. I'm going to be discussing two basic real
estate kits, one for both Nikon DSLR and one for
Canon DSLR cameras.
Don't even think about point and shoot cameras.
For interiors
The kit lens is way to long for interior rooms, usually an
18-55mm. You'll need a
Sigma 10-20mm, a
Canon
10-22mm, a
Nikon 12-24mm or a Tokina
11-16mm, or the
new Nikon
10-24 lens The 16mm on the
long end of the Tokina is just a little too wide for real estate.
You'll also need an external flash as interior rooms are normally
too dark and these wide lenses usually allow the internal flash cast
a shadow on the photo because of the large diameter of the lenses.
An external flash allows you to bounce light off the ceiling or a
wall to create a softer light.
You will also need a sturdy tripod as rooms shot with a
wide lens
look best at about four to four and a half feet from the floor, just
a little uncomfortable without a tripod. Also with low light
light, tripods let you choose a slower shutter speed.
Item number four, a necessity for interior real estate
photography is Photoshop Elements. Elements lets you lighten and
sharpen the photos, remove dark shadows, crop, adjust colors for
florescent lights and other types of lighting.
For exteriors
For starters the sky is always (on sunny
days) too bright. You will need a
graduated neutral density filter.
Not the screw-on the lens type, but one you can slide up and down on
front of the lens to adjust to horizons, trees, roofs, etc. And
sometimes you will also need the neutral density filter. There are
two main companies that make these lenses:
10-20mm lens, the
10-22mm lens or the
12-24mm lens your purchased
above for your exterior photos. Your 18-55mm kit lens will also work
fine for exterior photos.
If you want to shoot virtual panoramas you need a
8mm fisheye
lens and a stitcher computer program.
You need a camera bag to transport these items to the property.
And don't forget a camera cleaning brush and cloth, a
memory card
and an extra battery.
What features should you look for in a digital camera? Here's a
list of some items to consider.
Looking for a new digital camera to capture your listings from their very best angles? Consider these key features.
1. Compact or digital SLR? Compacts have a self-contained lens and can slip into a pocket or purse. They offer point and shoot
simplicity for $300 or less. With bigger digital single-lens reflex cameras, you can use your choice of lenses. They're for
serious shooters who want more options and creative control and who are willing to pay $500 or more to start building a system.
2. How many megapixels? A camera with an
image sensor of 3 megapixels or more is plenty for photos destined for the Web or
brochures. You don't need a larger sensor unless you plan to produce poster-sized prints.
3. Does it have a wide-angle lens? This should be a key consideration. For
real estate, a wide-angle lens—28mm or less—is what
you need to capture a whole room or the exterior of a home in a single image. Look for a lens that minimizes distortion.
4. What's the zoom? The more powerful the better. Optical zoom is what the camera can actually see and capture; digital zoom is a
software function and isn't quite as sharp. For
compact cameras, look for 4X or better. For
DSLRs, you can find lenses that give
you both wide angles and close-ups as you zoom in and out.
5. Do I need
extra flash? If you plan on
shooting a lot of interiors, you'll want more than the
built-in flash. Look for a camera
with a hot shoe, which connects and synchronizes an auxiliary flash unit with the camera.
6. How big is the screen? Using a compact camera, you'll rely on the
LCD screen to frame some shots, review pictures, and perform
basic image editing. Consider both the size—ideally 2.5 inches or larger—and the brightness of the screen.
7. Can I shoot video? Look for the ability to record video at 30 frames per second. Optics are also important; some lenses' zoom
doesn't work when you use movie mode.
So, lets look at a basic Nikon Real Estate Kit.
 |
Nikon D3100 Kit or
Nikon D5000 with
18-55mm lens. Incredible pictures,
incredibly easy
- Nikon's smallest DSLR ever, easy to use,
even easier to enjoy
- Includes 3x 18-55mm zoom Nikkor lens
- Split second shutter response eliminates the
annoyance of shooting delay
- Breathtaking Nikon picture quality with 8 auto
exposure modes
- Fast, accurate autofocusing
|
So, lets look at a basic Canon Real Estate Kit.
 |
EOS
T1iSLR Digital Camera Kit with
18-55mm EF-S IS Lens
- 15.1 Megapixel 3.0-inch LCD Display Shock
- Dust and Weather Resistant Integrated Cleaning System
- 6.5 fps Continuous Shooting
- Live View Function "Picture Style" Settings
- Full HD video capture at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080.
- Uses Canon EF &
EF-S Lenses
|
| Item |
Cost |
|
Canon EOS Rebel T1i (a.k.a. 450D) SLR Digital Camera Kit (Black) with 18-55mm IS Lens
|
589.00 |
| SanDisk
2GB Extreme III Secure Digital (SD) Card |
27.96 |
| Canon EF-S 10mm - 22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Autofocus Zoom Lens |
660.00 |
|
Canon 220EX Speedlite TTL Shoe Mount Flash (Guide No. 72'/22 m at 28mm)
more info
|
125.00 |
| Sunpak 8001UT Tripod with three way pan/tilt head and
quick release |
34.95 |
| Cokin Filter Holder with 55mm adapter ring |
17.04 |
| Cokin P477 77mm adapter ring (for Sigma 10-20mm lens) |
10.95 |
| Cokin Series P - Gradual Grey Neutral Density Filter ND4X G2 |
25.68 |
| Cokin Circular P164 Polarizer Filter |
68.95 |
| Cokin P153 Gray Neutral Density (ND) 4x Resin Filter |
19.95 |
| Nova 180 AW Shoulder Bag (Black) |
70.95 |
| Lens Brush |
5.95 |
| Micro Fiber Lens Cleaning Cloth |
5.95 |
| Canon BP-511A Lithium-Ion Battery (7.4v 1390mAh) |
9.95 |
| Total |
$1,572.28 |
The Canon kit is $19 less than the Nikon kit.
Jan 22, 2011
