Real Estate Photography Gear (Affordable)
Getting started in real estate photography can be an overwhelming task. When you first start out, you're not sure of what type of real estate photography gear you should purchase.
Some of the questions you might ask:
What type of lens do I need for Real Estate photography?
What is the best and most affordable camera for Real Estate photography?
What type of tripod will I need for my real estate photography business?
Real Estate Photography Gear (Affordable)
In this short real estate photography article, we will provide affordable information and choices for Real Estate Photography Camera Gear.
Follow this real estate photography guide, and it will give you the necessary steps to get started in the real estate photography business.
When considering your budget, you have a wide variety of choices. We will attempt to provide you with practical solutions but not the cheapest solutions to help you start your real estate photography business.
Full-frame Versus Crop Sensor Cameras: Which is Which?
Sometimes buying the cheapest photography gear can end up costing you more money in the long run. Therefore, you always have to look at the cost benefits of your investments.
One of the questions that always come up when purchasing a camera is full-frame versus crop sensor cameras.
We recommend saving money that you buy a crop sensor camera for your real estate photography business. That is an acceptable and affordable cost solution for saving money on your first camera for your real estate photography business.
Canon Camera EOS 80D for Real Estate Photography Business
Right now, at the time of writing this article, I recommend purchasing a Canon 80D.
Canon gear is readily available, and it is easy to find. Also, Canon is easy to work with and to add on to your equipment as you grow your income. The Canon 80D also allows you the opportunity to do video.
Having a video option on your camera can come in handy. You can use the Canon 80D to do walkthrough videos and also do your video blogs and video demonstrations with your Canon 80D.
The Canon 80D has an articulating screen, and it also can track a subject for focusing as you are video recording.
This articulating screen is helpful for Real Estate Photography because you can align and level your walls in a home of the real estate property through the articulating screen.
Buying a crop sensor frame will not affect the quality of your photos for Real Estate photography. Find a camera that has a crop sensor frame is a great way to save money and get started.
Staying in this type of camera will also give you the ability to buy two cameras at an affordable price. You may not be able to buy two cameras at first, but eventually, over time, you will want to have a backup system. If you have trouble while you are in the market doing real estate photography, you will have a backup camera and back up lenses to work with.
You may not be able to afford two cameras at first, but this is something you can purchase down the road, and work with a Canon system makes it easy and affordable.
Canon Camera EOS 80D Features
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/dslr/eos-80d
Has a wide-area, 45-point, all cross-type AF system*
Excellent in dim light, it has improved low luminance performance to EV -3
Compatible with most EF lenses (lenses with maximum apertures of f/8 or higher, and some lenses with extenders attached may operate at a maximum of 27 points).
Features four types of AF area selection modes useful for several different AF situations:
user-selectable Single-point AF
Zone AF, where users can select from one of 9 predefined AF zones;
Large Zone AF, where one of the three zones can be selected;
45-point AF auto selection, where the camera detects the AF point automatically.
Canon Camera EOS 80D: Intelligent Viewfinder
Furthermore, the EOS 80D cameras have an Intelligent Viewfinder. It helps bring the thrill of SLR photography with each use. Approximately 100% coverage means there’s virtually no guesswork when it comes to composition. With all settings available at a glance, the Intelligent Viewfinder helps photographers keep their eyes on their subject so the image can be captured at the right instant.
Additionally, it displays AF points and AF mode, has a grid display, a horizontal electronic level, plus numerous other aspects of information. This can be hidden for manual focus, or if the photographer wants to observe his/her subject without all the image parameters displayed.
Canon Lens
EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Ultra-Wide Zoom
The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens combines optical excellence with cutting-edge performance, providing an ultra-wide angle of view in a compact, portable package, perfect for EOS cameras with an APS-C sensor. It has a 4 group optical zoom system. It includes a large-diameter element, an aspherical lens element, a UD lens element, and enhanced lens coatings for high-contrast, high-resolution images with minimal glare and aberration.
A circular, 7-blade aperture helps ensure fine background blur, and the Canon Optical Image Stabilizer system provides up to four equivalent stops of shake correction. The lens has a stepping motor (STM) and a refined focus mechanism for smooth and continuous AF during video recording. It also has a rear focusing system, plus a high-speed CPU and improved AF algorithm for high-speed AF, and offers the full-time manual focus for quick adjustments.
Besides, the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM delivers reliable, speedy, and quiet wide-angle performance, making it an ideal lens for everyday photography, travel, stills, and video recording.
Real Estate Agents and Real Estate Photography
Please keep in mind is that 99% of your real estate agents will never ask you what type of gear you are using.
They are looking for affordable professional real estate photography services that help them move more properties.
The bottom line is what they are interested in is the results that will help the real estate agent make a commission.
They are only interested in the result of the real estate photography that you produce, and they want it done fast and affordable.
Real Estate Photography Lights
Okay, we are trying to stay affordable and get started in the real estate photography business. Hence, it is my recommendation that you do not utilize our purchase lighting for your real estate photography business.
I have personally never used any lighting for my real estate photography. Yes, that does mean that technically you will be doing HDR real estate photography.
But it will not look like HDR real estate photography.
HDR real estate photography got a bad reputation a few years ago when undo trained Real Estate photographers started using the method to produce photos that are very unrealistic and unprofessional.
So at this time, there is no need for you to purchase lighting gear for your real estate photography, and learning to use lighting gear for your real estate photography can be very challenging.
Therefore, there's no need to purchase any flash or continuous lighting gear for your photography for shooting real estate properties.
Tripod for Real Estate Photographers
The next piece of gear that you will need to have is a tripod that is affordable and mobile.
Manfrotto Befree Advanced Travel Aluminum Tripod with Ball Head (Twist Locks, Black)
TOP HIGHLIGHTS:
Load Capacity: 17.6 lb
Max Height: 59.1"
Folded Length: 15.7"
I use this tripod every day, and I find that it is efficient and useful for my real estate photography.
Aside from that, what I love about it is it is a lightweight photography tripod. It is effortless to carry throughout the property that I am doing photos for.
The tripod is also very easy to break down and put in the car. However, the only problem I have ever had with this tripod was due to my fault.
With any photography gear, you need to make sure you tighten everything down when storing it back in the car.
One day I did not tighten one of the head screws down on the tripod, and I lost the spring mechanism that helps with holding the camera in place on the photography tripod head.
Because it was a Manfrotto, I was able to reorder a replacement part for the tripod.
The point is to be sure always to tighten everything down when storing it back in the car. Long drives and bouncing around in the vehicle can cause parts to come loose from your tripod or any other photography gear. Losing one small part can create some challenges in getting through your photoshoots.
Summary
There are three things you will need for your real estate photography:
Camera
Wide-angle lens
Tripod