Bare Essentials to Get Started in Real Estate Photography
August 14th, 2009
I think it’s time to do an update on what the bare essentials are to get started in real estate photography. Not surprisingly, this is always a very popular subject. First here are the guiding principles I’m using to guide these choices:
- A wide-angle lens is the most important part of your gear. For interiors you need an wide-angle lens that has an effective focal length between 16 and 24mm.
- Yes, you can get by with a point-and-shoot. But I’m going to cover the current point and shoot alternatives in another post. In this post I’m just going to cover the DSLR/removable lens option.
- You don’t have to buy new gear. You can save several hundred dollars by purchasing a used body on E-Bay.com or craigslist.org. DSLR bodies change faster than lenses, that’s why prices drop on bodies more than lenses.
Here are my specific recommendations:
- Wide-angle lens: Sigma 10-20mm ultra wide lens – ~$479 – Sigma makes this lens for Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony Alpha, Olympus, Panasonic and Sigma bodies. For many years this has been the best ultra-wide-angle for non-full frame bodies you can get for the money. I think it still is. If you are getting a Canon body and can afford it go for the Canon 10-22mm lens – it’s a gem but its closer to $700. If you are getting Nikon body the Nikon 12-24mm is way more than the Sigma (~$800) and many say, not as good.
- Body: Canon Rebel or Nikon D40 or D40x – about $450 (or less) – Don’t get the 18-55mm kit lens unless you are going to use it for something other than real estate photography. Which body you use doesn’t make all that much difference.
- Flash: Canon 580 EXII or Nikon SB-900 – ~$450 Get the same brand as your body. For flashes I recommend getting the top of the line (most power) and the same brand as the body you buy because this will be the flash you use on-camera and you will have the option to use in either manual or automatic mode. As you purchase more than the first flash purchase SB-26, SB-80s since they have optical triggers.
- Tripod: ~$200 Manfrotto or other similar sturdy tripod.
- Photo-editor: Adobe Lightroom – $299 For photo-editing Lightroom is far and away the easiest to use and best choice but you will need something in addition to Lightroom to straighten verticals and remove barrel distortion
- Straighting Verticals and correcting barrel distortion: PTlens $25 from epaperpress.com. Although there are many other options but PTlens does all you’ll ever need for only $25 and can be used as a plugin to Lightroom.
When you have extra budget spend it on the glass because that’s something you will keep for a long time and in real estate photography the wide-angle lens is the most important piece of equipment you own. Note however, that the Sigma 10-20mm lens does not work on a full frame DSLR. If you move up to a 5D Mkii or D3 you’ll have to spring for a new lens.
Unless you choose the more expensive glass, all of this adds up to around $1700 whether you purchase Canon or Nikon.
11 Responses to “Bare Essentials to Get Started in Real Estate Photography”
Trey Freeze August 15th, 2009 at 7:24 am #
Larry, great post. , I took this advice a year ago this week and got into this business. I bought your books and took the advice of all of the resources on the website. Spending less than $ 2000, I purchased some used Nikon gear and a new Sigma 10-20 and started shooting. I was able to quit my “real job” within a few months and have supported myself and a brand new family ever since. Thanks for great posts like this one and for the resources to help me start my own successful business.
Evan August 16th, 2009 at 2:08 pm #
As someone who’s just trying to crack this market in my local area I have a very similar setup to this (I have a Nikon D90 and use Photoshop). Larry you actually convinced me to get the Sigma 10-20 over a Nikon ultra-wide as I didn’t have the money but I wanted to make sure I had a lens that would be “good enough”. I am hanging out to get the Nikon lens after your review (http://photographyforrealestate.net/2009/07/29/the-best-ultra-wide-on-the-planet-for-canon-or-nikon/) but for now that will have to wait.
Chris August 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pm #
Add 100 hours of practice and this list will be complete. This should also be a sticky at the top of the blog.
Emma November 5th, 2009 at 2:12 pm #
I’m in the market for a FF camera: do you have a low-cost recommendation for a wide that works well for FF? Right now I have a 24mm, and after moving to FF, do I need an ultra wide? So I’m trying to decide whether to go with the EX for my current camera, and then later go to the big Nikon after the FF camera, or to just buy a middle of the road wide angle that will work on either camera. Thanks!
Ed December 9th, 2009 at 10:34 pm #
Larry, this information is really helpful for an amateur like myself, thank you!
I know this blog post is for the “bare essentials” but do you think extra lighting equipment should be in the mix? I know this stuff can get expensive for more advanced shooters but do you recommend any that are cost efficient that will get the job done? Perhaps some examples would be great and why you think it is important (or not important) to have.
Thank you again!
Jeff Geoghan March 4th, 2010 at 9:44 pm #
Good post, and thanks for the inspiration! I’m a Realtor doing own pics.
I started out with a 30D and a 17-85 a few years ago, which has worked out well and I’m doing more verticals stitched anyway. No $$ in the budget for either the Sigma or the 10-22…sigh. My next purchase will be an SB80 as a second to my 580EX.
Kolt June 24th, 2010 at 9:10 am #
Is it sufficient for your first shoot to have just: a 10-22 lens, a canon 50D, and 1 flash? I’ve never done this before, and I want to at least have some decent photos… however I don’t have the cash to get 4 lights, light stands, umbrellas, and all the extra jazz..
Kolt June 24th, 2010 at 9:12 am #
Please if I can get the advice on this exact page for everyone to share, I frequent this site. THanks!!
larry June 24th, 2010 at 9:43 am #
@Kolt- Yes, if you have a 10-22mm lens on a 50D with a single flash it’s possible to produce better photos than 90% of the photos on your MLS. There are ways to improve from here but this equipment is a good place to start.
You might try shooting three autoexposure bracketed exposure and combining them with EnfuseGUI.
Kolt June 24th, 2010 at 2:18 pm #
Thanks a million!!!! This site rocks!!!!!
ScottKCooper July 9th, 2010 at 10:59 am #
Seems like it is time for the addition of video bare essentials (hd or not, editing software, etc.) thanks!