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Best Camera for Real Estate Photography [2024 Review]

In: 
Published: 07/03/2023

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The best camera for real estate photography should help you create high-quality and professional photos that can quickly attract the attention of potential clients. If you're into real estate photography, I reviewed the best cameras for real estate photography to boost your earnings.

My Best Real Estate Photography Camera Recommendations

With the growing demand for online property viewing, the Nikon D850 DSLR is the best camera you can get for the real estate photography business. Its full-frame sensor, excellent image resolution, and video capability make it the best camera for taking high-quality images for property agents, sellers, and buyers.

The sheer number of cameras in the market makes it challenging to pick the best camera. I went through the best cameras and came up with a few models that I think will significantly boost your real estate marketing efforts.

Sony A7R IV

If you're looking for the best camera that can capture sharp and crisp real estate shots even in poor indoor lighting, the Sony A7R IV might be the best option. This camera features a 61-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor which produces the best image resolution on my list. 

However, this fantastic resolution reduces to around 26.2 megapixels when using the camera in aps-c crop mode. The camera features a design that helps to minimize the camera vibration associated with DSLRs when shooting handheld. 

The lack of a reflex mirror also makes this mirrorless camera compact and lightweight, making it ideal for carrying around when shooting elevated real estate exterior photos. 

The camera comes with a sophisticated subject recognition technology that enhances real-time autofocus tracking for animals and humans. This mirrorless camera uses a hybrid autofocus system with 425 contrast autofocus points and 567 Phase detection autofocus points, enhancing the coverage area. 

The mirrorless camera also features a 15-stop dynamic range which enhances accurate color reproduction for detailed images with minimal noise even when using high ISO settings. The camera is also compatible with iMovie and Final Cut Pro X, which enhances the flexibility of the video editing tools you can use.

Canon EOS R

The Canon EOS R is a high-quality Canon camera featuring a magnesium alloy construction, which makes it lightweight, sturdy, and durable. The top panel of this Canon camera incorporates a wide vary angle touch screen,LCD and A DOT matrix LCD panel, which allows you to access the camera settings conveniently. 

Additionally, this Canon camera comes with an L series level weather and dust resistance sealing, allowing you to use it even in harsh weather conditions. The Canon camera can achieve a sensitivity range of ISO 100-40000, making it ideal for use in varying lighting conditions. 

You can also extend the ISO range to 102400 when shooting a moving subject with faster shutter speeds in poor lighting. Although this Canon camera comes with an LP-E6N rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it does not support in-camera charging, which might inconvenience you if the battery runs low when recording. 

The Canon camera incorporates a robust 12-pin electronic contact system that ensures quick data and file transmission. With a Movie Servo autofocus mode, this Canon camera provides smooth and accurate focusing, ensuring an accurate track of moving subjects.

DJI Air 2S 

Whether you want to capture aerial footage of the real estate properties or shoot exterior photos from fantastic angles around the rooftop areas, you can't go wrong with a DJI Air 2S. 

This drone features a 10-bit Dlog-M color profile capable of recording up to 1 billion colors, ensuring there is no inaccuracy in image and footage details. 

Unlike the Canon EOS R, the drone comes with an advanced O3 image transmission technology with a maximum video transmission range of 7.5 miles, allowing you to capture and transmit aerial footage even of the tallest buildings. 

This drone is great for real estate presentations, as it also comes with advanced FocusTrack technology, including Point of Interest 3.0, ActiveTrack 4.0, and Spotlight 2.0, which allows it to recognize the center of attention, circle, or follow the subject. 

The FocusTrack technology also enhances the drone's environment sensing capability, helping it avoid obstacles from the backward, forward, down, and up. 

However, even if the drone can capture a 4K video at 60 frames per second, the image quality produced by the one-inch image sensor can't match that of the 61-megapixel CMOS sensor in the Sony A7R IV. 

Nikon D3500

The Nikon D3500 is a premium camera that incorporates 3.0 inches 921k-dot LCD screen, ensuring easy navigation through the menu. Like the Canon EOS R, this Nikon camera features an image stabilization mechanism to help minimize the camera shake effects when shooting handheld. 

The built-in pop-up flash in this Nikon camera provides additional illumination when working in poor-lit conditions. With a SnapBridge BlueTooth connectivity, this camera facilitates wireless sharing of images to your mobile device. 

The EXPEED 4 processor works together with the 24.2 megapixels DX-Format CMOS Sensor, ensuring the production of high-quality images with notable color accuracy and better dynamic range. 

Also, the camera offers a full-resolution continuous recording at a frame rate of 5 frames per second and a Full HD 1080P video recording at 60 frames per second. This camera allows you to employ full-time autofocus when recording movies, thanks to subject tracking and face-detection technology. 

Typically, this autofocus system enhances image sharpness even when using the camera flash in poor lighting. However, unlike the Dji Air 2S, this camera does not support 4K video resolution.

Nikon Z 6II 

The Nikon Z6II is a versatile full-frame camera that performs exceptionally well when shooting real estate interior photos in low-light conditions. The camera comes equipped with a 5-axis Vibration Reduction system, which helps minimize the camera shake effect when shooting handheld or when using high ISO settings. 

Unlike the Lumix ZS200, the camera comes with a dual EXPEED 6 image processor and 24.5 megapixels BSI CMOS camera sensor, which allows it to achieve an enhanced continuous shooting speed of around 14 frames per second when using single-point autofocus mode and up to 12 frames per second when using other modes. 

Additionally, this camera comes with dual memory card slots, which allows you to double your storage space for improved flexibility. It also features face and eye detection technology which enhances the tracking capability of the autofocus system for both animals and humans. 

This camera features the SnapBridge wireless connectivity technology, which allows you to share files with a mobile device, control the camera remotely and even update the firmware over the air. 

Like the Canon EOS R, it comes with a 3.2-inch rear LCD screen that helps in composition. However, the screen only tilts up and down without flipping, making it challenging to record yourself. 

Canon EOS R5

If you're looking for a camera with accurate autofocus that can follow your subject whenever the subject moves, the Canon EOS R5 might be the best option. This camera uses the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with 1053 AF points across the entire frame, ensuring a quick and smooth focusing performance. 

The camera employs an advanced deep learning technology that provides quick and precise recognition of both animal and human subjects. With a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-51200, which is expandable to ISO 102400, this camera is suitable for shooting in poorly-lit interiors. 

It incorporates an in-body image stabilization that compensates for up to 8-stops, effectively reducing image blur when shooting in low-light conditions with high ISO settings. Like the Nikon D850, this camera features a rugged design, making it suitable for shooting exterior photos in trying situations. 

Unlike the Nikon D3500, this camera comes with two memory card slots, allowing you to save different scenes separately. With a 45 megapixels full-frame sensor, this camera can achieve incredible resolution and shooting video even in low-light conditions. 

The camera can also continuously shoot at up to 12 frames per second with a mechanical shutter and up to 20 frames per second with an electronic shutter. However, it tends to overheat when recording videos for an extended period.

Nikon D850 DSLR Camera

The Nikon D850 is a great camera for shooting real estate properties, interiors, and exteriors. It has the best image resolution in all of my options, bragging of a 45.7 MP advanced image sensor technology that ensures low-light performance, dynamic range, and minimal background noise.

The best camera is capable of shooting professional-quality photos even in large format. Coming on top of the best cameras in low-light real estate photography, the D850 is the only one with a 65 to 25,600 ISO range, which means you can take bright images at night or in the dim interiors of your property.

Like the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, this camera has an 8K and 4K video resolution for high-quality real estate footage. Whether you're taking photos or videos, the long battery life ensures you can shoot for long enough before recharging or replacing the battery.

Moreover, the D850's Vignette control feature automatically corrects color fringes. There's also an Auto Distortion control, which deals with complex distortion. In effect, you can spend less time cleaning chromatic aberration during post-processing. 

Aside from built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, this full-frame camera has a rugged and weather-resistant design for outdoor property shoots. This means you can shoot property images in any weather without affecting the camera.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR

For advanced users, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is a premium model for shooting real estate photography. This is a solid pick if you need built-in image stabilization to ensure sharp images and professional-looking photos.

One of the best things about this camera its line of available Canon lenses. The Mark IV also enables you to use C-RAW, a file format that reduces image size by 40% without quality loss.

Furthermore, a brand new image processing in the form of the DIGIC 6+ accompanies the 30.4-megapixel chip to produce a more prominent resolution. This kind of upgrade enables the camera to increase pixel count without slowing down the camera.

While this camera has a smaller image sensor than the D850, the Mark IV still produces high-quality images in real estate property interiors even in the dark due to its ISO levels of 100–32,000. Its full-frame sensor and processor work together to achieve superb color reproduction and sharpness.

Additionally, the camera offers a fast and refined 61-point auto focus system that allows you to take the most accurate photos for your property portfolio. With built-in Wi-Fi and 4K video resolution, this camera is in the same league as the Sony A7III, enabling it to produce stunning property tours.

Canon 6D Mark II DSLR

We recommend the Canon 6D Mark II DSLR if you want a full HD camera that can level up your real estate marketing services without breaking the bank.

This real estate photography camera offers excellent image quality at a lower cost with its 26.2 megapixels CMOS sensor. While this is much lower than the Canon 5D Mark IV, you can shoot high-quality property images without overspending. 

It also has a full-frame sensor, which means a wider angle for real estate photography, particularly interior shots. The shutter speed goes up to 6.5 frames per second, which is good enough for photos in different light conditions. 

This real estate photography offers camera also does a good job controlling background noise even at high ISO performance levels. In effect, this camera retains more image information and prevents smudging all the details away. The camera also keeps a great dynamic range even as you shoot in RAW to ensure greater flexibility in post-production.

While the Mark II can't support 4K video, this camera can produce basic 1080p videos, much like the Nikon D750. Besides, its ISO levels of 100 to 40,000 let you experiment with exposures for bracketing and HDR real estate photos.

Nikon D750 DSLR Camera

The Nikon D750 DSLR could be the best camera with a vari-angle LCD screen and built-in Wi-Fi. This real estate camera offers great performance and fast autofocus minus the confusing controls you can find in even the best cameras.

Its most valuable feature for real estate photographers is its highlight-weighted metering, which gives you better control over bright parts of a space. Thus, this fantastic camera is helpful when you're struggling with ambient light coming from windows or doors. 

The D750 has one of Nikon's newest features, the 'Store Points by Orientation' in the custom setting menu. You can set this feature on default, and the camera would remember all of your focus points whether you need to use a focus shift shooting mode from a real estate agent portrait to a horizontal orientation.

Despite being a full-frame camera, it only has a maximum ISO of 12,800, much like the Fujifilm X-T4 mirrorless camera. This is still powerful enough to support the camera's 51 autofocus points.

The Nikon D750 has the same image sensor type and size as the D850. However, this camera has a high resolution of 24.3 megapixels because of its EXPEED 4 image processor, which is slower than DIGIC.

Sony A7III Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Camera

The Sony A7III could be the best camera to shoot professional real estate photography with a 35mm sensor. Combining a high light sensitivity and 425 autofocusing system, this camera provides better accuracy when you need to focus in vast spaces.

With a 24MP sensor, its stills resolution is almost similar to the Nikon D750. Thus, this real estate photography camera can capture clear shots without a drop in dynamic range in both the exterior and poorly lit interiors of your property.

At 10 frames per second and 100-51,000 native ISO range, the camera also offers high-quality photos for small and large prints. In this way, you can rely on this camera to create cleaner shadows in low-light shooting.

In addition, a counter-shaking feature is useful when shooting for long periods while holding the camera in your hands. You can also get the same feature on the Lumix GH5. 

Panasonic LUMIX G9 Mirrorless Camera

If you're looking for the best mirrorless camera with lower price tags, the Panasonic LUMIX G9 is among the best cameras for real estate photography. This is a semi-professional camera for those who prefer a lightweight yet high-functioning camera with built-in Wi-Fi and a full HD screen.

Despite having a 17mm micro four-thirds sensor like the LUMIX GH5, the best mirrorless camera has a 20-megapixel resolution, perfect for shooting great real estate photos even with an entry-level DSLR setup. 

Its sensor can gather lots of light with the help of a native ISO range of 100-25,600, which is almost as powerful as the D850. Even when you're not using the max aperture of a wide-angle camera lens, you can go down a couple of f-stops without losing quality.

Fujifilm X-T4 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Photographing interiors and exteriors can be a demanding niche, yet the Fujifilm X-T4 Mirrorless Digital Camera is the best camera for professionals starting in the real estate photography business

Despite its APS-C sensor, this Fujifilm camera can produce 24MP image resolution, which is even better than the LUMIX G9. This resolution also makes it possible for the X-T4 to function with 425 autofocus points, much like the Sony A7III.

While the Fujifilm X-T4 is the most lightweight camera for real estate photography, it may not have a balanced feel on monopods or tripods. Fortunately, the in-body image stabilization boosts sharpness if you're using a gimbal. 

More than that, the X-T4 offers continuous shooting mode at 15 frames per second, which ensures you capture the changes in the background for outdoor shoots.

Panasonic LUMIX ZS100 Digital Camera

The Panasonic LUMIX ZS100 is a great camera for real estate photography if you can't always bring a DSLR camera with you, yet you want to be ready anytime to shoot interiors. This kind of camera for real estate photography is a highly affordable and easy-to-use camera gear for quick property shoots.

Don't let its pocket-size body fool you, for it has a contrast-detect AF system that enables you to fine-tune focus for image clarity. A native ISO range of 125 to 12,800 is nearly close to the light sensitivity of the Nikon D750, enabling you to recover image details and protect highlights.

Even if the LUMIX ZS100 has a 13mm MOS sensor, it can produce 20-megapixel images, almost similar to the LUMIX G9 and GH5. In effect, you can also record slow-mo videos that you can play back in 1080p at 30 fps.

Panasonic Lumix GH5

The Panasonic Lumix GH5 is another contender because of its image stabilization and 2x crop factor. Likewise, its several shooting options of 6K, 4K video, and 1080p make it the best video camera for real estate photography to shoot videos for virtual tours.

The GH5 has the same sensor and pixel count as the LUMIX G9, although its body is heavier because of a bigger LCD screen and grip. However, the added weight puts greater balance when using a monopod or gimbal for real estate videography.

Although the 20.3-megapixel sensor on the Lumix GH5 is lower than that of the Canon 6D Mark II, you will still get crisp photos for your real estate portfolio for an even lower price. 

What's more, the GH5 camera records high-quality 4K video thanks to a 5-axis system that helps remove shake, especially during interior shooting.

How to Choose the Best Camera for Real Estate Photography

After my research and testing, I found that the most important features to factor in when buying the right camera for real estate photography include the sensor, image resolution, lens compatibility, low-light performance, video quality, and weight.

Comparing Cameras for Real Estate Photography

CamerasSensor SizeImage StabilizationISO Levels
Sony A7RIV 35mm Full-frameYes50-102400
Canon EOS R 35mm Full-frameNo100-102400
DJI Air 2S 22mm APS-CYes100-25600
Nikon D3500 23.5mm APS-CYes100-25600
Nikon Z6II 35mm Full-frameYes100-51200
Canon EOS R5 35mm Full-frameYes100-51200
Nikon D850 35mm Full-frameNo64-25600
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 30mm Full-frameYes100-32000
Canon 6D Mark II 24mm Full-frameYes100-40000
Nikon D750 35mm Full-frameNo100-12800
Sony A7III 35mm Full-frameYes100-51200
Panasonic Lumix G9 17.3mm Micro Four-ThirdsYes100-25600
Fujifilm X-T4 23mm APS-CYes160-12800
Panasonic Lumix ZS 200 13.2mm MOSYes125-12800
Panasonic Lumix GH5 17.3mm Micro Four-ThirdsYes100-25600

Camera Sensor and Image Quality

Ideally, for great image quality, it's better to invest in full-frame DSLR cameras for real estate because they have larger sensors that collect lots of light in a space. Much like the Nikon D850, Nikon D750, Canon 5D, and Canon 6D, their sensors range from 24-45 megapixels, with the Nikon D850 greatest at 45.7 MP.

However, that doesn't mean that mirrorless or crop-sensor cameras for real estate are inferior because 16 MP is the standard in digital cameras to shoot quality photos. Take the Sony A7III as an example. It is mirrorless yet has a 35mm full-frame sensor that produces 24.2 megapixels.

Panasonic Lumix G9 and GH5 are mirrorless models with micro four-third sensors, whereas Fujifilm X-T4 is a mirrorless camera for real estate photography with an APS-C sensor. Because Panasonic Lumix ZS200 is a point-and-shoot camera for real estate photography, it uses a smaller MOS sensor. These cameras for real estate have a high resolution ranging from 20 to 26 megapixels.

Lens Compatibility

The kind of lens plays a critical role in the image quality, effect, and composition of your real estate images. As a real estate photographer, it's best to have a wide-angle lens as your main photography gear. You can then shift to prime from the wide-angle lens, optical zoom, and tilt-shift lenses available depending on the shooting conditions.

Full-frame cameras for real estate from Nikon, Canon, and Sony usually work better with high-quality lenses because the sensors in full-frame cameras don't change the degree of view of a lens.

Being a point-and-shoot model for real estate photography, you can't change the lens of the LUMIX ZS200 because of its built-in 15x optical zoom lens. Meanwhile, you may need an adapter for third-party manufacturers to work on the Fujifilm X-T4.

Person holding his camera for real estate photography

Image Processor

The image processor serves as the brain of the camera because the image processor can control how the device would function, and, consequently, record pictures. For example, the image processor on the D750's EXPEED 4 and D850's EXPEED 5 focus on low-processing power to provide higher image resolution. 

Meanwhile, the image processor on the Mark IV's DIGIC 6+ and Mark II's DIGIC 7 offer excellent dim-light performance, reduced lag times, and a higher frame rate. Sony A7III's BIONZ X image processing minimizes noise before compression so that you can shoot in variable lighting despite having mirrorless systems.

Panasonic's GH5ZS200, and G9 all use a Venus Engine processor, which gives high-speed signal processing. Lastly, Fujifilm X-T4 contains an X-Processor 4, which boosts a camera's autofocus and tracking speed. 

Low Light Performance

The best cameras must work well in various lighting situations, particularly in low-light photography. Lighting affects a property's tone and vastness.

Your success in dark real estate photography depends on the right camera sensor size and exposure settings. The good thing is that all the cameras for real estate I reviewed allow manual shooting modes and have an incredible low-light performance.

Furthermore, you need to consider the camera's ISO. For instance, the Nikon D850 has the most powerful ISO, from 65 to 25,600. Panasonic G9 and GH5 follow close with 100 to 25,600.

Video Quality

While there are dedicated video cameras available, DSLR cameras and other cameras with 4k video capabilities can improve your shooting efficiency, especially if real estate agents or sellers are looking for additional 4k video capabilities 

Compared to the rest of the cameras with 4K video capabilities, the Nikon D850 is a good camera with the highest quality at 8K. However, its full-frame body is heavy to use in monopods and gimbals.

This is why the Panasonic LUMIX GH5 is a great camera for real estate photography if you want to balance weight, image stabilization, and video capabilities.

Size and Weight

It's worth noting that a camera's size and weight can impact your real estate photography techniques. While a professional real estate photographer typically use tripods to stabilize shots, lightweight ones like the Sony and Fujifilm mirrorless cameras and LUMIX cameras are ideal for compact setups and handheld shooting.

Cameras from Nikon and Canon are the heaviest, with the Nikon D850 heaviest at 2.24 pounds. However, this is a reasonable weight because of the camera's 35mm sensor and high megapixel count.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Set up Cameras for Real Estate Photography?

When setting up the best camera for real estate photography, choose the necessary lens for space, whether a wide-angle, prime lens, zoom or tilt-shift. Then, modify the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed depending on the available light. Additionally, even with the best cameras for real estate photography, you'll need to use a tripod and shutter release to minimize motion shake.

Do I Need to Use a Flash for Real Estate Photography?

Yes, you need to use a flash even with the best camera when shooting real estate photos because you may encounter dim, shadowy, backlit, or dark interiors. It's also essential in real estate photography to use an external flash when doing HDR, even with the perfect camera so that you can shoot in various exposures.

How Can I Take Professional Real Estate Images?

Choosing the best camera for real estate photography is the first step for you to shoot professional-looking pictures. However, other than the best camera, you also need to develop shooting techniques involving composition, lighting, and styling. Finally, you have to learn how to post-process high-quality images.

Conclusion 

Whether you choose full-frame, crop-sensor, or mirrorless cameras, the best camera for real estate photography for you would be the one with impressive features that can enhance your skills. Make sure to pick the ultimate camera for real estate photography to improve workflow and the consistent quality of your photos.

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