Get professional tips and advice from our seasoned PFRE vets on how to shoot real estate video with a DSLR more efficiently.
Real estate listings with clear pictures attract more buyers. The best camera for real estate photography should, therefore, produce high-quality and professional photos that can quickly attract the attention of potential clients. If you're into real estate photography, we got you covered. We reviewed the top cameras for realtors so you can take your pick.
Quick Navigation
The sheer number of cameras in the market makes it difficult to pick one that is a good fit for real estate photography. We went through the multiple options and came with a few models that we think will greatly help you boost your real estate marketing efforts.
After plenty of research, we found the following options to be the best overall cameras for real estate photography:
The Canon 5D Mark IV is one of our top picks for several reasons. It uses a 30.4-megapixel sensor and will produce high-quality images even in poor light conditions such as property interiors.
Additionally, the camera offers a fast and refined 61-point autofocus that allows you to take the most accurate photos for your property portfolio. The video quality is high (up to 4K resolution) and capable of producing stunning property tours.
This puts it in the same league as the other two of our best overall options; the Nikon D850, and Sony A7 III which also have 4K resolution.
The camera also comes with a long-lasting battery, which is excellent for field projects.
The Nikon D850 comes equipped with a remarkable 45.7megapixels which is more than that of the Canon 5D Mark IV. This, coupled with the 4K resolution, wide ISO range, sturdy design and long battery life makes it our best overall Nikon Camera for real estate photographers.
The camera is capable of shooting professional-quality real estate photos even in large format. Just like the Canon 5D Mark IV, it also comes with a 4K video resolution for high-quality real estate footage.
With an ISO range of up to 256,000, you can take bright images at night or in dim interiors of your property.
You will also find the camera great for outdoor property shoots with its rugged design that is weather resistant. This means you can shoot property images in any weather without your camera being affected.
The long battery life ensures that you take images for long enough before having to recharge or replace the battery.
The Sony a7 III is capable of outstanding property photos with its 42.4 full-frame sensors. This makes it more powerful than the Canon 5D Mark IV and just a few megapixels behind the Nikon D850.
The camera can capture clear shots in both the exterior and poor lit interiors of your property. At 10 frames per second and 100-51000 ISO range, the camera also offers accurate images for both small and large prints.
That's further complimented by the mechanism to counter shaking. As a real estate photographer, you will find this feature useful when shooting for long periods while holding the camera in your hands. You can also get the same feature on the cheaper Panasonic Lumix GH5.
If you are on a budget and looking for a camera that can boost your real estate marketing efforts without breaking the bank, we recommend these two options:
This Canon EOS 6D Mark II offers decent image quality at a lower cost with its 26.2 megapixels CMOS sensor. While this is much lower than that of the Canon 5D Mark IV, you will be able to shoot high-quality property images without blowing your budget.
It's also a full-frame camera, which means a wider angle for your interior shots. The shutter speed goes up to 6.5 frames per second, which is good enough for real estate photos in different light conditions. However, if you want even faster shutter speed and are willing to spend a little more, try the Sony a7 III.
Just like the expensive models like the Canon 5D Mark IV, this camera allows you to seamlessly transfer photos to other devices via Wi-Fi. However, it doesn’t support 4K resolution like Canon 5D Mark IV.
Although the 20.3-megapixel sensor on the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is lower than that of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, you will still get crisp photos for your real estate portfolio for an even lower price.
What's more, the camera records high-quality 4K property videos. You don’t get this with the pricier Canon EOS 6D Mark II which comes with Full HD resolution. The 5-axis system helps remove shake, especially during interior shooting.
Just like the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, the camera supports wireless photo transfers to other devices such as laptops for showing to your clients.
If you are just starting out in real estate photography and want beginner-friendly cameras, these three options will be a perfect fit:
The affordable price, portable body, and easy to use controls make the Nikon D7200 a good choice for beginners. It has a good resolution of 24 megapixels and will capture professional real estate images. Although you can get almost double the megapixels with the Nikon D850, you will have to pay much more.
The dynamic range is superb and allows you to shoot clear still images. You also do not need an external flash, which makes the camera compact enough for outdoor use.
This camera also has the widest ISO range of 100-102,400. This allows a beginner to tinker around with the brightness until they find the desired combination. This ISO range is wider than that of both the Canon EOS Rebel 800D/T7i and Sony Alpha a6000 which are also good options for beginners. However, the D7200 is more expensive than these two.
Small and lightweight, the Canon EOS Rebel 800D/T7i packs a fair amount of useful features that make it both user-friendly and really good at capturing property images. The image capability is great for both outdoor and indoor shots, with a 24.2-megapixel sensor just like the Nikon D7200.
It also features a decent ISO range from 100 and can go as high as the Nikon D850 at 25600. You can further expand this range up to 51200 to enhance picture quality. It records high definition videos, which is good enough for most property video requirements.
You also get 6 frames per second shooting for clear enough pictures in different conditions
The Sony a600 presents a professional-grade camera with its 24.3-megapixel sensor like the Nikon D7200 and Canon EOS Rebel 800D/T7i. Its continuous autofocus and electronic viewfinder systems allow for great photoshoots in low light situations.
The 5-axis stabilization prevents blurry images for clear photos in different conditions. For video files, the camera offers full HD shooting capability, which is adequate for most property videos. However, if you want even better quality property shoots, you can consider our 4K options like the Nikon D850 and Sony a7 III.
Just like the Canon EOS Rebel 800D/T7i, it also has an ISO range of 100-25600 with an aperture range of f/3.5 - f/22. This is good for taking bright photos in dim property interiors.
After our research and testing, we found that the most important features to factor in when buying a camera for real estate photography include the Aperture, ISO range, and shutter speed.
Let’s quickly go through these features below:
This refers to how wide the camera's lens opens to let in light. Ideally, the larger the aperture the better. It allows you to capture sharper pictures that contain more details. In most real estate photography situations, light is bound to be scarce thus the need for large aperture cameras.
Camera aperture is usually indicated as f. A low number means a large aperture and vice versa. The ideal choice for real estate photos should range from f/4 upward. While such cameras are often more expensive, they are worth every coin when shooting the interiors of buildings.
Shutter speed means the duration of a camera sensor’s exposure to light. If the shutter is too slow, your images are likely to be blurry. If too fast, the sensor may not receive enough light, and your images may not be adequately sharp or clear.
We recommend that you use slow shutter speed (Sony Alpha a6000 can go up to 30 seconds) if you are taking property images at night or in dim environments.
On the other hand, use fast shutter speed such as that of the Nikon D850 (1/8000 seconds) if you want to capture clear pictures of moving objects like cars around your property.
The ISO range measures the camera's sensitivity to light and determines how the camera performs in low light situations. A high ISO means the camera will work better in low light and the other way round.
For your real estate photos, we recommend that you choose a camera that has a native ISO of 100 or 200 and that can be expanded to a higher value.
The Nikon D850 has the widest ISO range of 64 through 25,600. While you might not go that high, it means this camera can take the brightest property images even in dark environments.
Some cameras such as the Canon 5D Mark IV and Nikon D850 offer 4K image quality. Although these are usually more expensive, they can greatly boost property marketing efforts. If you are on a tight budget, a Full HD (1080p) resolution like that of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II will be just fine.
Real estate photography requires a camera with specific features. That’s because it’s a unique field, with different light conditions and picture quality requirements. The features explained in this buying guide should help you make the right decision. Pick a camera that fits your needs based on your budget and skill levels, as indicated in our recommendations.
