oldgabby Loc: Middle Tennessee

HEYLP. YES IN TENNESSEE IT HAS 2 SYLLABLES.
I SELL REAL ESTATE, IM SORRY, AND I TAKE MY OWN PHOTOS OF THE PROPERTIES FOR MEDIA ON THE LISTING SERVICE AND WEB.

I HAVE BEEN USING A KODAK EASYSHARE V570 DUAL LENS. POINT AND SHOOT. TAKES GREAT WIDE PHOTOS OF PROPERTIES AND REALTORS AND APPRAISERS LOVE THEM. OLD BUT GREAT FOR THAT JOB.
MY LENS COVER (SLIDES OVER LENS WHEN POWERED OR SHUT OFF) IS GIVING ERROR E45. I HAVE CLEANED (as best without disasembly) SLAPPED IT WITH HAND ETC. IT FUNCTIONS RARELY.

KODAK WILL NOT TALK TO ANYONE TOO OLD.

REPLACEMENT??????

NOW MY ISSUE.
I HAVE A SAMSUNG ES80 12.2 MP 5X 'WITH' 27mm WIDE ANGLE LENS. IT IS WIIIIDE BUT NOT AS WIDE AS THE KODAK. THE SAMSUNG HAS A SPEC OF DUST ON THE SENSOR SO I HAVE THIS LITTLE SHADOW ON EVERY PHOTO IN THE CENTER.

I HAVE PURCHASE A COUPLE OF CHEAP P&Ss BECAUSE THEY SAID 33mm 37mm COMPARED TO 35mm. THEY ARE 80% THE WIDTH OF THE SAMSUNG AND 70% THE WIDTH OF THE KODAK. THEY ARE NOT WIDE.

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT SPECS TO LOOK FOR TO GET A WIDER FIELD. ZOOM IS NOT AN ISSUE AS I AM IN A ROOM AND WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE (NOT CLOSER)

FOCAL LENGTH?? SENSOR SIZE AND CROP RATIO ETC. ???

THE SAMSUNG FOCAL LENGTH IS "f = 4.9 ~ 24.5mm (35mm film equivalent : 27~135 mm) Focal Length

ON ONE OF THE NEW (USED) I PURCHASED IS :
Lens System
Macro Focus Range 5cm
Focus Adjustment Automatic, Manual
Auto Focus type TTL contrast detection
Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 36 - 432mm

YET IT IS 80% THE WIDTH OF THE SAMSUNG (the samsung will capture13.5 ft of wall as 6.0 ft away & the Panasonic only 11.0 ft)

WHAT IS IT THAT I AM LOOKING FOR OR ARE THE MANUFACTURERS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH?

I HAVE A GOPRO WHICH WILL SHOOT 170*. IT CAN BE CONTROLLED WITH MY CELL PHONE TO SET THE SCENE. GOPRO DOES NOT HAVE A VIEWFINDER AS IT IS PRIMARILY TO BE MOUNTED ON A SURF BOARD OR A SKY DIVER OR MOTORCYCLE HELMET. (CHECK OUT GOPRO.COM VIDEOS ASSUME)

what IS THE SECRET TO DECODING THE WIDTH OF THE FIELD OF VIEW WITHOUT DESIGNING A CAMERA.

THANKS.
oldgabby

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

PLEASE do not use ALL CAPS for either your titles or your comments, they are too difficult to read.

You need to look for a lens that shows a 35mm equiv of 18mm-20mm for the wide angle end. Not many have that for P&S cameras now. In fact I cannot recall seeing any since those 'dual lens' cameras like your old Kodak.

There are some accessory lenses that will fit on the fron of 'some' P&S but the results are not great.

You might be able to use one of the P&S cameras with a Panorama feature to replace the wide angle shots.

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

he will get a pm from admin. or he will delete it.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Honestly, I hope that you do not think I am being rude for saying this.... Hire a professional and spend your time doing what makes you the most money... listing and selling homes. A pro will come in with proper equipment multiple lighting sources, understand how to work ambient light and artificial light to get evened results, they will compose pictures that you probably won't, and they will do work in post processing that will take you years to master....

I really don't mean to be rude, but if you are trying to get results with a point and shoot, you are not doing yourself or your clients a service.

Glider Loc: Austin

Amen!

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

For some agents, and in some areas, that "Pro" charges way too much for the results unless the homes are in the upper range to where they take months to sell and are pricey enough to justify the 'pro'. Many times an agent who is familiar with his P&S can captures photos that are just fine for this work.

RmcBUDDY Loc: Morris County, NJ

I strongly agree. If I hire a real estate agent and they come to my house with a point and shoot and their arms all extended out (I have seen agents do this,very funny to watch) running through my house taking snap shots, I will fire you on the spot.

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

As a once-upon-a-time real estate agent, I agree with Wahawk. Real estate agents don't get paid until after the property is sold, the deal is done, the money has changed hands and the sale is recorded at the county assessor's office, and also after the commission is split with the broker. That might happen eventually, or it might never happen at all. Many deals fall through. A very successful agent might consider hiring a pro for photos for high-end listings. I once overheard my broker say on a phone call, "The agents don't make much money."

Some inexpensive p&s cameras go 24mm wide. Back up into a room's corner, and you can do pretty well with that.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

I'm in the "professional" camp but with a difference. I suggest you go to a reputable camera store and ask them for recommendations on a P&S camera that has a 35mm equivalent lens that is somewhere between 14 and 24 millimetres. The smaller the number the wider the view. And maybe also tell the store keeper what you intend to use it for. S/he might have a few other feature suggestions in the process that might enhance your images further.

As someone pointed out, you're not in the photography business so go to someone who is and get your camera there. After all, when I want to sell my house I also go to a professional instead of trying to sell it myself.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

If you must.... Here are two links that can help you learn alot about photographing Real Estate....

http://photographyforrealestate.net/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/photographyforrealestate/