Davet Loc: Fort Myers, Florida

I am new to shooting some real estate for a realtor friend of mine. What would you recommend for the best lens or lens's to use for this? I have a Nikon d300 but soon moving to a full frame.

Photocraig

When I did my own photography for my real estate business, I used a Canon EF 20-35mm f3.5-4.5 on an A2 35mm film body--thus matching a full frame DSLR. The focal length did a great job and since most of the interior work required a flash and greater depth of field, the small maximum aperture wasn't a limitation. I also used a 35-105 very old kit lens for longer shots both interior and exterior. However for an APS-C sensor body DSLR, I'd suggest something along the lines of a 12-14mm minimum focal length zoom. I rarely, if ever, found myself wanting to go wider than that 20mm. I used a TTL Canon Speedlite plus up to 4 optically triggered fills and "backgrounds lights" to eliminate shadows behind furniture too close to walls. The trick, because often we had "view" properties was balancing the light inside with the daylight "view" through the windows. I used a reflective spot meter with flash capabilities to match the ambient exterior with the flash lit interior, but the TTL Speedlite worked pretty well in that regard. I couldn't chimp back then. If I were to do it again, I'd explore the Yongnuo TTL flashes and triggers. Another basic architectural photo problem is easily fixed today is the distortion and lens correction profiles available in post processing to keep all the lines parallel and, particularly upright.

I hope this helps. Good photography SELLS homes.

Craig

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Nikon just announced a new lens, the Nikon PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED Tilt-Shift Lens that is supposed to be ideal for architecture and real estate photography.

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I would agree with Mac that the Nikon PC NIKKOR 19mm f/4E ED Tilt-Shift lens should be a fabulous lens (I wish that I had one). However, I don't think that it is the most practical.

The possible advantages by using this lens are:
1) With that lens, you could use the Tilt feature for exterior photos of houses that were tall to eliminate the sides of the house (or any other vertical feature) near the edge of the frame from tilting inwards when the camera is not parallel to the ground.

2) You could also use the Shift feature to create a wider photo (after stitching in post processing) for both interiors and exteriors.

3) You may spend less time in post processing due to the prior advanteages.

The disadvantages are:
1) This lens is very expensive.

2) This is a very tricky lens to use. You can't just put it on your camera and start shooting as you must properly understand all of the adjustments. Perspective Control (PC) lenses are the most complicated lens to use for beginners. These do not act like any normal lens (unless all settings are at zero).


In addition, you can replicate both of the top two Advantages above in post processing if you have the proper skills. However, if you have the money and skills to use a PC lens then this is the one to buy as it will save you time in post processing.


I agree with Photocraig that you want to have a wide angle lens as you are often in tight quarters (e.g. bathrooms) and it also give you more room to crop in post processing. You do not need a particullarly fast lens as you will normally be using a narrow aperture to get more depth of field. I also agree that you need to learn how to expose for the daylight "view" through the windows and fill the interior with speedlights and reflectors. Getting the entire interior scene correctly exposed is critical and changing to a different lens will not correct this basic problem. If you have never shot interiors before, you are going to have to practice for some time in order to get the skills necessary to go into a house and expose properly.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I have used a Sigma 12-24 f/4.5-5.6 DG FF to take photos of a rental property I own and rent. It's the worst lens I own, but it's also the only lens that ever paid for it's self. You must hold the lens perfectly straight to minimize horrible distortion. The corners are soft and there is purple color abortions. The good news it makes the inside rooms look huge! it makes yards look spacious. I have used DxO OpticsPro to correct some of the distortions. Perspective renters are impressed by the photos and fall in love with what they see in the photos. They do not see or care about the distortions. These lenses are a must for selling or renting houses.

I have attached photos I have used to rent my property.

I literally had ten families that wanted to rent it. The lens paid for it's self!

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

A good wide angle lens, or if you have the patience and budget, a good T/S wide angle!

JPL

Sigma 8-16 mm lens is one of the best for this purpose.

Davet Loc: Fort Myers, Florida

I am using a Nikkor 17-55 and I love this but am wondering if I could do better. I have also been experimenting with HDR. Sometimes the finished pictures are too dark. I have seen better pictures on line but really want to get better.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

If you are going to full frame, then there is no question - the 24 PC-E and the 45 PC-E.

They are not difficult to learn, other than they are manual focus. The main function as it relates to RE photography will likely be shift. In addition to shifting the lens up to avoid tilting it, which causes keystoning, it can be used to create a quick panorama for stitching. Shift to the left, click. shift to the center, click. Shift to the right, click. In a matter of about 12 secs you have a perfect 3 frame set to stitch in Photoshop, Lightroom, PT/GUI, etc. When you stitch an image taken with a 24mm lens with the camera in vertical orientation, you end up with a horizontal angle of view that is wider than a 14mm, (140 deg vs 104 deg) and without the volume deformation distortion that occurs at the edges of a 14mm, and a vertical angle of view that is only slightly narrower (73 deg vs 81 deg). But if there is important information above and beyond the angle captured by the 24mm vertically, you can always set the shift to do a vertical set as well, giving you a much larger image. Regardless, it takes just a little more time - seconds really when shooting, and the time it takes to stitch the pano, and you don't have to spend any time correcting for keystoning or trying to deal with volume deformation.

I used to shoot architectural interiors with a Sinar P 4x5 and I really do miss it, but since I don't do much architectural anymore, I can easily live with the PC-E lenses. Besides, these lenses are sharp from corner to corner with the tilt and shift settings set to zero, and if you need it, you can dial in tremendous depth of field or make it as shallow as possible using the til function.

All in all, if you are serious about image quality, and are looking for results that resemble real life, and not the huge deep rooms that often result when you use an ultra wide lens, you may want to consider the PC-E lenses. Everyone uses ultra-wides, so your work with PC-E lenses will give you a distinctive, more realistic look that will definitely set you apart from the amateurs.

I agree, the new 19mm PC-E is a very special lens, and one that I would likely rent rather than own, given the few times I would actually need it. Especially at $3400.

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

I do my share of Realty Photography, mostly homes. At times I wish I had a view camera but I don't. Aside from renting a 24 PC-E if the job affords me to, otherwise I use a Nikon 16-35 f4, on FF cameras... at times a 50mm if I have the room. We are usually allowed only 25 shots on MLS so correcting for line conversion (Keystoning,something you definitely don't want) isn't that big a deal (usually). Using the 16-35 is a lot quicker when your not getting a ton of $$$. And now we are considering a Phantom 4 drone...a lot depends on the home being sold, a Cape Cod, we're not spending all day on achieving what we need cause the money isn't there, a home in the upper 5 & 6 figure homes, we will spend a lot more time and effort, changing the homes lighting, covering/tinting windows etc. and sometimes we'll even stage the home...can't wait to get my iPhone 7+ and see how that works...sometimes a camera phone or my Panasonic Lumix is all I need.

rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA

Nikon has the new 19mm PC-E lens, but it costs over $3k. I have the older, but still terrific, 24mm PC-E lens as well as the 14-24mm lens. Both are great for architectural photography. Basically, a true wide angle will do if you keep your vertical lines straight and the camera is level.

NoSocks Loc: quonochontaug, rhode island

Don't you mean spending more time and effort on upper six and seven figure homes? The commission on a five figure house, even at $99k, isn't enough to pay out for even semi-quality photography.

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Yes, duh! That's what I get for not proof reading everything.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Nikon 16-35 f4 works well with a full frame camera, for crop sensor I would go with the Nikon 10-24 mm.

whitewolfowner

For a full frame camera, the Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 lens is the ultimate one to use but is also almost 2 grand new. Now they have come with the 19mm shift lens which is $3500. Make sure the business will justify the purchase; few make much more than gas money when they do photography for realtors.