Real Estate Pictures that are distorted: Can someone tell me why many real estate pictures are so distorted? As an example a picture that shows a microwave oven, range or TV will show...

Ron Connick Loc: California

Can someone tell me why many real estate pictures are so distorted? As an example a picture that shows a microwave oven, range or TV will show that it is much wider than what you know it to be. My thought is that they are using a very wide angle lens. I believe it is very bad practice to do this. There must be some type of compromise that the photographer could use.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Do you have an example to point to specifically?

Your suspicion about using a wide angle lens may be correct. But, (failed) technique in both the shooting process and the editing process may be the more likely cause in 2022 digital photography, more so than the selection of a lens / lens type.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Wide angle to get as much of the room in the shot as possible.
Agreed - It makes the rooms look deceptively larger than they are.

Goldyrock

Yes, I do use a wide angle for interior shots. I try not to distort by using it at the extreme 8mm setting to minimize distortion.

ggttc Loc: TN

Longshadow wrote:

Wide angle to get as much of the room in the shot as possible.
Agreed - It makes the rooms look deceptively larger than they are.

So evident when looking at sailboat cabins...the illusion created is so different from reality.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

ggttc wrote:

So evident when looking at sailboat cabins...the illusion created is so different from reality.

Boy, I'll bet!!!

MSW

politicians, weather forecasters, insurance salesmen, real estate "agents"

Ron Connick Loc: California

I agree that a wide angle lens should be used from the corner of the room to get as much as possible in the shot. But, there should be a trade off so not to distort things and also make the room larger than what it is. I find myself explaining to my clients why they are looking at a house in person that is much smaller that what they saw on the internet.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

We were looking at houses a couple of years ago and the pictures were always misleading. I told the real estate agent I was disappointed about it and he replied “the pictures got you here.”

There is a special place in hell for real estate photographers, right next to used car salesmen.

If you want to do real estate photography the 11-24 and 8-15 will serve you well.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jim quist wrote:

We were looking at houses a couple of years ago and the pictures were always misleading. I told the real estate agent I was disappointed about it and he replied “the pictures got you here.”

There is a special place in hell for real estate photographers, right next to used car salesmen.

If you want to do real estate photography the 11-24 and 8-15 will serve you well.

I suppose it depends on if they shoot to represent or shoot to sell.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

jim quist wrote:

There is a special place in hell for real estate photographers, right next to used car salesmen.

Ron Connick Loc: California

Thanks for that reply. I don't like the pictures that way and I find myself explaining to my clients why that is happening, although I probably don't explain it very well.

I am not a photographer but I like to take my own pictures. I believe they come out pretty good, although I am not going to spend any more money on high priced lens. I have a Nikon D7100 and take my pictures in HDR 5-shot mode. I use the standard lens it came with 18 - 55 mm. Then I have a inexpensive Vivitar 0.43x wide angle converter lens. I can get wider angle shots with little distortion. I hate it when a 24" dishwasher looks like its 48" wide, the rooms look much larger than they really are, etc. Any feedback or comments you can give me would very much be appreciated.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Ron Connick wrote:

Thanks for that reply. I don't like the pictures t... (show quote)

UHH tip: use <quote reply> to give context to replies made to a prior post.

BebuLamar

jim quist wrote:

I told the real estate agent I was disappointed about it and he replied “the pictures got you here.”

There is a special place in hell for real estate photographers, right next to used car salesmen.

The pictures just to make to come to see the house. Few people would buy the house without seeing it in person and the pictures did serve their purpose.

Well I don't think that a big sin being real estate photographers.

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

Ron Connick wrote:

Can someone tell me why many real estate pictures are so distorted? As an example a picture that shows a microwave oven, range or TV will show that it is much wider than what you know it to be. My thought is that they are using a very wide angle lens. I believe it is very bad practice to do this. There must be some type of compromise that the photographer could use.

Yes, you are correct. Most extreme wide angle lenses often cause extension distortion and volume anamorphosis that result in really ugly distortions. Outside of using a lens based on the Zeiss Biogon formula - these two distortions are part and parcel of using ultra wide lenses.

There are two solutions - one is to use a longer lens (that does not exhibit those distortions) and use a combination of focus staking and pano stitching to get the depth of field and scene width and height without the "ultra-wide look". The other is to use a view camera with fully articulated front and back movements to minimize those distortions (mostly by careful use of the rear element).