rcarol

Your recommendation to use an FX camera suggests that quality images can't be made using a crop sensor camera and I disagree. The Canon 10-18mm lens is an outstanding lens and deserves a place in the OP's camera bag. It will serve him well. I have used it for real estate photography as well as for interiors of churches, cathedrals and historic places in Europe.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Englert

Can you explain"a more deliberate approach". I really need to know how to do this right... the first time. Thanks

Kozan Loc: Trenton Tennessee

I highly suggest you look at the Andrew Pece videos on YouTube. He has an excellent series on real estate photography. I believe the recommended lens is a 35mm lens. Anything smaller will have too much distortion which you will have to fix in Photoshop. As previously suggested, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Good luck.

Englert

Pardon me - deliberative.

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

As a pro photographer you will find to get into the business it will cost you more than $500 eventually. So if you think $500 is pricey for a used lens try a new one for over$1000. Plus as you grow in talent you will need a manual camera like the Nikon D850 or the lesser models. Still the bodies are over $500. A really good flash system is well over $500. Its really pricey to become a pro at anything. Think of cameras and lenses as your tool box. Then think of your computer is now mostly dedicated to photography and you need 2 monitors to do your editing on. So like the auto mechanic who spends a lot of cash on just his toolbox without tools, I have seen toolboxes alone that go for over$500 bucks, then the mechanic puts a thousand dollars in tools in the tool box and still needs more tools to do his job. Just like the mechanic a pro photographer spends a lot of money on the tools of his or her trade. I never looked for a kit camera when I went digital finally. I just ordered up what I knew would work and went with Nikon knowing the Nikon line was a proven pro line. If I had the money I might have considered the digital Hasselblad so I settled for second best and what worked. Advice simple is to make the money you have to spend some money. You can start out small but understand to grow a business you will need to invest in the business.
I shot real estate a few times over the years and the all needed lenses I luckily already had. If you do not have it you can rent it. Just be sure you can make the money back. I saw a job add once for real estate pics. I found by the time I added the mileage to my vehicle and the amount of time the company said I would get paid that just the gas cost alone allowed me to just break even. A lot of things go into being in business. So before you launch a new career add it all up and see if you will make money the 4th year in business. Usually it takes the first 3 years before you even break even.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

I do find my EFs-10-22 more complying. I bought this glass really cheap. I also have a 15-85 that I bought after buying the 10-22. The 15mm is wide but I love the 5mm that a 10mm provides. I have owned and used the 10-18 and do recommend it.


J. R.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

You don't need an FX camera for lots of reason, (at printed sizes, or really any size, you won't see any difference in well lit pictures. They cost more and the lenses cost more, ect...) and most any good and strong tripod will do the trick. A geared head is better for product photography in a studio but not much point in the field. On the other hand, $500 or more for a quality wide lens is not out of line.
...Cam

tdekany Loc: Oregon

Why would the OP need a Nikon D850? You can shoot good photos with just about any modern camera if you have the skills.

stanperry Loc: Spring Hill, Florida

You do not need an FX camera or gear head manfrotto tripod. There are as many opinions as there are Real Estate photographers. The fact is that there are tons of people shooting quite adequate photographs for Real Estate with much less. Most Realtors are too cheap to hire a professional, and do their own with an iPhone. I use a Nikon for my Real Estate Photography. I use a Nikon 35mm, Nikon 55-200, and a Nikon 18-55 for lenses (all of them relatively cheap). I use a Manfrotto tripod with ball head (on sale at Best Buy for $125.00). Although I do have some good lighting equipment, I found that an LED light (72 bulbs with motion detector I can turn off, and attaches to things with double sided tape....I think I paid $40 for 2 of them online) that I had in the backyard works very well. I have more lenses and other equipment that I use in studio, my Real Estate go bag sits in the corner waiting to grab and go, as I just described. I also have a home made pole rigged to allow me to get shots 25 feet in the air (I stopped the drone thing)
It's important to remember that the goal here ISN'T award winning photographs to be published in Nat Geo. It's to create bait that a Realtor can use to draw the fish in close. Not to catch it. Just get it close enough to let your client hook 'me and cook 'em. When you've gotten a decent file for the home, sit with your client and review them with him/her. It's great bait for YOU. It gets buy in from your Realtor/client, gives you more one on one time with them to develop your relationship, and makes them plank owners in both the process and the final selections. Most MLS's allow a max of 25 pics. You'll get a much better result if your client selected those 25.
Far more important than truly great pics is the composition and set up. For me, getting each room staged, by getting EVERYTHING off of counters, minimizing decor (the owner may love Rembrandt, but a potential buyer may hate all things Dutch) and making sure windows are sparkling clean. I have had lots of sellers put their lovely decorative pillows, kitchen towels, etc. on the stove, couch, etc.......for me that's a BIG no no. But teaching a class on composition and staging is for another day, not here. AND remember that buying $5000 of equipment to shoot $150 of pictures isn't good business. Get good quality equipment, learn to stage and declutter, and pass out business cards.

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

Even a cellphone.

stanperry Loc: Spring Hill, Florida

Exactly

lsupremo Loc: Palm Desert, CA

lsupremo Loc: Palm Desert, CA

Look up Ken Rockwell’s review on the Tokina 11-17mm 2.8 vs the Nikon 12-24, Tokina better but cheaper.

rcarol

Might you be referring to the 11-16mm Tokina?