What photographic kit would an aspiring Estate Agent need?

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Chris
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A friend has asked what sort of kit he should purchase for internal room shots to use on property descriptions. Rooms these days seem to be getting smaller and smaller and my first thought would be a wide angle - but these tend to distort images.

So grateful for your thoughts. It needs to be reasonably affordable, easily moveable and fairly simple to use.
 
A course (or at least a class or 2) on interior photography.

Since the final use is unlikely to be over A4 for any single image, a relatively low pixel count D700 or D600 Fx body combined with a Sigma 12-24 (probably the best corrected UWA as far as rectilinear distortions go as well as being among the widest non-fisheyes) would fit the bill.
 
When I did this I used a canon 40d with a sigma 10-20 and a ttl flash for software I used cs5 and DxO
 
judging by the pics on rightmove lenses that distort the crap out of the proportions seem popular! hopefully your mate can reverse that trend some what
 
You're need to be well up on bracketing exposures and stacking. You'll want the widest angle lenses you can afford too. I know some property photographers use 10-12mm lenses, and use sturdy tripods for long, bracketed exposures.
 
He'll soon find out his time is much better spent on other things, and do a deal with a local professional for the photography on properties that warrant it - as every estate agent does. Just buying an expensive camera and wide-angle, then standing in the corner and snapping away, will achieve nothing.

It's specialist work. Real estate photography can be technically challenging and doing a decent job requires a fair amount of photographic expertise, a few flash guns, and post-processing skills. More to the point, even an experienced photographer will take a couple of hours at least, plus the same time again at the computer.
 
A 10mm lens to make a mouse hole look like a concert hall!

If going by the pics of most estate agents
 
Whilst I appreciate that in an ideal world we would all use professionals to enhance our business. In this instance the idea of paying a professional photographer is a non starter, actually the idea of spending several hours taking photos on each property very unlikely - heck even I don't want to get roped in! Start ups may hope to sell multi million pound properties but this one will be dealing with the bottom end of the market with very little room for significant money.
 
Having been a viewing guide at all levels and photographer of the lower end of the market with a local agent until 3 months ago I feel I may be able to offer some advice.
WA lens is utmost importance for internal shots, tripod and either a remote release or timer, decent flash or two and something with a swivel screen could help as often the camera will be wedged up against something. Ability to use the camera in manual as you/he will need to balance daylight and flash exposure simultaneously.
External shots may require elevated position so a pole of some sort and be able to view the image remotely, so either in built ability via an app or tethering to phone/tablet. I would suggest full frame so as to be able to get a WA lens that won't be affected by crop factor.
Allowing sufficient time will be important, a 3 bed semi will take an hour until he gets experience and pp will be required unless he wants the photos to be a dog's breakfast. Our pro took my photos and added a nice blue sky if it was a flat day, nobody wants to see grey skies.
Inside shots need to have verticals vertical, either at the time or pp.
Finally a good eye for composition and the ability to see the photo without looking through the viewfinder as he'll need to move stuff out of shot on site rather than later and won't see the stuff through the viewfinder.
Who's doing the floor plan?
There's a very good tutorial on Lynda.com
Matt
 
No need to go full frame to get a WA lens "unaffected by crop factor". Some of the most popular lenses for Real Estate work are WA lenses specifically designed for crop sensors, such as the Sigma 10-20mm or 8-16mm. I upgraded from the 10-20mm to the 8-16mm because of the number of times I ran up against the 10mm stop wanting a bit more.

For A4 brochure prints or Web site views there's no need for Fx virtues, in fact probably no need even for DX virtues, a smaller sensor such as 4/3rds would do perfectly well.

A sensor with a good dynamic range will reduce the number of times HDR or exposure blending will be needed. A camera capable of doing good in-camera HDR will reduce post processing time when HDR is needed.

An LCD which is fully rotatable to be viewable from all possible angles will speed up photography in tight spots where it's awkward or impossible to get your eye behind the camera.
 
I've done some of this work, and if I was to start again I would run an X-T1 with the 10-24 and some OCF. The other thing I would invest in a small drone (yes, yes, I know for professional use I need to be licenced) as that would give me shots that many others wouldn't have.
 
If it's proper bottom end then get the cheapest widest compact you can and snap away. Anything else I'd outsource plenty of 'pro's' doing this for very little money as it is a highly competitive market. Avoid those who shop in blue skies and go HDR crazy as the results are hideous!
 
A chap came to photograph next door's house with a D810 and 14-24 the other day. He did however come and knock on my door to borrow a broom to sweep the autumn leaves out of the drive, so he hadn't thought of everything!
 
I did interiors for a few years, used a 600D, 7D, 5Dii and 5Diii they all did a good job. I had a Sigma 10-20 but was never really happy with it so got a Canon 10-22mm and a 17-40mm for the full frame. 10mm was usually to wide on a crop so went 14mm most of the time. I also ended up getting 3 speedlights and triggerss as some of the houses I was doing were very large so needed to light dark corners. I hate blown windows and downlighter flare hence the speedlights. Tripod and remote as a lower shutter speed is better than high ISO. A copy of lightroom or a decent PP suite. Learn how to HDR as well can be useful.

There are loads of people doing it really cheap with floorplans thrown in but you do get what you pay for.

The last one I did for a mate at mates rates took me 20 mins to get there, 20 mins to do the house, 10 minutes to my mates office, about 15 mins to edit, a sandwich and a cheeky shandy and home in 20 mins. I charged for an hour but was out for 2. I also really just rushed round the house and the edit but my mate was happy. He started doing a few himself but soon realised how long it can take so he now uses a firm that does photos and floorplan for £60 which he charges hid clients. He gets the jpeg sent to him and he tweaks them if he thinks they need it. He does not print off any details they are all pdf and emailed so the quality does not have to be up to the glossy £2m plus show house brochure.
 
Whilst I appreciate that in an ideal world we would all use professionals to enhance our business. In this instance the idea of paying a professional photographer is a non starter, actually the idea of spending several hours taking photos on each property very unlikely - heck even I don't want to get roped in! Start ups may hope to sell multi million pound properties but this one will be dealing with the bottom end of the market with very little room for significant money.

If he is just starting out he will have all his time taken up doing valuations and selling himself to potential clients, he certainly will not have time to mess about taking photographic masterpieces, he will be more interested in making sure the place is tidy ,the beds are made and the dishes washed and put away, he will probably have 30-40 mins for the appointment including taking the pix
You said earlier on you had a Nikon he could use , get a reasonable 10-20ish lens a half decent flash ( with ETTL or whatever the Nikon equivalent is ) , and teach him how to use it.
The pix will go on Rightmove and similar web sites and get printed, if at all , on an office inkjet or colour laser printer and get photocopied.
 
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