{"id":77299,"date":"2021-12-29T10:00:15","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T15:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=77299"},"modified":"2021-12-06T13:09:17","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T18:09:17","slug":"real-estate-photography-gear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/real-estate-photography-gear\/","title":{"rendered":"Must-Have Gear for Real Estate Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

Choosing the right gear is half the battle when it comes to real estate photography. There are many products to choose from, and the process can be overwhelming. As the Creative Services Manager at Open Homes Photography, I direct our team of photographers and handle the essential gear needed to take beautiful real estate photos.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each day, Open Homes Photography<\/a> (OHP) dispatches 60+ award-winning, professional real estate photographers to shoot homes throughout Northern California. To date, these photographers have shot over 70,000 listings and have helped market over $50 billion in real estate. OHP\u2019s diverse team of part-timers and seasoned veterans put an unusual amount of wear and tear on gear. In fact, our top photographers will typically complete photos, video, aerial, and a 3D Matterport Tour for 3-4 properties each day. If you\u2019re looking for gear that can stand up to daily use, check out my picks below.<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-Have Gear for Real Estate Photography<\/h2>\n
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Photo from Open Homes Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Camera\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you have a few real estate gigs under your belt, you\u2019ve likely already chosen your camera brand and workflow. A camera brand alone won’t make you a better real estate photographer, but there are some features I can\u2019t do without.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because real estate photographers tend to eat through shutter mechanisms, the majority of my team has gladly moved over to the mirrorless systems from Canon<\/a> and Sony<\/a>. There are certainly other cinematic video-only options like the Black Magic Pocket Cinema 6K<\/a>, which can be helpful if you’re willing to manage multiple bodies and systems while on the go.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

If you already have a camera\/lens system but are looking to upgrade, these are my favorite features:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • Built-in level for making sure your horizontals are on point<\/span><\/li>\n
  • On-screen grid for lining up those beautiful one-point-perspective architectural shots<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Large touch screen with touch autofocus<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Crop sensor switch to assist in one-point-perspective framing and focus<\/span><\/li>\n
  • LOG (Logarithmic) Video capability for the best dynamic range and grading opportunities<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    My Picks<\/b><\/h3>\n

    <\/i>If you\u2019re already using Sony\u2019s A7 series for still photos, I love the new <\/span>Sony A7Siii <\/span><\/a>for video. The built-in Apple ProRes workflow achieves an incredible dynamic range with 12-16 bit. This frees me from using a recording monitor while letting me really push the color grading to make interiors pop. If it had a higher resolution on the still photography side, it would easily stand out as the best \u201call-arounder,\u201d but 12MP just isn\u2019t enough for client needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

    You can also rely on the <\/span>Canon R5<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Canon R6<\/span><\/a>. Approximately three-quarters of OHP photographers work on Canon systems and have adopted the new EOS-R series with great success. Incredible photo quality and an easy CRW pipeline go without saying, but we love the CLOG video and image stabilization. Pair it with the newer <\/span>Canon 15-35 RF Glass<\/span><\/a> and you have an almost-perfect real estate setup. The optical and sensor image stabilization helps me spend a little less time on the tripod while maintaining low noise shots with great dynamic range.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    Tripod<\/b><\/h2>\n

    <\/b>Speaking of tripods, this is one piece of gear that sees the most wear and tear. A solid mid-level tripod will last the average photographer two decades, but the hustle and bustle of a real estate photographer\u2019s day-to-day will wear out the clamps in less than a year. It might seem crazy to spend $1,000-$3,000 on a Gitzo<\/a> or Really Right<\/a> tripod and high-end head, but there is a strong return on investment if you\u2019re in the field all day, 5-6 days a week. Gitzo tripods are very popular, and for good reason \u2014 a hardcore veteran that just retired last year left a 40+ year professional architectural photography career with a Gitzo he first bought in 1982.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    My Picks<\/b><\/h3>\n

    A great lightweight stick is the <\/span>Gitzo Traveler GT2545T Series 2 4-Section Carbon Fiber Tripod<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you need to support more weight and shoot from higher up, I swear by the American-made <\/span>Really Right Stuff TVC-34L Series 3 4-Leg Sections Mk2 Versa Apex Carbon Fiber Tripod<\/span><\/a>. Pair it with a <\/span>Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head<\/span><\/a> for a precise head that will support a big rig.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If money is no object, check out the ultra-precise <\/span>Arca Swiss C1 Cube Geared Tripod Head<\/span><\/a>. The machine tolerance is insane, the build quality is incredible, and the buttery smooth operation will allow you to dial in the best compositions. A few folks on my team use this head daily and say it is worth every penny.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n