# I need a new lens for shooting Real Estate



## kswan (Jan 9, 2010)

Until now, I have only been shooting photography as a hobby. I love love love it but have always been reserved about tackling it as a job. It has been the case for me in the past that when I get really passionate about a hobby, I develop a business plan to make money at it and I quickly find out I am no longer passionate about that hobby when I "HAVE" to do it as a job.

Now that I have babbled and vented about that, I have a question for you professional photographers. I currently work in a industry where there is a need for photographing Real Estate. I borrowed my friends Wide Angle Lens to shoot one property and thought the pictures came out decent. They could have been better but I don't think it was the lens fault but my inexperience in using that lens. Can someone suggest to me what would be the best lens for a Canon Digital to shoot Real Estate Property (indoor rooms and outdoor)?


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## Dwig (Jan 9, 2010)

What camera are you using? "Canon digital" is far from an accurate description.


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## gsgary (Jan 9, 2010)

If you do a search there is another thread and there is no money in shooting real estate


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## dxqcanada (Jan 9, 2010)

If we are to assume that you do not have a Full Frame Canon DSLR ... then I would suggest a focal length no wider than 14mm.
Wider lenses will have more pronounced distortion, that will be too noticeable. 
You want something that will capture an indoor area, and make it appear the area is larger.


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## chip (Jan 9, 2010)

For a 1.6x crop frame camera, try this:

9518A002 Canon EF-S 10mm - 22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Autofocus Zoom Lens for Digital SLR Cameras - U.S.A. Warranty.

For a full frame camera, try this:

1910B002 Canon EF 16 - 35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens - Canon U.S.A. Warranty


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## Montana (Jan 9, 2010)

Real estate/architecture is best done with a tilt/shift lens......

This is what you want.......

Canon | TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Manual Focus | 3552B002


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## chip (Jan 9, 2010)

For someone who only described his camera as a "Canon Digital", I don't think a tilt and shift lens is needed. 24mm is also not wide enough for photographing Real Estate.


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## Montana (Jan 9, 2010)

chip said:


> For someone who only described his camera as a "Canon Digital", I don't think a tilt and shift lens is needed. 24mm is also not wide enough for photographing Real Estate.




Using your logic, then an expensive 16-35 isn't required either.  And 24mm on my 5DII is pretty damn wide and can very easily shoot real estate.  Look through a 24mm lens on your full frame body, its pretty wide.....

Also, I would not shoot "buildings" with my 16-35 any wider than approx 24mm to avoid some of the distortion on the wider end.


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## chip (Jan 9, 2010)

Montana said:


> chip said:
> 
> 
> > For someone who only described his camera as a "Canon Digital", I don't think a tilt and shift lens is needed. 24mm is also not wide enough for photographing Real Estate.
> ...


You are right. My guess is this person has a Canon rebel Xsi or similar. So the EF-S 10-22mm is probably his best bet. It will be wide enough to get the whole house in one shot. For indoors shots he should get a tripod.


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## Montana (Jan 9, 2010)

That would be my guess as well....LOL.  SO the canon lens you mentioned or a third party (sigma or tokina) would fit the bill.


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## kswan (Jan 9, 2010)

you are right. As I said before, I am not a professional at photography and do not do this to make money. If I did, I'd invest the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ and buy a 40d or something. It is a meer hobby for me to take nice pics so I am using a rebel xsi. However, I do have a tripod and added Flash. I will research your advice on lenses as that was my orginial question and I thank you guys for your input.


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## Montana (Jan 9, 2010)

kswan said:


> you are right. As I said before, I am not a professional at photography and do not do this to make money. If I did, I'd invest the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ and buy a 40d or something. It is a meer hobby for me to take nice pics so I am using a rebel xsi. However, I do have a tripod and added Flash. I will research your advice on lenses as that was my orginial question and I thank you guys for your input.




I hope you do not think that anyone was looking down at your camera.   The emotion of a "conversation" is lost over the internet.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with the XSi.  In fact, its a darn good camera.  Now that we know what you are shooting with, I would recommend having a look at the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 lens.


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## usayit (Jan 9, 2010)

Assuming real estate being the primary focus not photography, I would take an Panasonic LX3 and a lightweight easy to carry tripod.  It has one of the widest focal lengths on a P&S.  Also has a fast lens and being a small sensored camera, Depth of field shouldn't be too big of an issue.  

This is a photography site, you are bound to get answers that come photographers who spend $$$$ on photo equipment.  Their priorities are obviously different from the OP's priority (real estate).


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 10, 2010)

It may actually matter more what you do in Photoshop. I know a good camera helps, but most real estate photos get put on a website, or a letter-sized One Sheet. The overall goal here doesn't need to be razor sharpness, but rather that hte shot is nicely exposed. That means everything needs to be visible. 

Three ways you can get there: lighting, compositing, or HDR (the good kind, not the crazy hyper kind you see being used creatively.)


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