Help with PUrchase, Ultra Wide Lens & Body for Real Estate Business (Indoor Shooting)

[bastardino]

Hello everyone.

I am fairly new to photography and have a few questions and would appreciate any feedback from the experts. My question is split into 2 parts:

We are in real estate business so we need a high end ultra wide lens and new camera body. In the past, I used a Canon Rebel with 6 megapixels, however, was disappointed with light and color contrast.

Question #1

We are looking now to upgrade and were suggested the following items:
Body: Canon EOS 550D

Lens: Canon EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 USM

Both of these appear to have very good reviews and it seems both these items would result in around $1500 or so in total charges.

With a budget of about $1500-$2000 for both lens and body, would the above options be ideal for us? Our shots are almost all indoors and often with not too much light.

Question #2

For another office location for the same business, we also need a camera with wide lens for real estate. However, for this office I am looking at possibly going with Sony and the following lens:

Sigma 10-20mm f3.5

I am not yet clear on which body to get for this lens. For office #2, we intend for the camera to be higher end than Canon so I was thinking Sony was it. If we have a $2000-$3000 total budget here, what are our best options? Again, the goal here is indoor real estate shoots, with minimal adjustment on PC of images.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[tirediron]

Your stated budget and "high-end, ultra-wide angle lens" don't really go together. The only ultra-wide that I would recommend for this is the Nikon 14-24 f2.8 because of it's amazingly low distortion. Neither of those combinations are bad, in fact they will turn in decent results, but not spectacular.

Why are you looking at two different bodies? I would suggest that two identical bodies and lenses would make more sense, allowing you to switch between offices if one was out for repair.

 

[Nickds7]

On #1, You might want to take a look at the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8.. for a good comparison of some of the wide angles check out the lensrentals site and click on the canon 10-22

#2 Canon 5d mk II and a 16-35mm f/2.8L II if you are looking to go all out.

What size prints/images are you going to demand from these cameras? A 4x6 print from a 6mp rebel and a 24mp 5d mk ii, strait out of camera, are going to look pretty much the same.

 

[djacobox372]

I don't think you need to spend as much as you think to get GREAT results.

For example you could take amazing real estate photos with just this:

Nikon D80 ($350 used)
sigma 10-20mm f3.5 ($350 used or $450 new)
nikon sb-600 flash ($175 used, or $225 new)

That adds up to less then $1000

If you don't want a used camera, go for a nikon D3100 or D3000.

People always think they need to have the latest and greatest thing, but to put things in perspective: a lowly nikon D3100 takes better photos then a top of the line pro body four years ago (D2x).

 

[D-B-J]

I don't think you need to spend as much as you think to get GREAT results.

For example you could take amazing real estate photos with just this:

Nikon D80 ($350 used)
sigma 10-20mm f3.5 ($350 used or $450 new)
nikon sb-600 flash ($175 used, or $225 new)

That adds up to less then $1000

If you don't want a used camera, go for a nikon D3100 or D3000.

People always think they need to have the latest and greatest thing, but to put things in perspective: a lowly nikon D3100 takes better photos then a top of the line pro body four years ago (D2x).

Has the ability to**** It all depends on the photographer. The body has a much better sensor and newer technology, but that doesnt gaurantee a better photo.

Regards,
Jake

 

[bastardino]

Thank you again for all of your responses, it is greatly appreciated.

I guess it does not make sense to get 2 different bodies, I am glad I brought this up.

At this point, I guess I have to determine if we should splurge and go for the Canon 5d mk II which I guess with the lens will be like $4000 since it will produce best results or go with something under $1000. Seems to be not point of considering something in the middle.

I also forgot to mention that I also would like to possibly do some digital films with the camera (we require short clips of the properties we feature). I just realized that Canon 5D MK can do this very well, while a camera under $1000 would not have ability to do this at all. So this is something I must consider as well.

Any further feedback would be greatly appreciated. Also, is there some basic software that you would recommend to run our images through to add more color / make them more attractive? Again, all images are of indoor real estate. I do not wish to spend much time playing with settings and was wondering if there is some basic, good batch type of software we can run on them.

Thanks again

 

[Village Idiot]

Thank you again for all of your responses, it is greatly appreciated.

I guess it does not make sense to get 2 different bodies, I am glad I brought this up.

At this point, I guess I have to determine if we should splurge and go for the Canon 5d mk II which I guess with the lens will be like $4000 since it will produce best results or go with something under $1000. Seems to be not point of considering something in the middle.

I also forgot to mention that I also would like to possibly do some digital films with the camera (we require short clips of the properties we feature). I just realized that Canon 5D MK can do this very well, while a camera under $1000 would not have ability to do this at all. So this is something I must consider as well.

Any further feedback would be greatly appreciated. Also, is there some basic software that you would recommend to run our images through to add more color / make them more attractive? Again, all images are of indoor real estate. I do not wish to spend much time playing with settings and was wondering if there is some basic, good batch type of software we can run on them.

Thanks again

Newer entry level cameras by Canon, and most likely Nikon, will have the ability to do video.

I'm glad we can tell you what to buy and you'll go purchase it without apparently understanding why.

A new Digital Pentax 645 medium format camera would be better than the 5D MKII.

The larger the sensor, the wider the view on a lens without it having to have a shorter focal length.

A Canon 550D has a 1.6x crop APS-C sensor while a 5D MKII has a full fram sensor. With 35mm standard lenses (be they EF or EF-S mounts), you have to multiply the focal length by 1.6 to get the field of view.

A 10-22 on a 550D would appear to be the same as a 16-35mm lens on a 5D MKII because of the full frame sensor.

The wider the actual focal length of a lens, the more barrel distortion you'll generally see. Some lenses have less, like a Canon 10-22 is supposed to have better barrel distortion characteristics than a Sigma 10-20, but a 16-35 will have

Canon 10-22: Canon 10-22mm Review
Canon 16-35: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 USM L II (full format) - Review / Test Report - Analysis

You'll also get less wide angle distortion from a lens that has a longer focal length.

You'll also have to learn about lighting. It nothing else, natural lighting, using filters to control it, and when to photograph. I do know that there are photographers that have shot real estate type photos with strobes to help get a correct overall lighting in the scene.

I know Photoshop has a filter that will correct lens distortion, be it barrel or perspective. I don't know if Light Room 3 will. LR3 would be your cheaper alternative and is a good way to organize photos, but PS3 is an editing power house. Having both is probably the best overall solution in the editing department, but it's also the worst choice for your wallet.

 

[JoshC.]

Thank you again for all of your responses, it is greatly appreciated.

I guess it does not make sense to get 2 different bodies, I am glad I brought this up.

At this point, I guess I have to determine if we should splurge and go for the Canon 5d mk II which I guess with the lens will be like $4000 since it will produce best results or go with something under $1000. Seems to be not point of considering something in the middle.

I also forgot to mention that I also would like to possibly do some digital films with the camera (we require short clips of the properties we feature). I just realized that Canon 5D MK can do this very well, while a camera under $1000 would not have ability to do this at all. So this is something I must consider as well.

Any further feedback would be greatly appreciated. Also, is there some basic software that you would recommend to run our images through to add more color / make them more attractive? Again, all images are of indoor real estate. I do not wish to spend much time playing with settings and was wondering if there is some basic, good batch type of software we can run on them.

Thanks again

You can most definitely get a camera for under $1000 with HD video. The Nikon D3100 is running for 700 bucks and has full HD.

 

[Monica78]

If the photographer have talented he take the pictures very well and show the property with full beauty. He know how to picture takes of property and when way adopt to attracted customer on real estate assets.

 

[Malone]

This thread is old. And your English bad.

 

[Geaux]

I lol'd.

 

[jake337]

Are Til/shift lens more suited for indoor photography like this? To keep all your lines straight. I know this thread is old, but the OP never mentioned what kind of real estate. There's a big difference from your forclosure/short sale to your multi million dollar house in terms of the photography needed/wanted by the sellers. I'm pretty sure your not in the super high end or you'd be paying someone to come out and do it for you with one of these...

"Making of" of Nicolas Claris photoshoots with a Sinar arTec camera and a Sinarback eMotion 75 LV

 

[stevod]

^I would have thought tilt/shift is OTT for this application, and slow. A bit of care in composition will keep everything straight, and there's no need to take any shots away from eye-level so it should be straightforward. The Canon 10-22 is a good budget(ish) solution (I have one).

S

 

[KmH]

....go for the Canon 5d mk II which I guess with the lens will be like $4000 since it will produce best results....

It's more about the skill and knowledge the photographer has, than the gear.

The best indoor architectural images are made using an intimate knowledge of photographic lighting.

 

[jake337]

....go for the Canon 5d mk II which I guess with the lens will be like $4000 since it will produce best results....

It's more about the skill and knowledge the photographer has, than the gear.

The best indoor architectural images are made using an intimate knowledge of photographic lighting.

But wouldn't an intimate knowledge of photographic lighting combined with high end equipment have the best results?