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Ultra Wide Angle Digital Camera Photo Comparison

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Stars Realty

 

Real estate agents are quickly learning that more than 80% of all the homebuyers and sellers today are using the internet for their home search.  Most buyers are visiting dozens of real estate websites viewing online photos, virtual tours and researching detailed information about available homes.  Real estate websites, photo slideshows and panoramic virtual tours all have one thing in common and that is that potential buyers are viewing digital photos of these homes online.  Doesn't it make sense that if 4 out of 5 homebuyers are making their viewing and buying decisions based on online photos that agents would want the best photos possible?

Digital Camera Lens Comparison Using 24mm and 10mm settings

Real estate agents have two primary choices when it comes to selecting a digital camera and for many the final decision comes down to cost, convenience and maybe both.  The most common digital cameras for real estate are the pocket sized digital cameras such as the Kodak V570 or V705 (no longer produced), Casio EX-H10Panasonic Lumix series and a handful of other brands that feature a slightly wider angle lens. For a pocket size digital camera you are limited to 23mm to 25mm as the widest angle lens that are readily available.  A 23mm to 25mn lens has the ability to capture a wider view of a homes interior than a 35mm lens but in many cases the 24mm lens still can't capture a useable or desirable image.  

The two photos I have included were taken using a 24mm lens setting and a 10mm setting so that you could get a feel for the difference between the lenses.  Both photos were taken using a tripod and we were very careful not to move the tripod.  This may be difficult to believe but both of these photos were taken from the exactly same spot and we did not rotate the camera even the slightest bit.  

These photos were taken in the conference room at our REMAX Stars real estate office.  If you previously believed that wide angle lenses are only needed when photographing smaller sized rooms here is a fact that may change your mind...our conference room measures 12x21 which is larger than a typical living room or family room in an average sized home.  Try to imagine and visualize if I had used an 8x5 bath for comparison purposes.  With a 24mm lens the bath would have been extremely difficult to photograph and more than likely we would have only been able to capture a portion of the room featuring a photo of  just the tub or shower.  

An alternative to a pocket sized digital camera are the digital SLR models and full frame models from manufactures such as Canon and Nikon.  When considering an SLR camera there are a few things to consider.  There is a significant price difference between a quality pocket digital camera ($300 to $500) and a quality SLR ($1,000 to $2,000 in wide angle kit form) and there is an even bigger price difference when you move up to a a full frame digital camera.  Full frame digitals are more pricey but they offer an advantage because there isn't a focal magnification (meaning a 10mm lens on a full frame camera gives you a 10mm image and not a 16mm).    

The bottom line is that pocket sized digital cameras are cheaper, smaller but they can often have limitations especially when photographing the interior of a home that you are trying to sell.  Quality SLR digital cameras are generally at least twice as expensive, they are physically larger and heavier and the SLR has a longer learning curve.

When you consider that the buyer for your listing may actually skip  over your listing entirely because the pocket camera you are using leaves the buyer thinking half of the home you are advertising is missing.  Knowing that 4 out of 5 homebuyers are viewing homes online BEFORE they ever contact an agent is reason enough to invest in a quality digital SLR or digital full frame camera with an ultra wide angle 10mm lens.  

Sam Miller of RE/MAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800 www.AppleValleyOhio.comwww.SamMiller.net and www.SamMiller.com

 

 

Comments (12)

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Good post Sam and helpful advice. I think the 10 mm can cause the slant walls though in some and make cartoon images.

Dec 11, 2009 06:41 AM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

Hi Andrew, Thanks for commenting.   I agree with you and I have certainly seen some unusually looking photos that I can only assume were taken using a fisheye lens.  I have found the higher quality 10mm lenses such as the Canon do not have the same level of distortion as the cheaper priced and lower quality lenses.  When it comes to 10mm lenses I think it is cheaper for us to spend the extra money the first time and avoid the cheaper lenses otherwise we might end up still upgrading to the higher quality lens in the long run which will cost us even more money.  Happy Selling!    

Dec 11, 2009 06:53 AM
Jon Sigler
Coldwell Banker Realty - South Windsor, CT
Sigler Sold Another! 860-306-8029

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, to a Realtor a picture can be worth thousands of dollars.  Bad pictures keep buyers away, and without buyers there is no commission.  Great suggestions on taking better pictures.

Dec 11, 2009 12:12 PM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

Jon - I agree with you about bad pictures keeping buyers away.  Photos that are extremely dark or photos that capture just a small portion of a room can really hurt an agents online marketing.  We are trying to improve our photo quality and our online presentation.  One of our primary goals for 2010 is to have the absolute highest quality online real estate marketing in Knox County, Ohio.

Dec 12, 2009 06:21 AM
Gene Allen
Fathom Realty - Cary, NC
Realty Consultant for Cary Real Estate

Thanks for the shots.  A bigger lens is always better but I doubt you will convince most agents.

Dec 13, 2009 11:23 AM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

Gene - I have a feeling you are right about not convincing most agents not wanting to invest into an ultra wide angle lens.  I do believe the truly top agents who really want to provide their clients the highest level of marketing will make the camera investment or subcontract a professional photographer. 

Dec 13, 2009 10:10 PM
Joe Jackson
Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty - Columbus, OH
Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert

Sam

I have an ultra wide angle lens that is in the shop and my photo quality has suffered...

Thanks for the blog, good stuff

 

 

Dec 14, 2009 02:38 AM
Pat Wattam
RE/MAX First, Independently Owned and Operated - Baton Rouge, LA
Making Things Happen!

Sam, the difference between the 10 mm lens and even a 28 mm lens is just dramatic.  Because of you, we purchased the 10 mm and have been using it especially in our smaller homes.  You are able to truely show off the room - not just the 'wall' that most agents show in their advertising because their lens is not wide enough.  We also bought a flash with a special filer so that we would not have a shadow where the built in flash hit the wide angle lens.  After your research, I went to my camera specialist who buys all my cameras and lenses for me and even though the Canon was more expensive, it had the least distortion. 

BTW, it is so nice to have a local camera specialist who knows you to help you buy your equipment.  You may pay a little more, but since I won't read a manual, she shows me how to do what I want!  And, she knows how rough I can be on cameras so makes me buy the ones that have the best chance of bouncing down a mountain - and then when I mess it up, gets it repaired under warranty!!! 

Dec 14, 2009 06:38 AM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

Joe and Pat,

It is great to have your both comment on this post.  The fact that you are both using using the ultra wide angle lens and love them might just inspire others to look into the 10 mm Canon lens.  THANKS!

Dec 14, 2009 06:56 AM
Joan Smith
Tamarindo, CR

Great blog post Sam!!!  I think part of the real estate classes from the beginning should have a segment in there about how to take a picture.  I believe many agents just don't know how to take pictures - you don't know how many times I see bathroom shots with the agent in the mirror, toilet seats up etc.  All that aside - anything you can do to make your pictures pop and get clients in the house is key!!!

Dec 27, 2009 03:29 AM
Gary Frimann, CRS, GRI, SRES
Eagle Ridge Realty / Signature Homes & Estates - Gilroy, CA
REALTOR and Broker

Wow, I missed this when you originally posted it.  I came to via a link from your most recent post.  Bookmarked it and subscribe to your blog.  Thanks for this info!

Oct 01, 2012 01:56 AM
Sam Miller
RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH
Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

Gary - Thanks!  We have been testing out some new photo gear and I am planning on creating more photo comparison type blogs in the near future.  Thanks again!

Oct 01, 2012 02:07 AM