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Improve Your Listing Photos With Smartphone Camera Innovations

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Suplari, Inc.

To both consumers and agents, there is nothing more annoying than bad photos.  Face it.  The Internet is becoming more and more visual.  The iPad and the iPhone making reading harder.  Consumers are skimming and looking for pictures more than anything else.  Good pictures.  Like really good pictures.  This has lead to the rise of services like Pininterest & Houzz which are all about beautiful photos of houses.

But carrying around that bulky DSLR camera may not be practical.

Sony QX100

Sony has introduced a pretty ingenious lens for your smartphone.  Now, you can take near DSLR quality pictures, using your simple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy.  Here is a link to the blog post from the WSJ on the Sony QX100.  Pretty ingenious idea.  The downside is that it isn't cheap.  As I have learned, much of the cost for good cameras is in the lens.  These lenses start at $250 and go up from there depending on the quality.  

Sony Cybershot Lens

 

Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia  also is pushing the boundaries on smartphone optics and cameras.  Nokia has introduced a 41 megapixel camera for its smartphones.  That's right 41 megapixels.  I am not sure what I would do with a 41 megapixel camera.  It would certainly save a lot of time trying to get the right focus on interesting pictures for my blog, but I fear I would spend the rest of my nights cropping the pictures.  41 Megapixels may be enough for me to try Windows Phone and give up my iPhone.  Maybe.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Supposedly the resolution of this smartphone is so good, it can be used as a camera on an aerial drone.  That is impressive.  

 

 

Posted by

Nikesh Parekh

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Show All Comments Sort:
Li Read
Sea to Sky Premier Properties (Salt Spring) - Salt Spring Island, BC
Caring expertise...knowledge for you!

So appreciated your tips...and  you are right, the visual is "all".  

Sep 10, 2013 02:58 AM
Pat & Steve Pribisko
Keller Williams Greater Cleveland West - Westlake, OH

Nikesh, this is very helpful info. But, alas, I have an HTC One.

Sep 10, 2013 03:04 AM
Geri Sonkin
Douglas Elliman Real Estate 516-457-7103 - Merrick, NY
Long Island Real Estate & Staging Expert

It wouldn't tempt me to switch.  Nobody needs 41 megapixels.  I'm so in love with my iPhone(s) that  someone would have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands to take them.  But do let me know how it works if you decide to go back to the dark side. :)

Sep 10, 2013 03:38 AM
Brenda Mullen
RE/MAX Associates - San Antonio, TX
Your San Antonio TX Real Estate Agent!!

I will just keep hiring photography out to the professionals lol :)...but I did order a wide lens for my iPhone so I could do better on the spot videos for new listings and community reports so I am excited to get that :)!

Sep 10, 2013 04:20 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Nikesh - I'm going to stick with my DSLR for real estate photos, but the much better quality of the smartphone cameras helps me with all the other photo opps that I run into when I'm not carrying my camera. And I have to agree that 41 MP is a bit extreme - I can think of a couple of situations where it might be nice, particularly if I'm going to be doing a very large print, but for most stuff, I'm sizing it for on-line use.

Sep 10, 2013 10:07 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I will keep lugging my DLSR for work photos and keep my iphone.  41 pixels is intreging, but wow at the memory that would fill up fast.

Sep 10, 2013 11:44 AM
Jerry Newman
Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX
Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Hi Nikki. Very interesting idea, but I may continue using a professional photographer on my listings, and use my smartphone on occasion when I am out and about for local events.

Sep 10, 2013 01:28 PM
Nikesh Parekh
Suplari, Inc. - Seattle, WA
Technology Entrepreneur, Executive, & Investor

Probably smart to keep using a professional photographer.  Unfortunately I see too many listings in the MLS taken with a flip phone!

Sep 10, 2013 02:05 PM
Katherine Gooding, Google Trusted Independent Photographer
Soundview360.com & Katherine Gooding Photography - Seattle, WA
Get your business on the map!

"I will just keep hiring photography out to the professionals" Good plan Brenda!

"Probably smart to keep using a professional photographer." So true Nikesh!

41 Megapixels is great, but the size of the image you can create doesn't really help a lot with poor lighting or bad angles.

Sep 11, 2013 03:48 AM
Debra B Albert, PA - Keyes Realty
Keyes Realty Treasure Coast, 34986 - Port St Lucie, FL
Ron and Debbie 772.708.3292

What a great Blog, I have my R&D looking into this.  (That would be my partner and husband, Ron).

Deb

Sep 13, 2013 11:24 PM
Jill Penman
ONE SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY - Coconut Grove, FL
Coconut Grove & Coral Gables Lifestyle Expert!

Always amazing when agents put up photos that are not done professionally.  Great tips and nicely said!

Sep 21, 2013 12:16 AM
Jack Whiteside
Realty Executives Arizona Territory - Sedona, AZ
REALTOR

I didn't know that they had something like that. It will sure make my smart phone even more useful than it already is. Thanks for the heads up.

Jack, Remax-Sedona

Sep 23, 2013 12:53 AM
Greg Nino
RE/MAX Compass - Houston, TX
Houston, Texas

NICE! I agree about the big, bulky camera. Good post!

Sep 24, 2013 03:16 AM
Nikesh Parekh
Suplari, Inc. - Seattle, WA
Technology Entrepreneur, Executive, & Investor

Thanks Greg!

Sep 29, 2013 09:21 AM
Alex Popovic
602 CRE - Phoenix, AZ
Alex Popovic Developer, Real Estate Broker

Nikesh,

Great post have you seen what you can do with an iPhone or iPad, check this out at HDhat.com, incredible how far we've come in just a few years.

Oct 01, 2013 08:22 AM
Des & Spiro Kouridakis
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CA Properties - Yorba Linda, CA
- North Orange County Experts

I totally agree that rather than using a flip camera, there are other options for those who don't want to carry around a huge camera.  However, my photography skills are limited to just pics of my family:)  I'll keep the pics for my listings for the professionals.

Oct 20, 2013 07:01 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

Many real estate professionals like the convenience of snapping photos of homes from their smartphones, but sometimes the quality of the photographs can suffer. I just got my 6+ and very curious to see what I can do and if I need to go back to my Nikon:)

Nov 07, 2014 06:29 PM
Nikesh Parekh
Suplari, Inc. - Seattle, WA
Technology Entrepreneur, Executive, & Investor

Inna Ivchenko - I agree.    I think my iPhone 5S is getting there in terms of quality and  believe the iPhone 6 is even better.  Doesn't sound like either of the above products have caught fire with consumers.

Nov 11, 2014 01:25 AM