Camera recommendation

[David Falkner]

We bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 a few years ago and it's been a great camera. Slightly smaller than a DSLR but with a great Leica lens.

Here's an inside shot I did with it -


And you can check out some video on my YouTube channel - David Falkner Woodworking

[Jim Becker]

Costco usually has good prices on a bundle with interchangeable lenses, starting in the $600 range on up to around $1500. Many of the bundles have a regular and a zoom lens for about the same price as others are asking for just the body and a single lens.

The Nikon and Canon kits from Costco and other retailers have more or less the equivalent lenses the OP is using now with his older Rebel. 18mm on a crop sensor is more or less the equivalent of a 24mm view on a full frame or film camera. That's not wide enough for a lot of interior real estate photography. These kit lenses also are not the best in low light situations and you can't really use on-camera flash for this application.

While I agree with Art about distortion, stitching multiple photos isn't the only way to deal with optical distortion from wider lenses and stitching adds it's own unique distortions...LightRoom and Photoshop have some automated lens adjustments that help tremendously with the effect. I use an 16mm-35mm wide zoom on a full frame body (Nikon D750) and have been pretty successful in adjusting for optical distortion in Lightroom on the interior shots I've made.

IMHO, cheap to type by as it may be, for a competitive realtor, it comes down to either hiring a pro or investing in the best tool for the job to do it themselves. And for the higher end properties, the pro photographer who specializes in real estate is the way to go. I have a few online friends who have that as part of or all of their photographic practices.

[Rick Moyer]

Great points Jim, and once or twice she HAS hired a professional photographer for the RARE higher priced listing, but most homes in our area fall into the <$200k range, many well less than that. This really just comes down to having a serviceable camera that works for her and the office interface.

[Art Mann]

A 16mm focal length lens on a full frame camera isn't all that wide angle.

[Jim Becker]

True, Art, but when you head wider than 16mm or so, you start to get into much more noticeable optical distortion and more of a fisheye effect. For RE, it's a reasonable focal length and typically the widest on a non-prime available.

[Rick Moyer]

Update: I should have updated this thread earlier but anyway, I did find a very good condition 2Ti like Lee mentioned above. She's very happy with it and I am now deciding what prime lens would be the best for interior pictures. All your prior suggestions were appreciated. Thanks again.

[andy bessette]

...a somewhat wide angle capability is required, but some decent zoom would be nice...
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/canon-po...?skuId=2761156 ...

This would be an exceedingly poor choice as it has a very tiny sensor and needless/ridiculous zoom range. Choose a camera with much better photo capability, larger sensor, better low light ability and ultra wide angle capability. Ideally a full frame sensor DSLR with very wide angle, low zoom range professional lens. Buy used or refurbished, if necessary, to keep the cost down.

[Chris Parks]

Buy a card reader and use the Rebel, way cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...d=QSGABVBYWBKR

[Rick Moyer]

Buy a card reader and use the Rebel, way cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...d=QSGABVBYWBKR

That could have been an option but part of the problem was the office secretary not liking to have to deal with the memory card in the first place!

This would be an exceedingly poor choice as it has a very tiny sensor and needless/ridiculous zoom range. Choose a camera with much better photo capability, larger sensor, better low light ability and ultra wide angle capability. Ideally a full frame sensor DSLR with very wide angle, low zoom range professional lens. Buy used or refurbished, if necessary, to keep the cost down.

Ideally, yes, but well above my stipulated price range. Your suggestion would be wonderful but $5000new/$1800used is a wee bit over budget.

[Chris Parks]

I have a Rebel and use a USB cable, the card never gets touched.