Real estate photography is incredibly demanding and competitive, so it’s not enough to possess solid technical skills. If you want to capture great images that include plenty of detail and feature beautiful colors and tones, you need a suitable camera, too.
Unfortunately, picking the best camera for real estate photography can be a challenge. You have to purchase a model with real-estate-friendly features, and you also need to take into account its price and corresponding lens selection.
Our goal is to point you in the right direction and help you jump-start your real estate photography career. Below, we share eight fantastic cameras, and we also include a buying guide so you understand exactly what to look for.
Our Favorite Cameras for Real Estate Photography:
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1. Sony Alpha 7R V
The Sony Alpha 7R V boasts superb image quality so you can easily adapt to difficult lighting conditions and still capture fantastic photos.
Our top pick is the newest version in Sony’s popular high-megapixel series, the Alpha 7R V. It’s our favorite camera for real estate shooting thanks to its impressive low-light performance, high-resolution capabilities, and wide range of features.
You can expect amazing image quality due to the outstanding 61 MP sensor, which allows you to capture plenty of detail and make each and every property look its best with minimal effort.
Although autofocusing capabilities aren’t hugely important when capturing top-notch real estate photos, the a7R V will help you focus quickly and accurately, even if you’re working in rooms with limited light or contrast. The camera body is relatively compact, too, so you should be able to carry it easily to different properties and get set up quickly.
Finally, whether you’re taking interior or exterior shots, you’ll be able to find suitable glass – Sony offers a slew of amazing wide-angle lenses to choose from.
2. Sony Alpha 7R IV
The Sony Alpha 7R IV has a high quality viewfinder and LCD screen so you can comfortably view your real estate photos while in the field.
If you like the a7R V but don’t want to spend quite so much money on a camera, why not consider the Sony Alpha 7R IV? It’s been one of our favorite Sony mirrorless cameras for a while now, and although it’s been succeeded by the a7R V, it’s still a great real estate photography choice.
Like its successor, the a7R IV offers amazing low-light performance, so you should still be able to get clean photos with virtually no background noise even when there is hardly any light available.
The 61 MP sensor offers more than enough resolution if you’re capturing photos that need to be displayed large or even printed. The huge megapixel count ensures that you have room to play with different crops, and the files can be adjusted as needed to fit different web content layouts. If you don’t have time to set up a tripod, the in-body image stabilization will enable you to comfortably shoot handheld.
To ensure you nail your compositions and exposures, both the viewfinder and the LCD screen produce fantastic image previews with great clarity. While the Mark V is newer, the Mark IV is certainly capable and shouldn’t be neglected!
3. Nikon Z7 II
The Nikon Z7 II’s dynamic range is fantastic, which will help you successfully photograph even the trickiest of scenes.
The Nikon Z7 II is an outstanding camera for shooting interiors; it’ll deliver the excellent image quality, superior low-light performance, and fast autofocusing you need when tackling multiple photoshoots in a working day.
The Z7 II boasts a powerful 45.7 MP full-frame sensor, so you can expect your images to look amazing. Your clients should be more than satisfied with the level of detail this camera provides, and you can easily highlight the best aspects of the properties you photograph. When the light is low, the class-leading sensor technology does a great job of minimizing noise, so don’t worry if you’re forced to boost that ISO.
If you have to capture a large number of photos in a single session, you’ll appreciate the camera’s dual CFexpress/XQD card slots. You can even set the Z7 II to create two copies of each photo – one on each card so that you have a backup in the event of a card failure.
The dynamic range this camera can capture is fantastic, too. If you normally do extensive HDR blending, you may find that you’re able to cut down dramatically on bracketed shots. You can also use any of the amazing Nikon landscape lenses from the Z-mount lineup to get great wide-angle shots.
4. Canon EOS R5
The Canon EOS R5 has in-body image stabilization and an impressive high-ISO range for easy handheld shooting in low-light scenarios.
The Canon EOS R5 is an outstanding camera for real estate photos. It’ll allow you to work with the incredible range of Canon RF lenses, which includes ultra-wide options that’ll help create the illusion of depth as well as models that have large maximum apertures for low-light interior shots.
But fantastic lens compatibility is just one handy feature of this camera. It has a 45 MP full-frame sensor, so the image quality is breathtaking. Your real estate shots are sure to stand out and will help clients market their properties. The EOS R5 also excels at low-light shooting due to the huge ISO range.
Like the Nikon Z7 II, this camera has dual card slots, so you can capture thousands of images or create instant backups to ensure your work is protected. In terms of size and functionality, the R5 is quite compact and has a myriad of dials and knobs; that way, you can make settings changes instantly without having to search through various camera menus.
If you don’t have access to a tripod and need to work handheld, the in-body image stabilization combined with the stabilization technology found in many of Canon’s top RF lenses will keep your photos tack-sharp!
5. Canon EOS R6 Mark II
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is incredibly versatile; expect high-quality images regardless of the property interior.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is the successor to the hugely popular EOS R6, and it has numerous upgrades that make it even more suited for real estate photography than its predecessor. It only has a 24 MP sensor, but the images look incredible, and you can capture all the detail you need for web display or printing.
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The DIGIC X image processor ensures you can work quickly, and even at higher ISO settings, you get virtually no noise. Compared to the EOS R5, the EOS R6 Mark II isn’t quite as powerful, but it is a little smaller and easier to handle, so you can carry it comfortably to different real estate locations.
When doing real estate photos in areas where you can’t use a tripod, the 5-axis in-body image stabilization is amazingly helpful. It ensures you can work handheld and come away with consistently crisp photos.
In terms of lens compatibility, this full-frame camera has an RF mount, but you can purchase an adapter that’ll allow you to use the best Canon EF lenses, too. There is also a package available where you get the EOS R6 Mark II body plus the RF 24-105mm STM lens, and this could be a solid option as it’ll offer plenty of versatility for different real estate compositions.
6. Nikon Z6 II
The Nikon Z6 II is cheaper than the Z7 II but still offers great low-light performance and plenty of useful features.
The Nikon Z6 II is another fantastic real estate camera, yet it’s significantly cheaper than the Z7 II. It has a 24.5 MP full-frame sensor that is built for low-light photography, so you should see minimal background noise even at high ISOs. And if you do find a little bit of noise in your shots when really pushing the Z6 II’s ISO, don’t worry – it should be easy to clear up with good noise reduction software.
If you like to shoot using your camera’s AF (as opposed to focusing manually) and you’re faced with low-contrast interiors, the Z6 II should be able to cope easily. It has an advanced AF system with 273 detection points, and it works both quickly and accurately.
Don’t worry about using the camera handheld, either; it has built-in image stabilization. We like the small size and ergonomic design of the camera body, and if you’re looking to occasionally use the camera to shoot sports or wildlife, you can always equip it with a vertical grip.
No matter your previous camera experience, you’ll definitely appreciate the top-notch LCD touchscreen and the high-resolution EVF. Finally, you get access to Nikon’s amazing Z-mount lens lineup, which includes plenty of outstanding options for real estate shooting.
7. Fujifilm X-T30 II
This relatively inexpensive camera includes an 18-55mm kit lens so you can start taking high-quality wide-angle real estate photos right away.
The Fujifilm X-T30 II remains one of Fujifilm’s top cameras, and I highly recommend it for real estate photography due to the outstanding sensor, which is specifically designed to excel in low-light situations.
Colors are amazing thanks to Fujifilm’s impressive sensor technology, and you can take vivid interior and exterior real estate photos that require very little work in photo editing software.
The X-T30 II is also great for quickly sending photos to clients. This is due to the impressive connectivity – you can transfer photos from the camera using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
The viewfinder and LCD screen are a little underwhelming, but the controls are incredibly simple, and you will be able to make fast adjustments as needed. Additionally, because the camera offers access to Fujifilm’s amazing X-series lens lineup, you won’t have to worry about optical quality. This package includes an XF 18-55mm lens, which is a great starting option and gives you the flexibility to capture plenty of different types of property photos.
8. Nikon Z 50
The Nikon Z 50 is one of the smallest mirrorless cameras that also delivers excellent image quality.
If you are thinking of becoming a real estate photographer but don’t want to commit to an ultra-expensive camera, the Nikon Z 50 is an amazing budget option for beginners. It’s also relatively future-proof as it uses the Nikon Z lens mount, which gives you access to all of Nikon’s amazing Z-mount lenses (and you’ll be able to use Nikon F-mount lenses with the right adapter, too).
The Z 50 boasts a very nice 20.9 MP sensor, and you can capture detailed stills in a variety of scenarios. Low-light capabilities are pretty good, and while I do generally recommend capturing real estate shots from a tripod, this can come in handy if you do get stuck handholding!
The Z 50 is also highly portable; in fact, it’s one of the smallest mirrorless cameras Nikon offers. Even once you’ve added a nice Z-mount lens, you should still be able to carry it easily.
Note that this is an APS-C mirrorless camera, which means you can use Nikon’s full array of Z-mount lenses – including lenses designed for both full-frame and APS-C models – as well as the company’s FX and DX F-mount (DSLR) lenses (though you’ll need to buy the FTZ adapter, as mentioned above).
How to Choose a Real Estate Photography Camera: Essential Features
In this section, I discuss all the key items to look for when determining the right real estate camera for you.
A Good Sensor
You can shoot real estate photos with a sensor of any size, but I’d really recommend choosing a full-frame model for several reasons.
First, a 35mm sensor will allow you to take full advantage of any wide-angle lens that you might be using. Full-frame cameras don’t feature a crop factor, so when you shoot at 24mm, you really do get a wonderfully wide field of view!
Second, a larger sensor (35mm) will allow you to get better images in low-light situations. This is because the individual pixel sizes are much bigger, which helps reduce high-ISO noise. If you’re working from a tripod, you generally won’t need to raise your camera’s ISO, but it’s good to have a camera with solid low-light capabilities just in case.
(If you can’t afford a full-frame camera, an APS-C model is your next best option.)
Nice Ergonomics
Real estate photography can get relatively demanding, and you may find yourself covering several shoots in a day. Therefore, it’s important that your camera is both easy to use and very comfortable.
I’d recommend purchasing a camera with a top-notch electronic viewfinder (the higher the resolution, the better). If you can grab a model with a fully articulating touchscreen, that can also be a big help, especially if you prefer to shoot from lower angles.
Larger handgrips can offer enhanced comfort, though they can also decrease portability, so it often makes sense to choose a model that strikes a nice balance between those poles.
Wide Dynamic Range
One more subtle thing to note is the camera’s dynamic range. This includes both the dynamic range when shooting in normal light as well as the high-ISO dynamic range, which is also important.
Basically, the higher your camera’s dynamic range, the better equipped it is to capture images with very bright and very dark areas. A camera with a high dynamic range will do a much better job of rendering dark, shadowy corners and bright lights/windows in a single image (though it’s still a good idea to do some HDR blending even if you have an amazing camera).
Pick Your Real Estate Camera and Start Photographing!
You should now have a solid idea of the top real estate cameras available. However, it can still be difficult to know which model best suits your requirements!
If you are already an established photographer and want to improve your image quality and shooting flexibility, cameras such as the Sony Alpha 7R V, the Sony Alpha 7R IV, the Nikon Z7 II, and the Canon EOS R5 are all very high level and offer outstanding image quality.
However, if you’re just starting out, mid-tier options like the Nikon Z 50, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, and the Fujifilm X-T30 II are all very nice picks.
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