What camera setup is suitable for estate-agent room photos on a budget?
Asked 9/4/2012
3 views
2 answers
0
I run a small estate agency and need a camera setup for photographing interiors and rooms. My budget is around £300, and I was considering a bridge camera or entry-level DSLR. Most bridge cameras I’ve found start at about 24mm equivalent, with only a few going slightly wider. I’d also like the camera to look professional and ideally support an external flash. Are there suitable options for room photography with the stock lens, and are wide-angle adapters or panorama stitching practical alternatives if the lens isn’t wide enough?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
3
Another option might be to use any camera you want, take numerous pictures of the room, and finally stitch them together with a panorama stitching tool such as the open source (free) Hugin.
That way you don't need a super wide angle lens! I do this all the time. I'll try to find a good example and post it up tonight when I get home.
Update
Here is an example of using Hugin to stitch together several photos to make a "wide angle" photo. Although this image is of a large indoor space, the same concept should work for indoor rooms. It might be worth a shot if you already have a camera and the software is free:
One of the 5 images used
to generate this "wide angle" photo.
Props to anyone who knows where this is!
Originally by user11070. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11070
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For room photography, 24mm equivalent is already considered ultra-wide and is workable for many interiors. If you want to use an external flash, look for a camera with a hot shoe rather than relying on a slave-flash workaround. Among the options mentioned, Fuji bridge cameras such as the X-S1 or HS30 EXR were suggested because they start at 24mm equivalent, look DSLR-like, and support accessories.
If 24mm still isn’t wide enough, two practical alternatives were suggested:
- Panorama stitching: take several overlapping shots and combine them with software such as Hugin. This can produce a much wider final image and is a good low-cost option.
- Wide-angle adapter: some cameras accept screw-on wide-angle converters via filter threads. Image quality varies, but for estate-agent listings they may be good enough.
So the most useful approach is: get a camera with a 24mm-equivalent lens and hot shoe if possible, then use stitching or a wide-angle adapter when a room is too tight for the stock lens alone.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI13y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What should I look for in a budget compact camera for real estate interiors?
What focal length do I need for interior and real estate photos on a Canon 1200D?
How should I use a speedlight for interior real estate photography?
Is a Canon 5D Mark II with EF 17-40mm f/4L a good setup for interior real estate photography?
What wide-angle lens works best for photographing hotel or B&B rooms?