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GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
PRO REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY KIT
Sony a7siii
The a7siii is my current everyday real estate photography and video camera. Yes, it is an only 12 MP sensor but that is entirely enough (and possibly perfect) resolution for real estate photography! It's very capable in the photography department and in the video department it's probably the absolute best option out there right now. The ability to shoot 4K at 60 or 120 fps for real estate videos is phenomenal.
Sony a7iii
Is the a7siii too expensive for you but you still want a full featured all around photo and video camera? The a7iii is the way to go! I also own this camera and it is also great. It's a fantastic compact, all in one solution and its a great price and a great value for what you are getting.
Sony 16-35 f/2.8 GM Lens
The mack daddy of wide-angle lenses in the Sony line up. The 16-35mm focal range is the sweet spot for RE photography and video in my opinion and this is the best one you can buy. It's wide but not too wide and the 35mm end is nice for tighter shots. Lenses wider than 16 are to extreme looking I think and are susceptible to more distortion. The f/2.8 aperture comes in handy for video work and some detail shots.
Sony 16-35 f/4 Zeiss Lens
If the G Master lens is too rich for your blood, this lens is the next best alternative.
Zeiss Circular Polarizer Filter
I recommend using a circular polarizer filter for all of your interior and exterior real estate photos and video. For interior photos it reduces reflections coming off of shiny surfaces such as hardwood or tile floors and for exterior photos it makes the sky look more blue. Make sure to get the proper thread size for your particular lens. For instance the 16-35 G Master is an 82 mm thread size and the 16-35 F4 is a 72mm thread size.
Sony NPFZ100 Z-series Rechargeable Battery Pack
These camera batteries for the Sony a7siii, a7iii & a7iv are amazing. I can sometimes get through a whole day of shooting on one battery. I would definitely recommend having at least 2 of these. I personally own 4.
Sony BCQZ1 Z-Series Battery Charger
Battery charger for Sony camera batteries.
Pro Grade SD Cards
These are the cards I recommend for the Sony a7siii. They are on the expensive side but that's because they are super fast. If you want to take full advantage of the a7siii's amazing features like shooting 4K 120fps then you will need fast cards like these. Buy 2, 1 for each card slot!
SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Card
Memory cards I recommend for the Sony a7iii. These are the memory cards that I trust the most. I use them day in and day out and stand the test time. Purchase 2 of these for the a7iii as it has dual card slots (another great feature of the a7iii) which allows you to shoot to both cards simultaneously giving you peace of mind knowing you have a backup in case one card fails!
Sony Remote Commander
This is the best, most ideal option for triggering your Sony camera's shutter remotely. This remote is bluetooth which means you do not need to be in sight of the camera in order to trigger it making it ideal for flambient shooting when you need to do flash pops in adjoining rooms.
Remote Shutter Trigger for Sony Cameras
Remote to take a photo with your camera without touching it. Use the orange "2s" button to allow your camera to focus before taking the shot. These are cheap and I recommend buying a few because you will lose them from time to time. These are infrared remotes meaning you have to be in sight of the camera in order to trigger it making it a less desirable option compared to the Sony Remote Commander. It's a good idea to have a few of these though as a backup though incase you misplace the Sony Remote Commander.
Slik 700DX Pro Tripod Legs
I recommend these tripod legs for RE photographers because of its long center post which allows you a lot of range to adjust your camera height without having to resort to adjusting the tripod legs which saves you quite a bit of time! Also they are super sturdy and durable.
Nodal Ninja EZ Leveler II
Leveler that mounts underneath your tripod head for quick, easy and precise leveling. If you are using a traditional tripod head and not a geared head then this is essential for real estate photography!
Benro S6 Tripod Head
The current tripod head I'm using for RE photography. It is actually a video head which I find comes in handy if you ever need to do any video pans or tilts for a RE video shoot. It also has a bubble level that it not obstructed and is easy to see for quick leveling. I take the arm off and leave it at home.
Benro 3-Way Geared Tripod Head
If you don't care about being able to do any video pans or tilts with your tripod then a geared head is a great option. If you go this route you would not need to purchase the leveler either as this head has leveling capability built in. I personally like using the leveler and the video head as it keeps my set up versatile for different kinds of work and this head is sort of a one trick pony but does its job well.
16" MacBook Pro
If you haven't heard the news, the Macbook Pros released in 2021 are revolutionary. The new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are amazing performers. The M1 Pro chip on this machine should definitely suit you fine. I definitely recommend getting the 1TB hard drive though!
Godox AD200 Pro Flash
If you want to go the "flambient" route for your RE photography you are going to need a powerful flash. A regular speed light will not have enough power to do larger rooms so this guy provides the extra power you'll need. Also comes in handy for doing professional headshots for your clients as well!
Godox Round Head for AD200 Pro
I use this round head for my AD200 Pro over the rectangular fresnel head because it gives you a much softer bounce and more pleasing quality of light.
Godox AD200 Pro Battery
The battery life of the AD200 Pro is really good but I always recommend having at least one other backup battery.
Pistol Grip for AD200 Pro
I attach this pistol grip to the bottom of my AD200 Pro and then attach a sling strap to the bottom screw of the grip. Makes it much easier to carry around when you are shooting leaving your hands free and also provides a nice grip to use to aim your flash where you want to fire it.
Sling Strap for Pistol Grip/AD200 Pro
I screw this sling strap into the bottom of the pistol grip handle. This allows me to sling the AD200Pro across my body and carry it around hands free. Very helpful!
Flashpoint Single Pin Flash Trigger
This is the flash trigger that I recommend for firing off your flashes. What's special about it is that it is a "single pin" trigger, meaning it will only communicate a flash firing signal and no other information. There are some known problems with the Godox multi-pin triggers causing white balance issues.
Pelican 1510 Case with TrekPak Inserts
Such an amazing case for your camera gear. Super protective and the TrekPak dividers are a game changer. It's also FAA carry on size so you can take it on an airplane with you
REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER/BUDGET KIT
Sony a6400 Crop Sensor Camera Body
A capable and affordable camera for those who may be starting out in RE photography or may be on a tighter budget.
Sony a6600 Crop Sensor Camera Body
A better (but more expensive) camera option if you're on a budget. The main difference between this camera and the a6400 is in body image stabilization (which we don't need for RE photography but can be helpful for video work and if you do any other kinds of photography) and a much, much better battery (the same battery used in the a7 full frame series of cameras.
Sony 10-18mm Lens
Wide angle lens that I recommend for the A6400 or A6600 crop sensor cameras.
Zeiss Circular Polarizer Filter
I recommend using a circular polarizer filter for all of your interior and exterior real estate photos and video. For interior photos it reduces reflections coming off of shiny surfaces such as hardwood or tile floors and for exterior photos it makes the sky look more blue. Make sure to get the proper thread size for your particular lens. For instance the 16-35 G Master is an 82 mm thread size and the 16-35 F4 is a 72mm thread size.
Sony NP-FW50 Battery
Battery for a6400 Camera. Definitely get a few as you'll need 3 or 4 to get through a full day of shooting! These batteries are probably my least favorite thing about the a6400. The a6600 has a much better battery (you can pretty much shoot a whole day just using 1!).
Sony NPFZ100 Z-series Rechargeable Battery Pack
These camera batteries for the Sony a7siii, a7iii & a7iv are amazing. I can sometimes get through a whole day of shooting on one battery. I would definitely recommend having at least 2 of these. I personally own 4.
Sony BCQZ1 Z-Series Battery Charger
Battery charger for Sony camera batteries.
SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Card
Memory cards I recommend for the Sony a7iii. These are the memory cards that I trust the most. I use them day in and day out and stand the test time. Purchase 2 of these for the a7iii as it has dual card slots (another great feature of the a7iii) which allows you to shoot to both cards simultaneously giving you peace of mind knowing you have a backup in case one card fails!
Remote Shutter Trigger for Sony Cameras
Remote to take a photo with your camera without touching it. Use the orange "2s" button to allow your camera to focus before taking the shot. These are cheap and I recommend buying a few because you will lose them from time to time.
Slik 700DX Pro Tripod Legs
I recommend these tripod legs for RE photographers because of its long center post which allows you a lot of range to adjust your camera height without having to resort to adjusting the tripod legs which saves you quite a bit of time! Also they are super sturdy and durable.
Newwer Tripod Leveler
Leveler that mounts underneath your tripod head for quick, easy and precise leveling. If you are using a traditional tripod head and not a geared head then this is essential for real estate photography!
Benro S4 Tripod Head
A smaller (and cheaper) version of the head I have in the professional kit and more appropriately sized for the smaller bodies of the a6600 and a6400. It is actually a video head which I find comes in handy if you ever need to do any video pans or tilts for a RE video shoot. It also has a bubble level that is not obstructed and is easy to see for quick leveling. I take the arm off and leave it at home.
Benro 3-Way Geared Tripod Head
If you don't care about being able to do any video pans or tilts with your tripod then a geared head is a great option. If you go this route you would not need to purchase the leveler either as this head has leveling capability built in. I personally like using the leveler and the video head as it keeps my set up versatile for different kinds of work and this head is sort of a one trick pony but does its job well.
M1 MacBook Air
If you're just starting out you are probably on a tighter budget and might not be able spring for a MacBook Pro. The M1 MacBook Air is an inexpensive and capable computer for photo and video editing. I own one and have put it to the test! I definitely recommend getting the 512 GB hard drive.
REP Starter Kit