If you have plans to get into, or thinking of how to do real estate photography, you’ll come to understand that the lens is the most important piece of the puzzle.
People selling their houses rely on high-quality real estate photographers to capture the key selling points and unique beauty of their houses. If you want to be the one capturing these images for people, you need to have the right techniques, along with the right tools for the job! These tools include the camera, lighting, tripod, and a lens that gives access to a wide focal length and range in aperture.
The key component in all these, really is the lens, as it plays a huge role in the clarity or distortion of your final image. Let’s have a quick look at what we think are the four best lens for real estate photography canon.
| Price | Nomination | Overall Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Canon EF 16-35mm f4 – USM L series
| $$$$ | Superior L-series performance | 4.7 / 5 |
$$ | Best Chromatic abberation correction | 4.5 / 5 | |
$$$ | Best quick aperture option | 4.4 / 5 | |
$ | Best Crop Sensor Option | 4 / 5 |
The 4 Best Lenses for Real Estate Photography Canon
#4 – Canon 10-18mm IS STM f4.5-5.6 Lens
It could be discomforting for you, carrying additional lenses especially when they are heavy. However, if you wish to travel to your destination light, then you should go for the Canon EF-S 10-18mm STM Lens. This makes it far better compared to its many competitors.
This loss in weight can be attributed to its plastic build rather than metal; however, it still has a robust build. Just like other Canon lenses of late, it includes an STM autofocus system that operates quietly and helps you capture videos smoothly.
Another great feature here is its image stabilization as well as its affordable price.
Features
- Image stabilization
- Groups/lenses: 11/14
- Filter size: 67mm
- STM autofocus system
Pros
- Affordably priced
- STM focus mirror
- Optically stabilized
- Sharp throughout range
Cons
- Barrel distortions at 10mm
- Lens hood absent
- Some color fringing
- Narrow aperture
#3 – Sigma 18-35mm HSM Lens for Canon f1.8
The Sigma 18-35mm HSM Lens for Canon is Sigma’s first zoom lens and it’s also their latest creation. It is made up of lenses that are linked with a very fast aperture.
We were taken aback with this release because we only know of f2 zooms being the fastest; however, we now have an f1.8 zoom. The image quality was also great.
This lens has a lot of great features that will have you fall in love with it over and over again. On the back, there’s a zoom ring that serves you as a compositional tool and zooms in and out on your preferred subject.
Features
- Minimum focus distance: 0.2794m
- Maximum reproduction ratio: 1:4.3
- Focal Length: 18 to 35 mm
Pros
- Has a very durable build
- Very sharp wide open
- Focuses quickly
- Probably the best concert photography lens you can find out there.
Cons
- APS-C only; although this isn’t really a con.
#2 – Sigma 10-20mm HSM ELD SLD Super Wide Angle Lens f3.5
The Sigma 10-20mm HSM ELD SLD Super Wide Angle Lens features an F3.5 aperture all through the whole zoom range which is great for low light photos. Another great creative tool here is the sigma wide-angle lenses that make prominent the relationships of subjects found within a photo.
This lens is also great for photographers searching for an easy way of controlling their field depth as well as work with non-TTL flash systems. It also features two extraordinary-low dispersion glasses as well as two Super-Low Dispersion glass elements, which ensure that chromatic aberrations are corrected.
This lens is great for wedding photography, photojournalism, building interiors, group pictures, architecture, etc.
Features
- F3.5 aperture available
- Sigma wide-angle lenses
- Two extraordinary-low dispersion glass and a Super-Low dispersion glass element
- Also available in a Sony Alpha Mount
Pros
- Lens Hood supplied
- Exceptionally wide angle
- Manual focusing
Cons
- No weather seal
- The lens does extend when zooming
#1 ->> OUR PICK<< – Canon EF 16-35mm USM f4 Lens
Searching for the best lens for real estate photography canon, then you can be assured with the manufacturing and image quality of the Canon EF 16-35mm f4 USM Lens.
If you working with a tight budget as a photographer, you’ll see that the premium L-series lenses of Canon, which is believed to be the best Canon lenses around, will be far from your reach.
However, this lens can complement any EOS SLR camera due to its ability to combine low-light performance, operate on wide angle, as well as its compact and lightweight construction.
The lens was designed to meet the pro-grade standards, which makes it to have excellent handling, with a weather-sealed and robust body.
After we put this lens through some serious optical tests, we discovered that it provides great center-sharpness, well-controlled color fringing, as well as the zoom range’s long and short ends having a pincushion and barrel distortion. Also, its image stabilization ensures an accurate, quick, and steady autofocus.
Features
- Two Ultra-low Dispersion
- Super Spectra coating
- Min/Max aperture: F22/F4
- Focal Length: 16 to 35 mm
Pros
- Portable and lightweight design
- Weather-sealed, robust build
- Fast, silent autofocus shots
- Superior L-series performance
Cons
- Some users have reported a softness at the corners
- Widest aperture limited to f4 – which isn’t generally an issue for real estate photography
Real Estate Photography Lens Buying Guide
What to look for in an ideal lens for real estate photography
Aperture
This has to do with the amount of light entering the lens. If the f/ number is lower, the aperture (or opening that lets light in) opens wider. For instance, f/1.2 is wider than f/2.8. Using an aperture as low as or below f2.8 is very unlikely especially when you’re dealing with real estate photography; this is only possible if you’re taking many shots using low light.
Now, people usually ask “why are camera lenses so expensive?” Generally, the cost of the lens depends on the build quality, weather seals, Image Stabilization features, overall sharpness along with the wideness of its maximum aperture; as a rule of thumb, the wider this aperture is, the more expensive the lens will be.
Focal Length
Your lens’ focal length range determines the wideness of the angle of view. Generally, the angle of view is wide anytime the number in mm is lower. If you are shooting on a camera with an APS-C sensor, the mm ratings would need to be far far less than if you were shooting on a Full Frame sensor counterpart. You might be tempted to make use of a very wide lens for your real estate photography; this can sometimes be bad idea, as it will often cause unwanted distortions in the image if not used correctly. Generally the angle at which you take the image is critical to managing lens distortion. If you are not on a level plane, things tend to look a little bit wacky.
Chromatic Aberration
Chromatic Aberration is the visual distortion you are likely to see at the edges of your wide-angle photo, when areas look muddy, a bit blurry, or moved. These chromatic aberrations are generally either purple-pink or green tinted in color. A lens of higher quality means less distortion to the frame’s edges and a reduction in chromatic aberration, though it isn’t always possible to avoid, even with a high-end lens.
Our Verdict
No component of your photography kit affects the quality of your real estate photos more than your choice of lens. If you’re new to this niche, you may choose to rent one of the lenses above before buying yours. It’s a great way to try before you buy and save yourself a costly mistake
We chose the Canon EF 16-35mm USM Lens as our top pick because it has a better focal length of (16 to 35 mm) compared to others that work with a lower range. Also, it has a lightweight and portable design which means it is easily transported. Asides this, it is weather-sealed and has a robust build. It also takes fast, silent autofocus shots. With, this, you can be sure you’ve acquired the best lens for real estate photography canon.
So what are your thoughts? Do you agree with our pick? Maybe you have something even better you think we should take a look at. If so, feel free to leave a comment below.
Brad is a seasoned photographer whose journey began in 2006 with a 3.1-megapixel digital camera. Over the years, he has specialized in various photography genres—from weddings and portraiture to product and studio photography. Based on the Sunshine Coast of QLD, Brad combines his love for education and photography, sharing his expertise on DSLRAD.com, a platform committed to capturing life’s treasured moments and empowering photography enthusiasts.
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