Camera for property photography?

BiGT- · 15 May 2016 at 19:21

Hi guys, I currently do a bit of property photography on the side for some clients but I want to get more into it, so I am looking to upgrade my equipment.

I currently use a Canod 600D with a Canon 10-22mm UWA lens.

Now it does a great job but I just want a camera that can handle post processing of highlights and shadows better.

Ive narrowed it down to the Canon 6D + 17-40 vs the Sony A6300 + 10-18

Now I know the the 6D is full frame and probably better for functionality, but if were strictly talking property photography quality.

The only reason I have chosen the A6300 is because it has ±5 EV, 24mp, great ISO capability and although not property related, it has amazing 4K video which Ive always wanted to get into.

So, any thoughts guys

Steeps · 15 May 2016 at 23:55

Are you currently using flash/external lighting? Might be easier and cheaper to add bounced flash to reduce highlights and shadows if you're not.

Raymond Lin · 16 May 2016 at 00:29

The lens will be more important, something with great corner to corner performance and WIDE !! The new Canon 11-24 is good. Although a lot of architecture photography are shot with a 17mm TSE due to the shift feature which is really useful for this kind of thing.

D.P. · 16 May 2016 at 13:34

Flash, tripod, an UWA and a PC lens.

You don't need high resolution and you dont need good high-iSO capability since you will be using a tripod. A good lens with either minimal distortion or simple first order distortion that is easily fixed in post-processing is what you want. you will probably want to go FF so you can use PC lenses to correct perspective, 24mm f/2.8 is typical for architecture.

BiGT- · 16 May 2016 at 20:53

Thanks for the replies guys - Ill be honest the only problem I'm having with my current set up is the shadows and highlights, I can't do much with them to bring them back, would a full frame be noticeable better?

Also I don't use flash, I just work with the natural light available.

Raymond Lin · 16 May 2016 at 21:20

BiGT- said:
Thanks for the replies guys - Ill be honest the only problem I'm having with my current set up is the shadows and highlights, I can't do much with them to bring them back, would a full frame be noticeable better?

Also I don't use flash, I just work with the natural light available.

Do HDR to bring out the shadow and highlight, the key here is subtlety. You are on a tripod anyway do it would be easy.

D.P. · 16 May 2016 at 22:44

As Ramon said, do HDR but do it properly. You can also find that usaing a flash will help reduce the dynamic range. E.g.a common problem is the windows are very bright so gettign an exposure for inside means the widnwos get blown. Instead you can use a flash and icnrease exposure of the inside, reducing expsoure time, and reducing the exposure fo the widnows.

The best will be a tripod, multiple exposures and blend with HDR software, just be subtle. the key to HDr is that by quickly looking at it you shouldn't know it is HDR, it Should look natural with a dynamic range approximating human vision. If you pull shadows right up and compress highlights it will look horrid and unnatural.

AHarvey · 16 May 2016 at 23:11

excellent advice already but alternatively, you could go with something like Xperia Z5.

I've not used it myself but a friend raves about it. Built in options for 360' photos, easy panoramas, excellent range and results in low light. You could use it to build virtual tours of properties.

BiGT- · 17 May 2016 at 00:22

Thanks for the advice guys, Ive tried HDR and as you guys are saying - I made it look horrid so I stayed away, but I have a shoot tomorrow so I will try it again but with a bit more patience this time.

Ive tried the flash solution but most of the properties I work with are modern and always have VERY reflective material such as flooring or tiles and mirrors, trying to fix it in post processing takes up most of my time.

I usually just shoot with blown out windows and they clients still like my photos - I think I just want to improve it anyway.

Raymond Lin · 17 May 2016 at 01:32

HDR gets a bad reputation because people go OTT and it looks like a cartoon, just use it for what it is intended for which is blend in the details from multiple exposures and you don't need to bring it all back, just 10%, 20% perhaps, enough to be better but not so much it makes you think. You got to know when to stop.

traveyb · 17 May 2016 at 07:15

I think a 3 shot bracket with 1EV should work well. Bring it into LR and merge it into a HDR