Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by Sharon Advik
By now, you’ve probably heard that real estate photography is becoming an essential aspect of the industry.
It’s a trend that has been growing for several years and will continue to be so.
Houses are shown in pictures before they can be viewed in person, so it’s essential to have high-quality images of your home if someone wants to sell quickly and reasonably.
Regarding real estate photography, your camera is the essential element that decides the quality of your photographs.
Hundreds of cheap cameras are available on the market, yet only a few great options for serious real estate photographers.
The best cheap cameras for real estate photography must have specific characteristics such as versatility, resolution, and picture quality.
And here are some cameras that tick on every box.
Which are the Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography?
Here are my recommended top 8 Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography:-
Canon SL3: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
I was working on a property shoot for a high-end real estate agent in Los Angeles when the client asked if I could shoot the house with a certain angle from the second floor in a room close to the public.
A tall order, but nothing I couldn’t handle.
I set up my Canon SL3 and took some test shots of the room from different angles and positions.
The first few photos were standard: they showed the room’s beautiful details.
While the sun was setting behind the mountains, casting a golden glow over the house.
Features
• Model: Canon SL3
• Effective Megapixel: 24.1 MP
• Image sensor: APS-C Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 25600
• Shutter speeds: 1/4000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: Optical Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: Not Available
• Dimension: 122 x 93 × 70mm
• Weight: 449g
ISO/Shutter Speed
I wanted to get a shot of the roof, but there were too many obstacles.
I tried shooting with a wide-angle lens, but that didn’t work because I couldn’t get close enough to the house.
I tried shooting with a telephoto lens, but it didn’t work either because I couldn’t get close enough to the house.
So I took my SL3, set it to ISO 100, and shot at 1/4000 shutter speed, which gave me enough light to shoot without flash.
Aperture/Field of View
My goal was to capture the house as if floating in the air, with nothing around it but clouds.
This would give the illusion of being high above the rest of the world, a peaceful place to escape stress and enjoy nature’s beauty.
With an aperture of f/6.0, I could achieve what I wanted: a beautiful shot that could have been taken anywhere in the world.
White Balance/Frame Rate
It was hard to believe such a fantastic design existed in real life.
The owner wanted us to capture the essence of this house with our photography so that potential buyers could see it as if they were looking at an illustration or painting rather than a photograph.
With 5 fps continuous shooting and custom white balance, I could shoot many photos and get the perfect shot without worrying about missing anything important with accurate colors.
Why is this camera the best?
The camera is lightweight and portable, making it easy to carry anywhere.
It also has a flip screen, which makes taking selfies with your clients more accessible than ever before.
The SL3 also offers an advanced autofocus system that lets you take photos of your clients in any setting, even in low-light conditions!
The autofocus system works so well that you won’t have to worry about setting up lights or waiting for them to get set up before taking the photo.
Conclusion
The Canon SL3 is the best cheap camera for real estate photography as it offers all the features you need without the high price tag.
Click here to buy yours!
Sony A7iii: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
It was a warm, sunny day in the suburbs of the city.
The sky was cloudless, and a cool breeze blew through the trees, rustling leaves and causing them to shimmer in the sunlight.
I arrived at a small house with a garden on a hill overlooking the street below.
It was quiet and peaceful, except for the occasional passing car or dog barking in the distance.
The house looked like it had been built in the late 1800s or early 1900s, with stone walls and wood trim around its windows.
Some old-fashioned shutters on some opened out onto a porch, which would be great for sitting outside when enjoying your morning coffee!
Sony A7 III was perfect for this project.
Features
• Model: Sony A7 III
• Effective Megapixel: 24.2 MP
• Image sensor: Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 51200
• Shutter speeds: 1/8000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: OLED Electronic Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: 5-axis Image Stabilization
• Dimension: 127 x 96 x 74mm
• Weight: 890g
ISO/Shutter Speed
I knew I had to get a shot of this house when I saw it.
It was just so beautiful, the perfect shade of green, and the windows were so clean and modern.
The garden surrounding it was just as impressive: there were flowers everywhere! And the grass looked like it had never been cut before.
I set up my tripod and started shooting away at ISO 100.
Because I didn’t know how much light would be in the scene, and I wanted to ensure everything was super sharp, I set my shutter speed to 1/8000.
Aperture/Field of View
The kitchen had an island and plenty of counter space; the bathroom had an antique claw-foot bathtub, which is always fun; and there were two bedrooms upstairs, with one having its private balcony overlooking the street below.
But what drew me in was the garden out back: several rows of flowers, herbs, and vegetables growing together; tall trees provided shade from sun and rain.
I ensured to seize every shot with the help of my camera’s wide aperture.
White Balance/Frame Rate
The camera was set to Intelligent Auto white balance, which automatically adjusts to the lighting in the scene.
This allowed me to focus on capturing the house’s beauty rather than worrying about how to adjust my camera’s settings manually.
Because I knew that the house would be in the background of many of my photos and wouldn’t always be perfectly lit or framed, I set up my camera on a high-speed burst mode to take as many shots as possible at ten fps speed.
Why is this camera the best?
The A7iii is an incredible choice for any real estate photographer, especially those wanting to start without breaking the bank.
With its 24-megapixel sensor, 4k video recording capabilities, and stunning low-light performance, this camera will take your photos from good to great.
For starters, the image stabilization feature is helpful if you shoot in low light conditions or at night as it helps reduce motion blur caused by shaky hands or moving subjects.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a cheap camera for real estate photography, there’s no better option than the Sony Alpha 7III.
Click here to buy yours!
Nikon D5600: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
It’s a gorgeous, high-end office building that looks like it belongs in New York or London, not my hometown of St. Louis.
It’s got all the bells and whistles: a Starbucks on the first floor, a full-service gym on the second, and an executive lounge on the fifth floor with panoramic views of downtown.
I’ve shot it for photos for both commercial and residential property listings, but every time I go back there, it feels like I’m filming a movie like this is a place where things happen.
As something exciting could happen but never does.
Like last month, I used Nikon D5600 to grab this beauty in my frame.
Features
• Model: Nikon D5600
• Effective Megapixel: 24.2 MP
• Image sensor: DX-Format CMOS Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 25600
• Shutter speeds: 1/4000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: Optical Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: Not Available
• Dimension: 124 x 97 x 70mm
• Weight: 465g
ISO/Shutter Speed
The office building was a marvel of modern architecture.
It had a glass facade, with large windows that let in enormous amounts of natural light.
The interior space was spectacular, with polished marble floors and high ceilings that let you feel like you were floating in the clouds.
My challenge was to capture this beauty in photos that would be used for marketing purposes.
I wanted to show the space’s size, scale, warmth, and welcoming nature.
I used 100 – 25600 and 1/4000 shutter speed to capture this shot.
Aperture/Field of View
I used my camera with an 18-55mm lens and put it on a tripod at 1/400 shutter speed and f/8 aperture setting.
This allowed me to capture every detail of this gorgeous building without worrying about any shake or blurriness from my hands holding the camera by hand.
I also used the flash on manual mode to control precisely how much light I added into each shot and, thus, how bright or dark it would appear.
White Balance/Frame Rate
The building was gorgeous, and I wanted to capture its beauty in all its glory.
The client wanted to show off the high-end finishes and amenities, but they didn’t have much time.
I shot at 5 fps and used manual white balance to make every shot as accurate as possible.
So that I could get in close to the building without being obstructed by its reflective glass windows.
This helped me ensure that my photos were crisp and clear, even though they were taken from afar.
Why is this camera the best?
It has a 24.2-megapixel sensor, so you can crop and resize your images without losing detail.
The camera also features a 1/4000-of-a-second shutter speed, which allows you to capture fast-moving objects in your shots without blurring them out.
While the APS-C image sensor means it can use lenses with a larger diameter than most point-and-shoot cameras.
This allows you to get closer to your subject and take more detailed photos of it than you would be able to with a point-and-shoot camera.
Conclusion
The Nikon D5600 is the best cheap camera for real estate photography.
The low-light capabilities of the D5600 are also excellent.
Click here to buy yours!
Canon EOS M50: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
I was scrolling through my Facebook feed one day when I saw a friend posting a photo of the home they were selling.
I decided to shoot the house for them because I knew it would be an opportunity to try something new and practice my real estate photography skills.
I also thought it would be fun since we’re friends, and I love shooting houses in general!
When I arrived at the house, I realized it was a huge space with many different rooms and beautiful architecture.
This would be a challenge, but I was up for it with Canon EOS M50.
It’s the best cheap camera for real estate photography.
Features
• Model: Canon EOS M50
• Effective Megapixel: 24.1 MP
• Image sensor: APS-C CMOS Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 25600
• Shutter speeds: 1/4000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: Electronic Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: Digital Image Stabilization
• Dimension: 116 x 88 x 58mm
• Weight: 387g
ISO/Shutter Speed
The camera has a range of ISO settings from 100 – 25600, and shutter speeds up to 1/4000, so I could easily capture clear, crisp images.
I started by shooting photos inside the property using natural light from outside windows.
Since no other light source was inside the house, all my shots were shot at ISO 200 or higher.
The camera performed beautifully in these conditions; the images were sharp and clear without noise or graininess.
Aperture/Field of View
I decided to use a 50mm F/3.5 lens because of its beautiful bokeh and ability to shoot in low light conditions.
I used natural light from a window in front of the house and some artificial light from lamps inside.
The combination of natural and artificial lighting created an interesting effect on the bokeh, which gave it a dreamy look that made me feel like I was walking into a warm home instead of just looking at photos online!
White Balance/Frame Rate
The house was a beautiful example of mid-century modern architecture, and I wanted to capture it in all its glory.
I wanted to make sure that I captured every detail of the house.
Luckily, my camera has some great features: 7.4 fps continuous shooting, in-body image stabilization, and a custom white balance setting.
I set up my tripod and took photos from different angles outside the home.
This was when I discovered just how much detail this camera can capture.
Why is this camera the best?
Recently I’ve found myself in love with the EOS M50.
It’s a small camera with everything you need for professional shooting.
And the best part?
It’s cheaper than most other cameras on the market!
It is as good as any DSLR camera but much easier to carry.
When you’re shooting real estate photography, you want something that will be easy to carry around all day.
And with this camera, you don’t have to worry about carrying around extra lenses and other gear as it comes with everything you need right out of the box.
Conclusion
Plus, it takes incredible photos, even in low-light conditions!
That means no more grainy photos or blurry images when shooting indoors or at night (two situations often happen during real estate photography jobs).
Click here to buy yours!
Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ300: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
I was asked to photograph a home for a real estate listing.
The owners were Italian and wanted to show the house in its full glory.
I arrived at the house with Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300, and it was a beautiful day outside.
The sun was shining, and the leaves on the trees swayed gently in the breeze.
It was quiet, except for the occasional birdsong or dog barking.
The house was just as I expected: wooden floors, high ceilings with exposed beams, and many windows that let in a lot of light.
It had been restored well and looked like it could have been built yesterday!
Features
• Model: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300
• Effective Megapixel: 12.1 MP
• Image sensor: 1/2.3” Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 6400
• Shutter speeds: 1/4000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: OLED Electronic Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: In-body Image Stabilization
• Dimension: 132 x 92 x 117mm
• Weight: 691g
ISO/Shutter Speed
The house was located in the hills of Tuscany and had been designed by a famous Italian architect known for using marble and glass.
It was a gorgeous but challenging shoot; the house was large, with many angles and surfaces that were hard to light evenly.
I took over 2,000 photos during the shoot.
I used an ISO range between 100 and 6400 and shot at /4000 shutter speed to capture as much detail as possible in the bright sunlight.
Aperture/Field of View
The house had been on the market for months and still hadn’t sold.
The owners were worried that they might have to lower their prices even further than they already had.
I wanted to show the potential buyer what this beautiful home had to offer so they would feel like they could move in immediately.
I captured this home at f/2.8 aperture in a way that made people want to come and see it in person.
White Balance/Frame Rate
I turned on 4K photo mode at 30 fps speed and started with some shots of the house’s exterior: wide shots so you could see where everything was located about one.
Then I moved inside; I shot close-ups of different parts of the house and sweeping panoramas of entire rooms so the clients could get an idea of what they’d be getting if they bought this property themselves someday soon (which they did!).
Why is this camera the best?
It is one of the best cameras for real estate photographers because of its wide zoom range and ability to capture high-resolution stills.
The built-in GPS and Wi-Fi make getting your photos into your computer and onto social media easier.
The camera’s 24x optical zoom lens helps you get stellar shots from far away without relying on digital zoom or other post-processing techniques.
Its 12MP sensor captures beautiful images at up to 59 fps.
The camera also has excellent low-light performance, perfect for shooting at night or inside buildings.
Conclusion
If you want something more affordable than most DSLRs or mirrorless cameras but still want pristine image quality, this is the best cheap camera for real estate photography.
Click here to buy yours!
Canon 90D: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
We were getting ready to shoot a new listing for a brick house.
The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the clouds were fluffy.
The air smelled like fresh-cut grass and flowers blooming in gardens.
It was a perfect day for shooting real estate photography!
We arrived at the house, nestled among towering trees and rolling hills leading down to a small lake nearby.
We removed our coats and wore our sunglasses as we walked toward the house’s front door.
And it was exquisite.
Features
• Model: Canon 90D
• Effective Megapixel: 32.5 MP
• Image sensor: APS-C Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 25600
• Shutter speeds: 1/16000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: Optical Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: Not Available
• Dimension: 141 x 105 x 77mm
• Weight: 701g
ISO/Shutter Speed
The house was in a rural area, and I wanted to take full advantage of the surrounding environment, so I decided to shoot at ISO 100 and use a shutter speed of 1/16000.
This would allow me to capture the details of the brickwork as well as capture details of the surrounding environment.
The property was about 2 acres, which included the main house, a guest house, barns, and other outbuildings.
The home’s interior was beautiful and rustic, with exposed wood beams and stone fireplaces.
Aperture/Field of View
The home’s exterior had an old-world charm that reminded me of old English manors or French chateaus.
I took my 90D into the field and set up my camera on a tripod.
I wanted the focus on the house and some background blur, so I used a wide aperture lens with an f/3.5 aperture value.
I set up my camera with an exposure time of 0.5 seconds so there would be nice motion blur in the trees behind the house but still plenty of detail in front of it due to its high ISO rating.
White Balance/Frame Rate
There was a large pond on the property where you could see water lilies growing at the edges and a tree line separating this property from others around it.
I wanted to create an image that showed off all these features while still giving potential buyers a sense of what they could do with this space if they decided to purchase it themselves someday.
I set the camera to 10 frames per second to capture the little details in the brickwork.
Then I set my white balance to manual so everything would look perfect.
Why is this camera the best?
If you’re looking for a cheap camera that’s still powerful enough to do the job, the 90D is a great option.
It offers all the features to take beautiful photos, including a 32.5-megapixel sensor and an ISO range of 100-25600.
Plus, it has excellent autofocus capabilities, making your pictures sharp and crisp regardless of shooting.
With a huge battery life of up to 920 shots on one charge!
You can shoot throughout running out of power.
This feature is perfect for real estate agents who want to add 1000 shots to their listings or social media posts.
Conclusion
If you’re a real estate photographer and it’s time for an upgrade, but you don’t have a lot of cash to play with, then Canon’s 90D is the best cheap camera for real estate photography.
Click here to buy yours!
Fujifilm X-T200: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
The air was crisp and clean.
The sky was a deep blue, with just a hint of pink to the east.
A light breeze blew through the trees, and birds chirped as they welcomed the new day.
Days like this make me want to stay up all night so that I wouldn’t miss a moment of their beauty.
But today was different; I had a job to do.
I had to photograph an old Japanese home for real estate photography to sell it on the market.
I brought along Fujifilm X-T200.
The home was built in 1885 by a carpenter named Nakamura, who had been raised in Japan but moved to America when he was just 16 years old.
Features
• Model: Fujifilm X-T200
• Effective Megapixel: 24.2 MP
• Image sensor: APS-C Sensor
• ISO range: 200 – 12800
• Shutter speeds: 1/4000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: Electronic Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: Digital Gimbal Stabilization
• Dimension: 121 x 83 x 55mm
• Weight: 370g
ISO/Shutter Speed
There were sliding doors with intricate glass panes that made me feel like I was in a different world when I walked inside them.
It was also challenging because it was so dark; the only light coming through came from candles or paper lanterns.
It took me a while to get used to working without natural light and relying on flash instead.
But it wasn’t all that bad once I got used to it!
I shot at ISO 200-12800 and 1/4000 shutter speed to get enough detail in each shot.
Aperture/Field of View
The house was beautiful: it had gorgeous wooden beams and floors, with tatami mats lining the rooms.
I wanted to capture the house’s feel and ensure it would stand out against its surroundings.
So, I used Aperture Priority mode to ensure that my shutter speed was low enough to let in plenty of natural light but high enough that it wouldn’t blur out anything when I took the picture.
White Balance/Frame Rate
It was a traditional Japanese house, so it had a lot of wooden parts and elements.
The way the light filtered through the paper walls and illuminated everything in its path, the way shadows danced across the floor, and how rustic everything felt were majestic.
I had two objectives: one, to capture the house’s exterior in crisp detail, and two, to capture the interior in rich colors that reflected the owner’s tastes.
To do this, I shot at 8 fps to quickly get multiple shots of each angle with a white balance shift.
Why is this camera the best?
The X-T200 has an impressive 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, which lets you capture high-quality images with its fast autofocus and auto exposure.
It also has a 3” tilting touchscreen that lets you see the image before you take it, so if the light isn’t right, you can adjust it accordingly.
Additionally, it is compatible with all of Fuji’s lenses, so if you already have a collection of lenses from other camera brands, this one will work with them too.
You’ll love using this camera for real estate photography because it has an easy-to-use interface.
Conclusion
You can take beautiful images with high zoom and get crisp shots in low light without spending a fortune on lighting equipment or editing software.
The Fujifilm X-T200 is the best cheap camera for real estate photography.
Click here to buy yours!
Canon EOS Rebel T7: (Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography)
When I got the call to shoot an apartment in a building on Central Park South, I knew it was my chance to make that dream come true.
The apartment itself was gorgeous.
The owner had spent years collecting art and furniture from all over the world, and he wanted to showcase his collection in a way that would be accessible to everyone who saw it.
He hired me to photograph everything from the abstract art hanging on the walls to the custom-made leather couches in one of his many living rooms.
I knew this would be an actual shoot, so I opted for Canon EOS Rebel T7.
Features
• Model: Canon EOS Rebel T7
• Effective Megapixel: 24.1 MP
• Image sensor: APS-C Sensor
• ISO range: 100 – 6400
• Shutter speeds: 1/4000
• Storage: SD Memory Card, SDXC and SDHC Memory Card,
• Viewfinder: Electronic Viewfinder
• Image stabilizer: Not Available
• Dimension: 129 x 101 x 77mm
• Weight: 475g
ISO/Shutter Speed
My camera was set to ISO 100 – 6400 with a shutter speed 1/4000.
The apartment was well-lit by sunlight through the windows, so I didn’t need to use flash or additional lighting.
The first thing I noticed when I walked through the front door was how clean everything looked!
There wasn’t a speck of dust or any other type of dirt anywhere; it was immaculate!
Everything looked brand new, so this property is a fantastic investment opportunity!
Aperture/Field of View
The apartment was small, and they wanted it to feel spacious and airy.
The room had one large window with a view of the street and another smaller one looking out onto a courtyard.
I knew that by shooting at F/3.5, I could blur both windows into one soft, dreamy background.
The images looked amazing!
The blurriness of both windows and the light streaming through them created an atmosphere of calmness and tranquility, as my client wanted!
White Balance/Frame Rate
The problem was that it was sunny, and my camera’s built-in white balance wasn’t making it easy to get a clean shot.
So I removed my camera and turned on its custom white balance feature at 3 fps speed.
That allowed me to set how much blue or yellow light was in the environment before taking my shot, which gave me much more flexibility in post-production regarding editing.
The result?
A shot that looked like it had been taken under cloudy skies, even though there wasn’t any cloud cover at all.
Why is this camera the best?
If you’re looking to get into real estate photography, the T7 can help you, but it can also take your skills to the next level if you’re already an established real estate photographer.
With a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, a DIGIC 4+ image processor, and a same-angle touchscreen LCD with touch control, this camera has all the bells and whistles of a much more expensive model.
It also has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC wireless connectivity to share your photos easily.
Conclusion
This little camera is a powerhouse in terms of its ability to take great photos and video, and it’s also incredibly affordable.
It’s the best cheap camera for real estate photography.
Click here to buy yours!
CONCLUSION:
Alright, guys, that concludes all the cameras we will discuss today in this article.
Do you guys have any experience with these cameras? What are your thoughts on them?
Which is your Best Cheap Camera for Real Estate Photography?
Is there a camera that I didn’t mention in this article that you love to use?
Would you please leave your thoughts and comments below?
Related post:
Best cameras for indoor photography:
I am a Professional and Certified Digital Photographer born in the USA. I have been in this field of photography for 22 years, and in these years, I have used many photography lenses and Cameras, which I want to share here on this website about my experience. The idea for Bestoflens.com is to provide honest information about different Lenses and Camera products in the format of a “Best lenses for AYZ” list. I want this website to be the last destination for people to pick the best Cameras and lenses to fit their needs. You can find our unbiased reviews here on Bestoflens.