Equipment Guide

Gear That Gets the Job Done

You don't need the most expensive equipment to shoot great real estate photos. Here's what we recommend at every budget level.

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Essential Kit Summary

Everything you need to start shooting professional real estate photography.

Camera Body

$900-$2,500

Wide-Angle Lens

$900-$2,200

Sturdy Tripod

$150-$350

360 Camera

$800-$1,000

Total starter kit

$2,750 - $6,050

Camera Bodies

A full-frame mirrorless camera is ideal for real estate photography. APS-C sensors work too, but full-frame gives you better low-light performance and dynamic range.

Recommended

Sony a7 III

Full-Frame Mirrorless

$1,998

Pros

Excellent low light
Great dynamic range
Reliable autofocus

Cons

Menu system learning curve

Recommended

Canon EOS R6

Full-Frame Mirrorless

$2,499

Pros

Superb image quality
Fast autofocus
Great ergonomics

Cons

Higher price point

Recommended

Nikon Z6 II

Full-Frame Mirrorless

$1,996

Pros

Excellent build quality
Great color science
Dual card slots

Cons

Smaller lens selection

Sony a6400

APS-C Mirrorless

$898

Pros

Budget-friendly
Compact size
Great autofocus

Cons

Smaller sensor
No IBIS

Wide-Angle Lenses

A wide-angle zoom lens (16-35mm or similar) is essential. You need to capture entire rooms in a single frame. Prime lenses work but zooms offer more flexibility.

Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GMRecommended

Sony E

$2,198

The gold standard for real estate. Sharp corner-to-corner.

Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8LRecommended

Canon RF

$2,099

Excellent for Canon shooters. Great flare control.

Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8Recommended

Sony E

$899

Budget-friendly alternative. Surprisingly sharp.

Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DNRecommended

Sony E / L-Mount

$1,299

Great value. Ultra-wide for tight spaces.

Tripods

A sturdy tripod is non-negotiable. You'll be shooting at low ISOs with longer exposures. Any camera shake ruins the shot. Don't cheap out here.

Manfrotto 190X

$230

Solid build, 90-degree center column for overhead shots.

Benro Mach3 TMA28A

$280

Carbon fiber, lightweight for travel.

Peak Design Travel Tripod

$350

Compact but pricier. Great for photographers on the go.

360 Cameras

360 virtual tours are increasingly requested by agents. The Ricoh Theta Z1 is the industry standard for real estate virtual tours.

Ricoh Theta Z1

$999

Industry standard for real estate. 1-inch sensors, excellent quality.

Ricoh Theta X

$799

Touchscreen, swappable battery. Good alternative to Z1.

Drones

Optional

Aerial photography requires an FAA Part 107 license. If you're interested, our Part 107 training add-on covers everything you need to know.

DJI Mini 4 Pro

$759

Under 250g (no registration needed in some cases). Great image quality.

DJI Air 3

$1,099

Dual cameras, excellent for real estate. Longer flight time.

DJI Mavic 3 Classic

$1,469

Hasselblad camera, pro-level. Overkill for most RE work.

Part 107 Required: Flying drones commercially requires FAA certification. Our training program includes comprehensive Part 107 prep.

Learn more about Part 107 training →

Other Essentials

Don't forget these supporting items that make your workflow smooth.

Extra Batteries

$50-$150

At least 2-3 spare batteries for your camera. You don't want to run out mid-shoot.

Memory Cards

$50-$100

Fast SD cards (UHS-II recommended). Get at least 2x 64GB or 128GB cards.

Laptop

$500-$1,000

For uploading RAW files. Doesn't need to be powerful—we handle the editing.

Ready to Start?

Got Your Gear?

Once you have the essentials, you're ready to start training. We'll teach you how to use it all like a pro.

No editing required

Training included

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