Last Updated on April 8, 2021
Are you a real estate photographer looking for the best lens for taking high quality pictures of your listings?
I’ve never been an agent but I have done real estate photography and there is no doubt that better picture quality helps you sell homes faster. Getting the best pictures requires a high quality lens for taking real estate photographs. With that in mind I have reviewed the best lens for real estate photography models on the market and after reading this article you will know my recommendations.
Best Lens for Real Estate Photography
Shooting real estate photography is made much easier with the right equipment. Pairing a top real estate camera with the right lens can help you produce dramatically better listing photos and videos. And with better photos comes more and quicker sales. Find the top recommended lenses for real estate photography below.
Nikon Real Estate Photography Lens Top Picks
If you shoot with a Nikon camera you will need a compatible lens. Here are the top Nikon lenses for real estate photographers. Each of the top picks performed very well and make a great option for real estate photographers who shoot with a Nikon.
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens
This is the best wide angle Nikon lens perfect for taking photos of housing listings. This lens pairs with all Nikon DX format cameras which are some of the best for real estate photography on the market. The ultra wide angle zoom lens features a fixed f/4 aperture and a nano crystal coat and ED glass for exceptional performance. This lens does great at reducing ghosting and image flare. The image stabilization technology helps hand held pictures keep realistic and crisp image quality by minimizing the effects of shake. The autofocus works very well and is quick and smooth. This is a great lens for taking listing pictures for both experienced and less experienced real estate photographers.
- Top wide angle real estate lens for Nikon Cameras
- Excellent image quality and video quality
- Smooth and accurate autofocus
- Image stabilization for clear pictures
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED Fixed Lens
This is the top real estate lens for FX format Nikon cameras. This lens provides exceptional ultra wide angle performance with a 20mm focal length. It take great photos in any lighting environment, even low light situations. This is possible with the f/18 maximum aperture with the advanced Nikkor lens design. This real estate lens offers exceptional image quality and is equipped with aspherical lens elements and extra low dipersion glass elements to reduce sagittal flare and chromatic aberration. You will find your images are incredibly clear and vivid making for exceptional listing quality. This lens really allows you to tell a story. The autofocus works flawlessly providing fast and accurate focus for consistent, quality images. This is an exceptional real estate lens for Nikon FX cameras.
- Top real estate lens for FX Nikon cameras
- Exceptional image and video quality
- Performs well in all lighting conditions
- Excellent value
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
This is the best value real estate lens for Nikon cameras. This lens provides great performance at a lower price point. The well designed Nikkor lens is very popular with real estate photographers for good reason. Featuring a fast aperture, and a high performance ultra wide angle zoom this lens is ideal for all FX and DX Nikon cameras. This lens provides edge to edge image clarity making it perfect for producing high quality listing images. Color contrast is sharp and image detail is exceptional. This Nikon lens offers manual and autofocus for shooting flexibility. This lens is also designed durably, making it dust and moisture resistance allowing it to last you years. This is a great real estate lens that is ideal for real estate photographers of all skill levels.
- Ideal low price point real estate lens
- Compatible with FX and DX cameras
- Manual and autofocus
- Excellent image quality
- Great value
Canon Real Estate Photography Lens Top Picks
Here are the best Canon real estate photography lenses. The below picks performed exceptionally well and if you shoot with a Canon they will serve you very well.
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
This Canon is one of the best lenses in the ultra wide angle category. The powerful zoom offers incredibly image clarity throughout the entire zoom range for sharp and stunning images. This lens provides sharpness all the way to the edges of the image to help your listing photos pop. With a maximum aperture of f/4 this lens can handle most lighting conditions.
The build quality of this lens is exceptional offering weather and dust protection. This will dramatically increase the life of your lens adding to it’s overall value. This lens is compatible with both full frame and crop frame Canon’s. It offers 3 precision aspherical lens elements with two ultra low dispersion glass elements. This will greatly reduce image distortion and aberration. If you are looking for professional quality real-estate image quality this is a top model to get.
- Compatible with full frame and crop frame cameras
- Exceptional image quality
- Weather and dust proof
- Excellent video quality
Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM
This is another excellent ultra wide lens for shooting listings with excellent image clarity. This lens is very popular with professional real estate and architecture photographers and it has definitely earned it’s lofty reputation. It features an improved lens coating that will prevent formation of image flares. This lens offers exceptional autofocus. It is fast and accurate while being nearly silent. You can easily switch to manual focus mode if you prefer. This is my usual choice when doing architectural shoots. With an improved optical design this lens produces truly pro quality images. Compatible with Canon full frame cameras this lens is a great pairing if you shoot with a full frame. It offers a weather proof seal for added durability and offers some of the best performance of any of the top Canon lenses.
- One of the top performing full frame Canon lenses on the market
- Exceptional image quality
- Weatherproof and durable build
- Exceptional value for the performance you get
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens
This is the best overall real estate lens for Canon SLR cameras. It offers excellent image quality in an easy to use package. This lens offers photographers excellent photo quality perfect for listing homes and properties for sale. The 3 spherical lens element design coupled with the super UD glass element provides truly professional quality images. This lens is dust and weather resistant so you can shoot no matter what mother nature throws your way. The autofocus works great providing smooth and accurate performance making taking high quality images a snap. This Canon real estate lens also comes with a one year warranty. This is a great option for those who have a Canon SLR cameras.
- Best real estate lens for Canon cameras
- Excellent autofocus performance
- High quality images in all light conditions
- Excellent value
Canon EF-S 10-18MM is STM Lens
This is an excellent real estate lens option for those seeking a lower price point with great performance. This Canon lens provides excellent image quality under most all shooting conditions making it easy to take pro quality listing pictures and video. This lens offers advanced image stabilization technology allowing you to shoot without a tripod while maintaining excellent image clarity and detail. This lens is lightweight and durable perfect for taking with you on the road. It offers a maximum aperture of f/4.5 a minimum aperture of f/29 and a max focal length of 18mm. This is an exceptional Canon real estate lens for those seeking top performance without the huge price tag.
- Top value Canon real estate lens
- Excellent image quality under most lighting conditions
- Lightweight and durable
- Excellent value
For more photography guides and tips read these articles
- Best Camera for Real Estate Photography
- Nikon D7500 vs Canon 80D
- Best Camera Stabilizer
- Best Camera with Flip Screen
What to Look For in A Real Estate Photography Lens
When selecting a high quality real estate lens you need to keep to key specifications in mind. The aperture and the focal length of your lens.
Aperture refers to how much light is allowed through your lens to the image sensor. Aperture is measured in f numbers where a lower f number means a more open aperture while a higher f number means a more closed aperture. A aperture with an f-stop of f/1.8 will have a larger opening and allow more light in than a smaller aperture of say an f/8.
With real estate photography, using a low aperture is only utilized when taking a close up and detailed image. The majority of your shots will be taken with a higher aperture. When shooting real estate photography, most professionals will opt for a lens that can set the aperture to f/5.6 or higher. Keep in mind that lenses capable of a higher aperture tend to cost more than other lenses. But in the case of real estate photography, it is imperative to be equipped to capture the best possible images and a higher aperture is truly a must when selecting your real estate lens.
Next you should consider the focal length of your selected lens. Focal length is noted in millimeters and a smaller numbered focal length means the lens can handle a wide angled view. While sometimes an ultra wide angle lens is necessary, you must also be prepared to shoot in with a wide angle lens as not all properties require an ultra wide angle real estate lens. If you can invest in one of each, that is best, but if not opt for a standard wide angle lens as it will be more versatile. Also remember that an ultra wide angle lens can create image distortion on the edges of some images.
As a rule of thumb, the majority of your real estate photography will be best shot with a 20-25mm focal length.
Essential Features for Real Estate Lenses
To better get an entire room within one shot the best lens to choose is a wide angle lens with a focal length of 25mm or less. This will work exceptionally well at capturing an entire room while minimizing distortion in your images. One important note: Do not go below 12mm as this will also lead to image distortion.
Another important feature to have in your real estate lenses is tilt-shift. This feature will allow you to change your perspective and also expand the angle of view for better and straighter lines in your home and property images. This eliminates convergence that often comes with wide angle lenses. When you are able to control the angle of your lens you will be better able to get an entire room or building into your shot while eliminating image distortion.
Here is the best real estate photography lens picks quick list one more time. To view prices and customer reviews for each lens see the links below.