14-30 real estate: Nikon Z Mirrorless Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review (2024)

Hi , I have two questions :

Has anyone here experience with the 14-30 f4 for indoor real estate shots ?

On a more specific note , I may be wrong , but have this idea that going FF ( I'm interested in Z5 or 6 ) and a much bigger sensor might really improve my wa and uwa photos, as I have also this idea that m4/3 is lacking in IQ in anything under ( FF) 40 mm . I do real estate shots and I have never been entirely satisfied with my m4/3 files ( I shoot at around 18mm - naturally it may be also that I'm not a good enough photog ) . I know that quite a number of people here have made the jump from m4/3 to Nikon Z , or are shooting both formats : does anybody in this scenario has seen a significant increase in quality in wide angle photography , from m4/3 to Z ?

Thank you

1

I guess the 14-30 would be great for real estate shots -- mine is really sharp, much better than the (very old design) Olympus 9-18 I also have.

Don't know about other m43 UWA lenses -- probably more modern designs (Pana 8-16, Oly 7-14 and so on) are much better than the Oly 9-18 as well.

2

I have both a Panasonic G9 as well as a Z6 II. For ultra wide angle shooting I use them with a Leica 8-18mm and the Z 14-30mm. Have used both on real estate shoots, doing photos as well as videos.

I would say the difference is worthwhile in favour of the Nikon while doing video, but not in stills. The reason for that being lighting. I'm a solo operator and do ambient light videos, but the stills work includes the use of flash, and for real estate work using flash is almost a mandate if you want to improve the quality of your output.

With flash you control the light, and the larger FF sensor loses most of its advantage over the smaller M43 sensor. In fact, with the equivalent depth of field being more with the smaller sensor, you can get away with smaller and lighter flash equipment because there's no need to stop down the aperture as much as on FF, to achieve the required depth of focus.

2

xtm wrote:

I just bought a house, and the first lens I took there after we got the keys was my 14-30 and it worked great. I do however, have a bone to pick with RE photographers. The shots of my house interiors look stretched and huge on Redfin but when we got there, the rooms are actually smaller in person. I hate it when these ppl use UWA lenses, it's just not representative of what's real. In a way, it feels deceiving. If I were to shoot RE, I'd probably go with 24mm at the widest, so it doesn't stretch the rooms too much.

The alternative would not really being able to see small rooms at all and only seeing part of a typical room. If you shot a typical guest bathroom with a 24mm you might have a photo of a sink, another photo of a toilet, and the potential buyer would not be able to determine the actual layout. I understand where you’re coming from, and you should see interior photos of RVs if you think real estate photos are deceiving. I personally feel the alternative is worse.

I’ve shot a couple homes and used the Z 14-30mm and the 24mm PC and thought it works great.

mukul wrote:

I have both a Panasonic G9 as well as a Z6 II. For ultra wide angle shooting I use them with a Leica 8-18mm and the Z 14-30mm. Have used both on real estate shoots, doing photos as well as videos.

I would say the difference is worthwhile in favour of the Nikon while doing video, but not in stills. The reason for that being lighting. I'm a solo operator and do ambient light videos, but the stills work includes the use of flash, and for real estate work using flash is almost a mandate if you want to improve the quality of your output.

With flash you control the light, and the larger FF sensor loses most of its advantage over the smaller M43 sensor. In fact, with the equivalent depth of field being more with the smaller sensor, you can get away with smaller and lighter flash equipment because there's no need to stop down the aperture as much as on FF, to achieve the required depth of focus.

Hi

Thanks for your answer

I shoot with the od 4/3 9-18 , which is supposed to be better than the m4/3 version .

I have contemplated buying the Leica 8-18 , but then it feels like staying with m4/3 and somehow I would really like to make the jump ( my local Saturn dealer offered me an interesting deal on a Z5 + 14-30 , so...) . On the other hand the combo is more than twice the investment in a Leica..

I sure read with interest your comment on using flash , but I must admit I don't know much except putting one on the hot shoe and bouncing the light off the ceiling or adjacent walls . Commanding a set of flashes at once I have never done . I did buy a couple of Led square boxes to put on tripod , with control on luminosity and temperature , but haven't tried them yet in real estate photo .

I still think the bigger sensor will benefit my uwa photos . it's also important since I'll retire soon and want to keep an activity in real estate photography alone

3

I've shot RE for decades. First shot with the D70 & Sigma 10-20 and then D300 with Tokina 11-16 2.8.

I have the Z5 and 14-30 and a SB-900 flash. Here is the latest listing I shot using both. https://www.mccrearyrealty.com/atlanta-homes-for-rent/1227703/879-forest-ridge-drive-marietta-ga-30067

it works great and am really impressed with the images.

For more info on shooting RE checkout this site: https://photographyforrealestate.net/ tons of great info on this site.

Good luck!

2

If your interest is mainly stills in RE photography, I would urge you to strongly consider staying with m4/3. You give up a little bit of dynamic range, but if this will be more than just an occasional fun thing for you, flash and lighting is something you'll have to get into if the desired outcome is to achieve a high(er) quality of output.

Yes, learning flash can seem imlntimidating, and to be honest I did find it confusing early on. However, with real estate work all you need are manually controlled flashes (the higher output hot shoe flashes are enough, no need to get into big and heavy equipment to begin with). That makes it a lot easier to understand and learn. Ignore the TTL side of things.

For learning I recommend Nathan Cool's Real Estate Photography books -

https://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Cool/e/B075MZNJ5W/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

If it is high quality output you seek to create in RE photos, flash is where you should invest your time and money. However, the Z series cameras are better all rounders and if your needs include personal photography and things other than landscapes, real estate and studio photography then the Z series cameras would be a better choice.

Edit - typos.

108 wrote:

Hi , I have two questions :

Has anyone here experience with the 14-30 f4 for indoor real estate shots ?

On a more specific note , I may be wrong , but have this idea that going FF ( I'm interested in Z5 or 6 ) and a much bigger sensor might really improve my wa and uwa photos, as I have also this idea that m4/3 is lacking in IQ in anything under ( FF) 40 mm . I do real estate shots and I have never been entirely satisfied with my m4/3 files ( I shoot at around 18mm - naturally it may be also that I'm not a good enough photog ) . I know that quite a number of people here have made the jump from m4/3 to Nikon Z , or are shooting both formats : does anybody in this scenario has seen a significant increase in quality in wide angle photography , from m4/3 to Z ?

Thank you

Hello, I shoot with both Nikon and Olympus and own/have tried a wide variety of lenses for m4/3. In the m4/3 world I HIGHLY recommend the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 lens. It is stunningly sharp, great color rendition, and it is relatively distortion free and by that I mean even at it's widest end there is very little distortion on the sides. As you already own several Olympus's you would just need the lens. I just got a Nikon Z 14-30 f/4 2 days ago and am very impressed with that as well so I don't think you can go wrong with either. Both of those lenses, and probably most other ultrawide lenses, require practice to keep them level in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions which will keep edges relatively straight. And, as you know, in the Olympus cameras you can bring the leveling thingees up so you can do that easily. And the Zs also have a leveling thingee you can bring up and view through the viewfinder. The Panasonic Leica and Nikon 14-30 cost about the same.

Ken

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