Buyer's Guide: Picture Perfect

The latest round of digital cameras removes most of the challenge, delivering the quality you need, with very little training or effort.

Of course, there’s the financial benefit: Digital cameras eliminate, once and for all, the expense and waste of film. And, since the images are ready as soon as you click the shutter, you regain the time once lost taking film in for processing and waiting to see the results.

Considering all the pluses, it should come as no surprise that real estate practitioners have been among the quickest to embrace digital imaging. According to the 2001 Mediamark survey of REALTOR® Magazine readers, 38.7 percent of respondents had already made the transition to digital photography.

That number is sure to rise as features improve and prices drop.

At every price point—from $199 entry-level models to high-end cameras costing more than $1,000—today’s digital cameras make it easy to get good results. With quality a given, your choice should be dictated by your intended use of the images, the features you’ll use, and your skills and interest in photography.

In the early days of digital imaging, the best indicator of quality was the image sensor, rated in megapixels. Today, though, other features may actually determine the best camera for you.

Several features you can expect to find in just about every model are a flash, a USB port to simplify downloading picture files to your computer, and a color LCD monitor for viewing images.

All use some form of digital “film,” such as CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Sticks, or Secure Digital cards—the removable media that holds the images. And all include software that enables you to upload and organize your images and to perform basic editing functions.

What’s right for you? If all you need is to post images of homes to the Internet, the entry-level cameras, under $200, with an image sensor in the 1-megapixel range will serve. That will give you more image information than most computer monitors can display.

If you plan to produce printed images, you’ll need a camera with a minimum of 2 megapixels. Incidentally, the more sensitive the image sensor, the larger the photo-quality prints you’ll be able to produce. The image captured with a 2-megapixel camera will hold up for 4-by-6-inch prints, whereas you’d want a 4-megapixel camera if you want to showcase properties in 8-by-10-inch prints. For most real estate needs, a 2- or 3-megapixel sensor will prove adequate.

After the image sensor, consider the camera’s optics. A telephoto lens, indicated by a rating such as 2X or 4X, lets you zoom in on property details. A wide-angle setting, or an accessory lens, will make it easy for you to capture an entire home or room in one image.

Once you’ve identified cameras with the sensor and optics that are right for you, look at other features (see chart; all the vendors offer models at different price points).

For many, the convenience of the Sony Mavica line, which captures images to standard floppy disks used in your computer, is a compelling solution for less than $500. Others may place a premium on the ultra-compact design of a model such as the Minolta Dimage X for $550.

Whichever model seems attractive, get some hands-on experience with the camera before you buy. Sample one of its high-res prints. Ergonomics is also important; if you aren’t comfortable handling the camera, you’ll want something else.

Digital Cameras

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the products in this category. NAR doesn’t evaluate or endorse these products and isn’t responsible for changes in product info. Prices are the vendors’ suggested retail prices and are subject to change.