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As last week's newsletter indicated, there are MANY very good digital cameras on the market today. In fact, we don't know of a "bad" camera. However, we've narrowed our recommendations for real estate use down to two choices based on the economic and practical features needed in this business:
First
Choice: Kodak DC215 http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/store/catalog/Product.jhtml?PRODID=673&CATID=6
($299 MSRP)
Pros: Low cost, 29mm wide angle lens built in, has both optical and LCD viewfinders, includes 4 MB compact flash memory card, small enough to fit in a pocket or purse.
Cons: 1152x864 maximum resolution (This is roughly equivalent to "one megapixel". If you want to print bigger than 5x7, you'll need more resolution), serial cable download (you'll want to purchase an external card reader as mentioned last week, however this is a minor drawback since the cardreaders are about $30).
Summary: The two most frequent uses of photos in real estate marketing are electronic (email, web, virtual tours), and small format print (for flyers). The one megapixel resolution of this camera is great for these uses, and the price, size, and wide angle lens are perfect for on-the-go REALTORS. If you can handle a USB reader or memory card adapter, this is the best bang for your buck digital camera with the best "real estate" oriented features. If you tend to take dozens of photos at once, you may want to purchase a higher capacity memory card which is available from Kodak, in stores, and many on-line sources. This model is so popular and hard to find brand new, that Kodak sells many "reconditioned" DC215s at a lower price or bundled with extra accessories with a full factory warranty.
Second
Choice: Sony Mavica FD85 ($699 MSRP) http://www.sony.com
Pros: Floppy disk download is the simplest method available for downloading pictures, particularly if you don't use a notebook PC. Higher resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels (1.3 megapixels). Has a nice zooming feature, but this isn't really as important with real estate photos as having a good wide angle lens. Rechargeable batteries and charger included.
Cons: Floppy disk also means you have very limited storage space (1.44 megabytes), so you'll have to be changing diskettes often, identifying which floppy holds which photos, etc. No built-in wide angle lens, wide angle lens accessory is available (about $70). Lack of optical viewfinder means you are forced to use the LCD screen while taking pictures, and this can be a problem in bright sunlight. Very bulky and heavy (over 1 lb.).
Summary: While much bulkier and higher priced than other models, if you need a digital camera (and you do if you sell real estate!), and you have an aversion to adding a memory card reader or connecting a cable to your PC, then this camera is the best choice for you. This and other digital cameras allow you to make a very brief digital video file (MPEG). This feature is frequently touted as "a virtual tour" and while this might be one way to define a virtual tour, the end result is not practical for marketing your properties.
Next week we'll discuss where you can get the best price for your camera.
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