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Understanding Real Estate Video Settings
The real estate video settings that you use will be based on a number of different on location factors. However, there are a few general principles that you can follow to set yourself up for success which will be highlighted in this article.
Table of Contents
Real Estate Video Settings
An Opening Example
The first thing you need to decide is what frame rate (fps) you are going to be using. That will determine the other settings that you plan to use. This is because your shutter speed will need to be roughly double your fps.
For example, if you’re planning to film at 60fps, then you’re going to need to set your shutter to around 1/120. A little bit higher or lower is ok, but you want to keep it right around that 2x mark. This will produce the highest quality video possible.
Next, you’ll need to determine how much light is available and set your aperture accordingly. An ideal aperture is around f4, but you can go higher or lower without much issue. As long as your lens keeps everything in focus, you can shoot at f2.8 if you need the extra light or f8 if you have to limit the light.
Next, adjust your ISO to allow for optimal lighting and minimal noise. Then finally, set your white balance. Honestly, I usually just use auto white balance. My Nikon Z7ii gets some great results on auto, so if your camera does as well, set it to auto and make minor adjustments in post.
So, in this example where the lighting is optimal, your cameras real estate video settings would look like this:
Frame Rate: 60 FPS
Shutter Speed: ~ 1/120
Aperture: F4
ISO: 200
White Balance: Auto
Making On Location Adjustments
Now, in the example above we worked with the idea that the lighting is optimal. In practice however, this isn’t always going to be the case. Making on location adjustments to your real estate video settings is easy once you understand the following:
A Lower FPS Allows More Light
If you don’t plan to use a lot of slow motion or you don’t really need to be filming at 60fps and you are having trouble keeping the ISO low due to the lack of light, consider using a slower fps.
Bringing your frame rate down from 60fps to 30fps will also allow you to bump your shutter speed from 1/120 to 1/60. This will let in a lot more light and can help keep that ISO as low as possible. You just need to decide if 30fps is good enough for the quality you want.
Adjust the Aperture Before the ISO
A noisy video is much worse than a video where the background is slightly soft. Even though an aperture of ~ F4 is ideal, I consistently film my real estate videos at F2.8 if I need the extra light. My Nikon 16-35mm only gets slightly soft at F2.8, and I find it to be much more pleasing to the eye than any noise.
White Balance: Auto vs Manual
This will really depend on the video capabilities of your camera. I’m comfortable with the auto white balance on my Nikon Z7ii and my video editing abilities. I rarely find that I need to make major adjustments.
If you aren’t confident in your cameras auto white balance performance, there here are some general rules:
Exterior, Clear Daylight: ~ 5600k
Exterior, Cloudy: ~ 6500k
Interior: ~ 4000K
Now, these white balace measurements are by no means set in stone. The colors of lights inside the house will chance the white balance needed, as will the time of day and amount of cloud cover for exteriors.
For a much more in-depth read about how to manually set the proper white balance, check out this article by Adobe: Understanding White Balance in Filmmaking
Additional Resources
The most important thing is getting the general real estate video settings correct. White balance can be corrected in post, but a noisy video or everything being out of focus means a reshoot will be needed.
Using Adobe’s Premiere Pro can make up for a lot of short comings. It’s the video editing software that I use and I highly recommend it. Get the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO right, and you can fix the rest in editing.
Using a gimbal is an excellent way to make sure you come away from your shoot with beautifully smooth footage. Check out our article Best Gimbals for Real Estate Videos for a list of the best current gimbals on the market.
Be sure to check out our Beginners Guide. It’s full of articles with helpful ideas and tips exactly like this one. Our Business Resources page has all the resources you’ll need to get your Real Estate Photography business started on the right path.
Finally, go check out our Gear page to get up-to-date reviews and recommendations on todays best gear for Real Estate Photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
What frame rate should I use for real estate video?
If your camera can handle it, using 60fps is ideal. It allows for slow motion clips and produces beautiful quality video.
How do you shoot a good real estate video?
The best thing you can do is make sure you’re using the correct real estate video settings so the video clips can be edited properly. Then, using smooth movements helps to make a great video.
How wide should a real estate video be?
Generally, right around 20mm is a good focal length for real estate videos. You don’t want them to be too wide since they can become quite distorted at the edges.
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