Nevermind 3
Junior Member
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2002
- Professional Status
- Certified General Appraiser
- State
- California
Every so often I look for a camera to better suit my appraisal needs. After using a few cameras for appraising over the years, I have developed a mental list of features that are important to me, in an "appraisal" camera. But, I have a difficult time finding one that meets a lot of those needs .....until now.
First, here is my list of the most important desired features:
Ultra-Wide Angle lens (24mm equivalent or better) -
we all know the importance of getting a good general picture of an entire room or small bathroom, in one photo. Or of the entire front of the house from the sidewalk, without going into the buys street to get flattened.
Speed of startup and picture ready
I am constantly turning my camera on or off, depending on what I am doing in my inspection or driving up to a comp, so I don't want to wait, even an extra second or two, for the camera to turn on, just so I can take 1 shot of the water heater, as I am measuring , etc.
Speed of photo processing & Speed of readiness in between flashes ( I don't know the proper term)
I typically take all my interior pictures at one time, wandering from room to room, after I have taken my notes. So, I don't want to wait for the camera chip to process the picture, as I am trying to flow through the inspection.
Reasonable Price
Less of an important feature, if the camera meets all the other needs, but, then again, I wouldn't spend thousands on it either.
Secondary features I like, but aren't absolutely necessary, are:
Good low-light processing
This would be nice, but if the flash works and processes quick, that would help
Durable/Tough
Able to take some beating as it hangs on my wrist, as I take some notes or stuff it in my pocket, etc.
Water Resistant
I don't live in an area that gets rain much, but it is still a huge hassle to navigate an inspection worrying about my camera taking a shower, as I take exterior photos or take pics of the comps.
Size & Weight
Although, it can't be too big or too heavy to fit in my pocket or cause other issues, this is less of an important feature for me. I mean, it doesn't have to be the tiniest camera out there
I may be missing some things, but I finally found a camera that covers most all of these features and more! And so far, after 2 weeks, I am loving it!
Olympus TG-860
Ok, I just realized this reads like an advertisement, but unfortunately, I do not benefit in any way by telling you this, I am just excited to finally find a camera that makes my job a little easier. Maybe there was others out there before, but this one seems to be at the top for our use.
It has the widest angle lens of a camera it's size, that I have found (21mm equivalent) and also a good telephoto 105mm
It is waterproof down to 50ft/15m
Dustproof
shockproof
freezeproof
Turns on and ready to shoot in about 1.1 seconds and flash is quick to replenish and be ready for another shot
Even has an additional shutter release button on the front, so you can take pics that way
It is around $229 now, on amazon, ebay, etc.
has wi-fi and GPS (which I don't use at the moment anyway)
16MP sensor, which is too much for appraisal pics, but great for an all around use camera
Takes 1080p video (again, good for general use, not appraisal)
And it has other features I didn't previously consider, like the lens is static and the telephoto mechanism is internal, so the lens is fixed. So, it slides in/out of my pocket easier and the lens won't bump into anything accidentally.
Cons
A little bigger and heavier than my other cameras (but not enough to significantly bother me)
The CMOS sensor could be a little larger, in order to take better low-light pictures. But, this is common with the compact cameras, and this does adequately. The fact the flash recharges so quickly helps with this.
I can't think of others right now, but I am sure there are a few more.
Anyway, I hope this helps anyone in the market for a new appraisal camera. Check out the other features online!
First, here is my list of the most important desired features:
Ultra-Wide Angle lens (24mm equivalent or better) -
we all know the importance of getting a good general picture of an entire room or small bathroom, in one photo. Or of the entire front of the house from the sidewalk, without going into the buys street to get flattened.
Speed of startup and picture ready
I am constantly turning my camera on or off, depending on what I am doing in my inspection or driving up to a comp, so I don't want to wait, even an extra second or two, for the camera to turn on, just so I can take 1 shot of the water heater, as I am measuring , etc.
Speed of photo processing & Speed of readiness in between flashes ( I don't know the proper term)
I typically take all my interior pictures at one time, wandering from room to room, after I have taken my notes. So, I don't want to wait for the camera chip to process the picture, as I am trying to flow through the inspection.
Reasonable Price
Less of an important feature, if the camera meets all the other needs, but, then again, I wouldn't spend thousands on it either.
Secondary features I like, but aren't absolutely necessary, are:
Good low-light processing
This would be nice, but if the flash works and processes quick, that would help
Durable/Tough
Able to take some beating as it hangs on my wrist, as I take some notes or stuff it in my pocket, etc.
Water Resistant
I don't live in an area that gets rain much, but it is still a huge hassle to navigate an inspection worrying about my camera taking a shower, as I take exterior photos or take pics of the comps.
Size & Weight
Although, it can't be too big or too heavy to fit in my pocket or cause other issues, this is less of an important feature for me. I mean, it doesn't have to be the tiniest camera out there
I may be missing some things, but I finally found a camera that covers most all of these features and more! And so far, after 2 weeks, I am loving it!
Olympus TG-860
Ok, I just realized this reads like an advertisement, but unfortunately, I do not benefit in any way by telling you this, I am just excited to finally find a camera that makes my job a little easier. Maybe there was others out there before, but this one seems to be at the top for our use.
It has the widest angle lens of a camera it's size, that I have found (21mm equivalent) and also a good telephoto 105mm
It is waterproof down to 50ft/15m
Dustproof
shockproof
freezeproof
Turns on and ready to shoot in about 1.1 seconds and flash is quick to replenish and be ready for another shot
Even has an additional shutter release button on the front, so you can take pics that way
It is around $229 now, on amazon, ebay, etc.
has wi-fi and GPS (which I don't use at the moment anyway)
16MP sensor, which is too much for appraisal pics, but great for an all around use camera
Takes 1080p video (again, good for general use, not appraisal)
And it has other features I didn't previously consider, like the lens is static and the telephoto mechanism is internal, so the lens is fixed. So, it slides in/out of my pocket easier and the lens won't bump into anything accidentally.
Cons
A little bigger and heavier than my other cameras (but not enough to significantly bother me)
The CMOS sensor could be a little larger, in order to take better low-light pictures. But, this is common with the compact cameras, and this does adequately. The fact the flash recharges so quickly helps with this.
I can't think of others right now, but I am sure there are a few more.
Anyway, I hope this helps anyone in the market for a new appraisal camera. Check out the other features online!
