5 Best Flashes for Real Estate Photography of Any Budget

Find a flash for real estate that’ll naturally illuminate your object.

You should understand the importance of proper lighting in real estate photography, as properties need to be well-lit, look three-dimensional, and have realistic looking colors.

External flashes for real estate photography are also a good help for beginners and those with little experience intelligently combining natural light with your camera’s built-in flash.

Pro-level photographers say that the best flash for real estate should be feature-packed, versatile, and sync fast. However, when buying the right real estate photo equipment, you need to focus on your requirements and needs.

Fast sync will come in handy if you’re going to pair it with your camera’s built-in shutter or an external shutter.

If you are looking for an option with a better range, then you need advanced models, but keep in mind that their energy consumption level is higher, and the response speed may be inferior to simpler models. In my article, you will find options that suit any requirement and wallet, ranging in price from $100 to $500.

Full power flashes: 500 | Recycle time: 0.1-3.7s | Dimension: 4.1 x 4.2 x 2.9 in

Real estate photographers who prefer small-size flashes often choose the Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT. Rotating 90 degrees gives you plenty of freedom when shooting interiors.

It can also rotate horizontally by 330 degrees, which will come in handy when shooting at an angle. At the same time, it is very easy to operate – just press the bounce-back release button and enjoy the above features.

A nice bonus is that it comes in both manual and TTL modes, allowing you to pair it with auto flash. It has every chance of becoming your best light for real estate photography if you are new to shooting with a Canon camera. That’s because you don’t have to bother with manual settings, as it has automatic lens focal length detection and automatic flash adjustment to match.

Priced at $349, this flash is one of the most expensive options on my list, but it’s worth it in terms of features.

Resolution: 1920x1200 | Contrast Ratio: 2,500:1 | Brightness (Lumens): 5000 | Screen size: 33" - 330"

Godox V860II is a reliable and easy-to-use lighting for real estate photography. It comes with a convenient LCD and a control panel that offers simple and clear commands to manage the equipment.

With vertical tilt from -7 to 90 degrees and 360-degree horizontal rotation of this camera flash, you can easily control lighting and shoot real estate from a wide variety of angles.

It is fitted with a powerful battery that will last you for a long time of use without additional recharging. I was also pleased with its fast recycling, which allows for taking many shots in a short period. At the same time, its cost is not overestimated – only $179, which is the average for flashes in today’s market.

Full power flashes: 650 | Recycle time: 1.5s | Dimension: 9.21 x 8.15 x 3.19 in

Offering flexibility and ease of use, this flash for high end real estate photography boasts cutting-edge smart functionality. It only costs $85, making it a great option for newcomers to the world of architectural industry.

I like that its zoom range is from 24mm to 105mm, which is more than enough to capture large scenes without having to change your position. The flash comes with a bounce card that allows you to precisely control the light level of your property and highlight exactly the interior or exterior details you want. It offers 11 custom functions, making it the most universal flash.

Full power flashes: 700 | Recycle time: 2.5-3.5s | Dimension: 4.1 x 2.8 x 5 in

If you often change locations to capture architectural objects, then the small-sized Nikon SB-700 AF Speedlight may become your best light for real estate photography. It may not seem powerful enough to you, but thanks to its compatibility with many Nikon photography cameras and flashes, you can combine it with others and thus get interior and exterior pictures in the exceptional quality.

This unit features an Advanced Wireless Lighting system that allows for controlling other Nikon Speedlights from my camera’s main flash. This is very handy as it allows remote control of multiple flashes mounted in a room.

The price is a little high - $327, but it’s worth it for those who are going to do commercial real estate photography.

Full power flashes: 500 | Recycle time: 0.01-1.8s | Dimension: 6.77 x 2.95 x 2.13 in

Being a highly portable and small-sized flash for real estate photography, the Godox AD200PRO TTL features great power, lightness, and versatility. It will become your reliable companion in both interior and exterior photo shoots.

I like how evenly it distributes the light and its optimal color temperature, so the $349 price is worth it.

The versatility of this flash also lies in the fact that you can pair it with many real estate camera settings. Use the AD-B2, 2-head adapter to connect two devices, or use the camera strap to connect the battery on top of the camera.

I advise you to pay special attention to the recycling speed, the available zoom, the ability to use it as an on-camera flash, and the ability to combine it with different cameras.

Recycling time. Recycle rate refers to the period it takes the flash to reach full power after firing. The shorter this time, the better, because you can capture more scenes. I advise looking at flashes with a 1.5 - 2 second recycling time, as this is optimal when shooting real estate.

Compatibility. To ensure that your flash for real estate doesn’t disappoint you due to compatibility issues, it’s best to match your camera’s brand. Thus, when using a Canon flash on a Canon body, their settings will adjust according to each other depending on the focal length.

If you already have a camera and want to purchase another brand of flash, please read the compatibility information carefully.

Flash zoom. The size of the area that the flash can illuminate is called the flash zoom. Decent options should cover a fairly large, finely controlled area, just like in natural light.

For exterior and interior photography, I advise you to take a closer look at large zoom values – from 20mm to 200mm. It’s also important to have a highly configurable zoom to help control the framing of your property.

On-cam or off-cam usage. Which of the two types of flash – on-cam or an off-cam – will be your best light for real estate photography depends on your expectations.

The first type is more versatile as you can connect it and not connect it to the camera. The second type can also be connected to the camera if necessary, however, for this, you need a cord or something else.