Good Evening Gentlemen
I would love recommendations on any Digital Camera that has been successful for you. I do a ton of Home Inspections and Insurance Inspections and have used:
Nikon Cool Pix (currently)…but dying slowly
Kodak PixPro FZ53
FujiFilm XP
Sony Cybershot
Canon Power Shot…and a few others that are all gone now.
Some were champs, some required too much input, which is painful in a 133 Degree attic.
Looking for one that toggles back easily between Close Up (impact window etching & appliance data), Zoom (RTW Attachments) and Exterior in Bright Light.
Also need one with Rechargeable capability, preferably without having to remove the battery so I can use the charger in my truck throughout the day.
Honestly I use my Samsung galaxy s10 phone for all my photos. Once I take a photo it automatically backs up to my Google photos so it never gets lost. I do have a gopro hero 3 I use for roofs my ladder can’t reach which can act as a backup camera if something were to happen to my phone. I originally started with a Sony digital camera but I found the pictures weren’t quite as good as my phones.
Hey Drew
Yeah, everyone tells me to use my iPhone, but I haven’t really mastered the iCloud part of that and I usually come off of the road with several hundred pics, I don’t want to have to wade through all of the electric panel, hot water heater and roof pics to see shots of my granddaughter.
The best easiest way is to take photos on your smart phone with your inspection software app.
Stand alone camera may be good if you need up to 60x zoom, where getting to a location on house is not possible. Make sure camera has WiFi, to link with smartphone. Recommend backing photo up with google photos & stand alone hard drive.
I’ve got a Canon Powershot ELPH 190is that is great and I also use a Canon EOS Rebel T5i (DSLR). The ELPH is great because I can stick it on an extension pole and control it with a tablet. We’ve got a neighborhood going in that I’ve done some work in where they don’t allow inspectors on ladders, the pole cam setup has been helpful in this scenario since the neighborhood is also near an airport so using a drone is more trouble than it’s worth (plus it always seems to be windy there).
The DSLR is good because it zooms in/out effortlessly and focuses quickly. I also like that I can look through the camera which helps me compose my shot in bright conditions. Also, the images are super clear, so if I ever need to zoom/crop, I can without anyone knowing.
When I started out I inspected without software in the field and then switched to HIP mobile. I’ve been running HIP mobile on a CAT S60 with FLIR thermal camera. It’s ok, but the (normal) camera leaves a lot to be desired. I thought I’d get faster with it but never really got as efficient as I would have liked. A few months ago a Realtor and their client asked me to be as fast as possible so I went back to just the camera and it’s amazing how much faster I can get through a house that way. It took me about 1/3 the time to inspect. Of course, I still had to write the report, but I was out of the house in no time flat with no loss in the quality of my inspection. Frankly, I’m sure there’s better mobile software out there but that’s another discussion.
Hey Matt, I have a Rebel T5i as well, but it wont let me Date Stamp the pictures, I would have to run all of the pics through a separate App to achieve this, and that Stamp is a Requirement for all of my Insurance pics…too many steps, but yest I agree, a much better pic
Thanks
Matt
I use a Nikon Coolpix S4. 10x optical zoom, tilting lens assembly and 6 mega pixels. Easy macro setup for closeups. I usually just take pictures of defects and serial numbers. When I view the pictures I see the defect, just a visual way to take notes. Most of todays cameras have too high a pixel count for loading to the web easily. Lower pixels provide plenty of detail and smaller report files for easy storage and faster loading.
I’ve gone through a few, currently I’m using a Sony DSC-HX80 that I really like…and of course the iPhone 11 with LifeProof case in the crawlspace. I learned the hard way that digital cameras have no business in a crawlspace…lol.
I carry two identical Nikon Coolpix cameras that are waterproof and supposed to be shock resistant. They are better than iphones that I have seen so far. They are also cheap, and take great pictures. I tried doing my report onsite as I inspect, … takes too long.
The coolpix cameras are great. Mine are the ugly blue, but so what! You can find new ones one ebay still(I think).
Nikon Cool Pix B500. I have had the camera for a few years now. Took over 100,000 pictures and still works like a champ. It does not have all the bells and whistles you are looking for, but it works best for our application.
I use the Nikon Coolpix W300. Water/dust and shockproof. the lens is internal (so dust does not gum up any moving parts when crawling through a crawlspace). it is WiFi, so it works with my roof pole. takes great pictures and the battery will last up to about 250-300 pictures at full res, including some video. Battery does charge internally but can easily be changed out with a spare (for very large homes if needed). I just bought a second one, as my son is now in training. very nice and compact. about $385 on Amazon (you can usually get a bundle with sd cards, spare battery and other accessories for the same price)
Hi Matt,
I also use the Nikon B500 along with a Sony cybershot WX100. (I actually have 2 WX100). I bought both used on Ebay for under $100.00.The WX100 is small,easy to use and USB chargeable. The Nikon I use on my camera pole because of it’s wi-fi capabilities.
I have had good luck buying used on Ebay.I am currently keeping my eye out for a used Olympus TG5 or 6.
Good Luck!
rcloyd
(Russell Cloyd, KY LIC #166164, IN LIC#HI02300068)
17
Nikon CoolPix L840 and L320. Cheap, AA batts and good quality pics.
I use my iPhone 5s which is smaller and easy to handle, takes good pictures, and transfers right over to my iPhone 10 or iPad, even though it doesn’t have the SIM card any longer. For roof photos with my pole, I just got a fujifilm finepix xp 140.
I use an Olympus TG-6. Its waterproof and pretty tough. I love it but only use it in the attic & crawlspace…the rest is done through the software on my ipad.
