If you’re looking for ways to make your product photography business faster and more efficient, you may be interested in investing in an automated product photography system.
The boom in E-Commerce is creating more demand for product photography than ever before, and to help you take advantage of those additional business opportunities, you’ll want to be able to whip out high-quality product images faster to keep up with the demand.
Automated product photography, also referred to as robotic product photography, boost your productivity and create professional product images in just a fraction of the time. The main brands producing these systems are Orbitvu, Ortery, and PhotoRobot. Entry level options are also available.
With the sharp increase in the demand for E-Commerce, businesses are looking for ways to get their products up on their website as quickly as possible.
Automating as much of the product photography process as possible makes it faster and easier to get product images in the online marketplace. Let’s take a closer look at ten of the best automated product photography solutions to amp up your productivity.
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When Should You Consider Automated Product Photography?
If you’re finding that the demand for product photography projects is outpacing your ability to produce professional product images, or you don’t feel that offering E-Commerce photos at low prices are worth your time anymore, it may be time to consider automated product photography solutions.
Although shooting for E-Commerce stores is one of the most basic type of product photography, you can still be profitable at lower rates by automating as much of the process as you can.
Here are some ways to know when your product photography business may benefit from automated photography solutions.
You Need an Easier, More Efficient Way to Create White Product Backgrounds
Most product photography requires a white background, especially large online marketplaces like Amazon.
You could always set up a DIY white product backdrop in your home, but for many product photographers this means setting it up and taking it down after each photo shoot. When working at home, you may be using a common area in your home that can’t have a larger studio set up at all times.
Using automated product photography solutions can give you the perfect white product background for every photo shoot without all the setup time. Automated software will do most of the heavy lifting.
Setting Up the Right Product Photography Lighting Gets Cumbersome
Automated product photography is like having a product photography studio all in one box. It typically includes the white background as well as the optimal lighting for most of your items, and you’ll be able to adjust different areas to dial in the lighting.
These systems include bottom, top, side, and backlighting to prevent common issues like overexposure.
You’ll be able to crank out as many products as you can without having to set up custom lighting for each item, and virtually all of your images will be consistent.
Post-Production Editing is Taking Up Too Much of Your Time
The beauty of automated product photography systems is that you can view your product image in real-time to see how the final image will look before you even take the shot. This will save you time editing post-production so you can get your product images back to your clients faster than ever before.
Automated product photography systems enable you to choose between removing the background during your photo shoot or afterward during the editing process. This makes things easier since you won’t have to make the decision during your shoot. If you change your mind after, you are still able to easily remove the background. You also have the power to remove shadows or add in shadows if desired.
Another big timesaver with automated product photography solutions is the ability to save your settings.
This allows you to recreate the same type of product image without all the guesswork and trying to match things up to previous photo shoots. You can save the settings for the camera, lighting, editing, saving, and crop so your photos will look like exact replicas with ease.
There are even features like AfterImage that show the position of a previously photographed product so you can line it up exactly the same.
You’re Swamped With Work and Need a Productivity Boost
When you use a photography automation system, you’ll no longer need to go through the procedures of setting up and taking down lighting for each photo shoot.
Some robotic product photography systems have lighting controls so you can just select your desired lighting for your project. You can even save your lighting settings so you can quickly and easily recreate the same lighting setup again and again.
You’re New to the Field and Need Something Failsafe
One of the best things about automated product photography is how user-friendly the systems can be.
Although robotic systems are expensive, they are great for beginner photographers in the product photography field because they won’t need to know how to manually set up all of the lighting and post production. Since you won’t need to spend as much time achieving high-quality images, you can easily offer special photography packages to attract new clients.
If you’re finding it tough to book product photography gigs because you’re still new to the business, robotic product photography can help you create professional product images quickly and build up your portfolio to impress potential clients.
These automated product photography solutions don’t require extensive product photography experience, either. As long as you learn how to operate the equipment and you have a decent camera, all it takes is dropping in the product.
However, these systems are also great for veterans in the field who are looking for ways to increase their productivity, as well as their profits.
11 Different Automated Product Photography Solutions
Foldio360 Turntable
First on this list is an entry level solution for getting 360-degree product photos.
Although it’s not the highest quality like the others on this list, it will be within most beginner product photographers budget and let you offer a more advanced package. And it has some nice features too.
With the Foldio360 Turntable (Amazon), you can use your smartphone to control the rotation for automatically taking product photos if your camera is compatible with the App or has an IR remote trigger. Automated software will allow you to stitch together all the images into a final, interactive 360-degree photo.
Unfortunately, the Foldio360 is only good for small products up to 11 lbs.
- Very compact
- Display mode allows for unlimited rotations
- App for taking photos with your phone or DSLR
- Supports up to 11 lbs.
Orbitvu Alphashot Micro
When your product photography consists mainly of small reflective objects, such as jewelry and watches, this first option is perfect for you.
The smallest of all the products on our list is the Orbitvu Alphashot Micro at 83 cm x 52 cm x 72 cm. Its small size also makes it ideal for those who have small workspaces; it easily fits on a table.
The Orbitvu Alphashot Micro is great for products with highly-reflective surfaces that may otherwise present a huge challenge when photographing. All those reflections of everything inside the room in pixel perfect detail will be significantly reduced because of the enclosure.
The software includes an auto polisher tool to automatically blur any imperfections on your objects such as scratches or scuffs, which can make your life much easier in post production. However, some automations might make the product you’re shooting look worse.
This system includes a necklace support, a transparent nylon wire holder for earrings, and a ring fixing kit, making this robotic product photography studio a prime choice for producing images for jewelry, glassware, and watches. You can also create 360 images with the machine!
- Compact size
- Easy to use
- Great for shiny, highly-reflective products
- Comes with a kit to assist with jewelry photography
Ortery 2D PhotoBench 120
Another compact product photography studio option is the Ortery 2D PhotoBench 120; it’s close in size to the Alpashot Micro at 24” x 24” x 28” (60.96 cm x 60.06 cm x 71.12 cm). This is a photography light box that fits right on a desk or table and provides the perfect white background for online marketplaces.
With the Ortery 2D PhotoBench 120, you can shoot shoes, alcohol, dolls and figurines, and small electronics. Simply place your product in the side door then use the software to adjust camera and lighting settings, provided it is compatible.
Integrated camera and lighting controls save a lot of setup time when preparing for a photo shoot. Once you snap your shot, you can immediately edit, process, and save.
Unfortunately, if you’re looking to capture 360-degree images you will need to pair this with the PhotoCapture 360 turntable.
Using the Ortery 2D PhotoBench 120, you can blast through your product photography projects, with hundreds of deliverable images in a single day.
- Fits on a desk
- Timesaving camera and lighting controls
- Great for medium-sized products
Orbitvu Alphastudio Compact
Another offering by Orbitvu is the Alphastudio Compact, which is more like a photo booth on wheels for more portability.
With this system, you can photograph medium to large products like luggage, grills, and handbags. This studio includes a magic table allowing you to capture smaller items as well, making this a more versatile system. Included side diffusers give the option of using hard or soft light.
The Orbitvu Alphastudio Compact offers automatic background removal and the ability to capture multiple angles from up to five cameras, creating a product image worthy of an online marketplace in mere seconds.
This photography studio is considerably larger than the first two on our list. The booth itself is 178 cm x 136 cm x 183 cm, however, Orbitvu recommends allowing a total area of at least 300 cm x 300 cm x 220 cm to accommodate all of the components you’ll need for your product photo shoot.
- Has wheels for portability
- Can be used for small or medium-sized products
- Can capture multiple angles at once
- Positioning laser kit
- Requires a larger workspace
Ortery ClothingPad Mini
If you do a lot of flat-lay clothing photography, the Ortery ClothingPad Mini is designed for you.
This photography table is a more compact version of the Ortery ClothingPad and allows you to take photos of clothing and apparel with either a white background or transparent background. You can view your products in real-time to cut way back on time and effort in post-production.
The Ortery ClothingPad Mini is still fairly sizable at 149 cm x 131 cm x 210 cm but it doesn’t require a lot of clearance like the Orbitvu Alphastudio Compact listed above. Just lay out your apparel flat on the backlit table and take a look at the real-time preview on your monitor. Any adjustments to the camera and lighting can be made from your screen before snapping your shot.
The AfterImage feature is really helpful when shooting the front and back of clothing. After your first shot, you can flip over your item and check your monitor to perfectly align the apparel in the same position as the first shot.
- Perfect for flat-lay clothing photo shoots
- AfterImage helps line up products for double-sided shots
- Also offered in standard size
PhotoRobot Robotic 360-degree Turntable
While there are entry level 360-degree turn tables on Amazon, if your products are on the heavy side, the PhotoRobot Robotic Turntable is what you need.
This option is great for shooting weights and automotive parts up to 200 kg and it can be combined with other automated product photography solutions such as robotic arms for 3D images.
This solution is one of the larger on our list at 210 cm x 169 cm x 112 cm for the table and portal. You can use the laser location feature to ensure that your product is perfectly centered on the turntable. The lights can be controlled remotely to help speed up the photo shoot and increase your efficiency.
- Ideal for products that are small but heavy
- Compatible with other automation products like robotic arms
- Can capture 360-degree shots
- Requires a large workspace
PhotoRobot Frame
For maximum versatility, the PhotoRobot Frame is one of the largest automated product photography workstations available at 211 cm x 257 cm x 207 cm. PhotoRobot recommends a minimum workspace of 250 cm x 400 cm x 300 cm, so make sure you’ve got sufficient room for this giant.
This handles a wide range of product photography projects from small to large objects, transparent to shiny finishes, and light to dark products. The glass turntable empowers your photo shoot with double 360-degree rotation to create a full 3D model in one shot.
- One of the most diverse automated photography solutions
- 360-degree images in one shot
- Requires a large workspace
Orbitvu Fashion Studio
If your product photography revolves around fashion photography using either live models or mannequins, the Orbitvu Fashion Studio was made for you.
This is a larger product photography system since you need space to fit a human being, however, exact dimensions could not be found on the Ortibvu website.
While your subject is in the Fashion Studio, you’re able to control everything right from your computer, including the lighting and camera. If using a live model, there are features to help make the process smoother, such as a virtual mirror and audio and visual cues.
The Fashion Studio also has multiple lighting zones which provide up to 250,000 lumens of light, and one of the cool features is to change the background color on the fly with the RGB panels.
- Can use live models or mannequins
- Offers visual and audio cues for live models
- Requires a large workspace
Ortery Infinity Studio 2000
Capturing 360 product images of large items was never easier than with the Ortery Infinity Studio 2000.
This studio includes a motorized turntable for shooting items like travel bags, luggage, handbags, and backpacks. High-quality, web-ready product images are as simple as placing the product on the turntable and watching the system modify the lighting and camera settings for the perfect shot.
The Ortery Infinity Studio 200 is one of the larger automated product photography solutions at 178 cm x 154 cm x 177 cm and can support products weighing up to 70lbs.
- 360-degree images with motorized turntable
- Real-time preview
- Requires a large workspace
PhotoRobot Case
If you often travel to your clients for product photography gigs, the PhotoRobot Case can make your job a lot simpler. This workstation is the most portable option, can easily fit in your vehicle, and can be set up in just 15 minutes.
The whole system fits into one case, 98 cm x 34 cm x 96 cm, and although it is compact, it does not sacrifice size when it comes to the products you can photograph using The Case.
Unfortunately it doesn’t include a motorized turntable or lighting, so you will need to bring your own.
- The best option for on-the-go product photographers
- Very compact
- System comes in its own carrying case
PhotoRobot Multicam
If you’re trying to create 3D product photography images without rendering them from scratch in a 3D software, the PhotoRobot Multicam is the fastest option you can get. This system boasts 13 positions for cameras, motor-assisted adjustable height, and the ability to shoot with multiple cameras at the same time.
In other words, this is one of the biggest timesaving automated product photography solutions for 360-degree, 3D, and multi project shoots. It takes up quite a bit of space at 329 cm x 440 cm x 242 cm.
The PhotoRobot Multicam is going to be best suited for the large product photography studio that needs to shoot dozens of different projects in a day, because the multiple cameras will allow you to set up different projects at the same time!
- Multiple cameras take 3D images very quickly
- Choice of 13 camera positions
- Requires a large workspace
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking for ways to increase your productivity in your product photography business, you now have some amazing tools at your disposal.
The 11 automated product photography solutions covered here offer a variety of sizes and features to enhance any product photography project you may have.
While most of these systems are geared towards the studio that needs to significantly increase productivity, beginners may want to start off with something a little easier – and if that sounds like you, stick around because we will be teaching you how to do product photography while on a budget.