Product Photography Equipment

[blaze79]

I have been pretty successful selling items on eBay for last few years, but I would love to take it to the next step and make my pictures to look lot better - product images sells and I know I can get higher bids that way.

To be honest, I am novice as far as the photography and would need some help from you guys!

Items to be photographed are very small (lighter, e-cigaret). The biggest item I would need to shoot would be the size of large Coke cup from fast food restaurant.

Could you please help me to determine what I need:
- DSLR camera (I am looking for some entry priced camera body)
- optimal lens for shooting small items
- tripod
- tent for shooting
- lights

Thanks you so much for all your help!

Regards,
Blaze

 

[Scatterbrained]

Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting: Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua: 9780240812250: Amazon.com: Books

Lighting for Product Photography: The Digital Photographer's Step-By-Step Guide to Sculpting with Light: Allison Earnest: 9781608955442: Amazon.com: Books

Amazon.com : MyStudio MS32 Professional Tabletop Photo Studio Kit w/ 5000K Continuous Lighting for Product Photography, 32x32x16 inches : Photographic Studio Equipment : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com : Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Sensor DIGIC 4 Image Processor Full-HD Movie Mode Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch Clear View Vari-Angle LCD (Body Only) : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: CANON: Electronics

Amazon.com: Induro AT-214 Alloy AT Series 8M Tripod (Black): Electronics

Amazon.com : Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Head - Replaces 3275 : Tripod Heads : Camera & Photo


Personally, I'm not a big fan of light tents. You're better off learning how to light, and setting the lighting up to suit the product. The books I linked will help you get started. What really matters (outside of an understanding of lighting) is a solid tripod. You can put an SLR on there, or you can get a high end point and shoot, or a nice mirrorless camera. Most of what is sold as "professional product photography kits" are just rip offs. They are looking to make money from people who don't want to pay a photographer but don't want to learn to do it themselves. If that description fits you then the cyc wall set up I linked to will be a much better option than a light tent. That kit plus a solid point and shoot and a good tripod and you'd be set for e-bay.

If you want to invest a bit more time (but less money ) into it then I'd recommend reading the books, and hitting up sites like "Learn My Shot", "Photigy", and DIYPhotography.net. DIYPhotography has lots of great tips for buiding light set ups on the cheap, but the site has gotten harder to navigate and search since they recently updated it. Still, the info is there if you take the time to dig it up.

 

[pixelTherapy]

I think the use of a tent is determined by the number and quality of images you need. If you care to light you product individually and have the time to take, yes, learn how to light them individually. However, if you have a high volume of products to shoot and/or just want a real quick setup to get soft light, a tent can come in handy.(especially if you have reflective products) Either way you should certainly come out ahead of most images on ebay.

As for a lense, I like to have a long focal length. This allows me to step back from the subject but frame tightly on it. Most of my product has right angles to them and this helps with perspective. It aids in getting that nice one-sided profile.

For multiple angles, consider a turntable. Pick up a lazy-susan base at a hardware store along with material for a top.