How can I get sharper product photos on a pure white background for Amazon?
Asked 10/8/2020
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2 answers
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I’m shooting product photos for Amazon on a white (255) background, but when viewers zoom in the images don’t look as sharp as I want. I’m using two softboxes and have been shooting around ISO 400 and 1/125 sec. I thought my lens only went to f/5.4, so I’m wondering if aperture is the problem, or if I need to fill more of the frame to avoid losing detail when cropping. What settings or setup changes would help improve sharpness and keep the product edges clean on a white background?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
6
I only used a lens which only goes up to f5.4, is this the issue?
The F-number in lens specs is usually the max aperture (lowest F-number). Most lenses are capable of closing the aperture to obtain smaller apertures (higher F-number).
Make sure the entire product fits within the Depth of Field. DOF is region around the focal plane where subjects will appear sufficiently sharp. It is influenced by the following factors:
- Aperture. Smaller apertures (higher F-number) increase depth of field. You can try something in the F8-11 range. At F2.8-5.6, DOF may not be great enough to contain the subject. At F16-22, diffraction usually degrades the image.
- Focal length. Shorter focal lengths increase depth of field.
- Distance to subject. Greater distances increase depth of field.
Other factors involved are circle of confusion, magnification, and viewing size. If you're pixel peeping full-resolution images, you probably won't find any single image to be sufficiently sharp throughout. However, most product images are not shown at pixel-peeping sizes.
I was on iso 400 which I have read that this would be best used on 100 to reduce noise.
Since the product is not moving, you can use use longer exposure times needed for lower ISO if you use a tripod.
I also took the shot on 125 shutter speed as Didn’t have a shutter release until recently ordered one.
Most cameras have self-timers that can be used when remote releases are not available. Some cameras can be triggered remotely by apps.
Any tips on how to improve would be greatly appreciated.
Experiment with different settings until you figure out what you like.
Consider using a polarizing filter to cut down reflections.
Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75526
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A few things can affect sharpness here.
First, f/5.4 is likely your lens’s widest aperture, not its only aperture. For product shots, try stopping down to around f/8 to f/11 so the whole item stays within depth of field. Wider settings like f/2.8–f/5.6 can leave parts of the product soft, while very small apertures like f/16–f/22 can reduce sharpness from diffraction.
Also, avoid heavy cropping if possible. Filling more of the frame with the product will preserve more detail for Amazon’s zoom feature.
If light levels are low, use a tripod and your shutter release so you can keep ISO lower instead of raising it to 400. Lower ISO can help reduce noise and preserve fine detail.
Your background setup may also be contributing: if the white background is too close to the product, it can make edges look soft. Move the subject farther from the background, or aim for near-white and finish the background in post.
In short: use a tripod, lower ISO if you can, stop down to about f/8–f/11, fill more of the frame, and separate the product from the background.
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