Should I shoot a rotating product as a 360° image set or as video?
Asked 2/26/2018
2 views
2 answers
0
I’m photographing small products like glasses and rings on a motorized turntable. Instead of taking many still photos and combining them into a 360° product viewer, I wondered if it would be easier to just record a short video of the object rotating.
What are the practical pros and cons of shooting a 360° product as a sequence of still images versus shooting video, especially for small objects and online product display?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
3
Video is basically a very fast sequence of relatively low resolution images. Even 4K Ultra-HD is only 8 megapixels per image, so this is your main limiting factor. If your camera can only do Full HD (1080p) than that is less than 2 MP which is very low resolution for most things that would go to print.
Even if the low resolution is sufficient, there are other contributing factor that make the quality of video frames much lower than images. First is compression, in order to get all that data at a sufficiently high frame-rate, most cameras significantly compress each frame, much of the compression is redundant information but there is also a significant loss in terms of color-definition and details, unless one uses a codec like M-JPEG which some cameras do use and is comparable to out-of-camera JPEGs. RAW video does exist but is rare and limited to very high-end cameras.
Again even if you have sufficient resolution and good enough compression, video is limited by its FPS that puts a limit to how long the shutter-speed can be. If you shoot at 30 FPS, then shutter-speed can not go slower than 1/30s to allow the next frame to be captured which forces video to often be shot at a higher ISO, wider aperture which may make details softer and show more vignetting, or both. This is going to detrimentally affect image quality by making frames more noisy.
Finally, digital cameras that capture video use an electronic shutter since they cannot actuate it at the frame rate of video. This causes the lower part of the image to be captured progressively later than the lines above it, resulting in an artifact known as jello effect that causes object in video frames to appear bent.
It does not matter if you do 360° around your objects, big or small, quality of video will always be lower than images from the same camera.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
It depends on the final use, but for most 360° product displays, a sequence of still photos is the better choice.
Stills give you much higher image quality and control. Even 4K video is only about 8MP per frame, and 1080p is under 2MP. Video frames are also usually more compressed, with less detail and color information than a photo. With stills, you can use the exact aperture, shutter speed, and exposure you want, which is especially helpful for small products where depth of field and lighting matter.
Video is simpler if your end result is actually a video, such as a promo clip or social media post. If the output is only going on a web page and resolution needs are modest, video may be acceptable, provided your camera records high enough quality.
Pros of still-image 360s:
- higher resolution
- better detail and color
- more exposure and depth-of-field control
- better for print or zoomable web views
Pros of video:
- easier capture workflow
- ideal if the final deliverable is a video
In short: use stills for interactive 360° product photography; use video when you specifically need video.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I shoot a full 60-second product rotation on a Canon 550D without the burst stopping?
How do you shoot a 360° rotating product image with a turntable?
Why does cross-polarization fail when I move the camera or rotate a large subject?
How can I make rhinestones and other sparkly objects look more sparkly in photos?
How can I create a rotatable 3D-style bonsai view for a website without an expensive 3D scanner?