In this guide, we’ll look at the easiest way to take photos of your gear for sale on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or any other online sale site.
When selling your gear, especially camera gear, you want to showcase each piece to attract buyers and optimize your outcomes.
We’ve all seen photos online of items for sale – the ones that tend to stand out the most fall into two categories.
First, some are too dark, blurry, or don’t show enough detail. Or they’re taken from too far away!
The second lot includes those that pop and stand out from the pack.
With a few simple and affordable tools and supplies, you can achieve outstanding images of your photography gear or anything you want to showcase and earn top dollar.
What’s more, I’ll take you behind the scenes to see how I capture gear shots for my camera and lens reviews right here on Shotkit.
Let’s get started!
Why Bother With Pro Photos
When we’re looking to buy a pre-owned camera or lens, we tend to head to one of a few key places.
eBay is the most popular online commerce site for buying and selling second-hand and hard-to-find products.
Do a search on eBay for any camera, lens, tripod, or camera bag, and you’ll return countless vendors selling everything from brand new to “well-loved” gear.
The second popular trading site is Facebook Marketplace. Once again, everything from vintage lenses to third-party batteries is available for purchase.
I also advise a healthy dose of caution when buying and selling second-hand camera gear. Check out our guide to buying and selling second-hand photography equipment here.
Have you ever noticed the quality of the product images that appear with a sale listing?
Not everyone is a photographer with a knack for captivating product shots.
However, achieving standout images with minimal gear is possible – more on that later.
The point is that higher-quality product photos can make your sale listing stand out from the pack of bland smartphone snaps.
Taking the time to prepare, plan, and master product photos ensures that your images tell a story and attract more high-quality interactions.
Consider eBay listings for a popular camera for sale. You scroll through countless listings that all look similar.
Every featured image is a camera sitting on a table or the carpeted floor, with a white wall for a background.
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Or, the seller has tried to use their bedspread as a backdrop. Either way, the images look rubbish, and you scroll past them without caring.
They’re poorly lit, details are lost in the shadows, and the product’s condition can’t be accurately determined.
That’s why you need better photos of your gear to sell on eBay or Facebook marketplace.
With quality images, your listing will pop out from the hum-drum listings with vanilla images.
Getting the right look lets potential buyers get a clear idea of the product’s condition, details, and components.
Let’s face it: When products are displayed appealingly, the temptation to buy and own them increases.
Elevate the look of your for-sale cameras and lenses and showcase how good your gear is.
The Shopping List – Product Photography Essentials
As mentioned, capturing stunning, high-quality images of your photography gear for sale is not difficult.
If you’re keen to get into product photography, listing products for sale is an excellent gateway into the genre.
What’s more, it doesn’t take a grand investment in a complex lighting kit or hiring a studio space to make it happen.
Setting up is simple and affordable, with only a handful of crucial elements to make a start.
Who knows, you might find your jam and turn it into a business – then you can invest in complex gear and a studio!
Let’s take a look at the shopping list.
Single Light Source
Mastering product shots of your camera gear for sale on eBay or Facebook marketplace doesn’t require expensive equipment.
However, an essential tool is required to achieve optimal outcomes.
A single light source is all you need to capture stunning product images that stand out from the crowd.
While an on-camera flash is suitable, it adds unnecessary complexity when controlling exposure.
Plus, on-camera, or built-in flash, tends to cast unappealing shadows that are hard to correct in editing software.
I highly recommend a single small LED panel that delivers constant light.
It’s far easier to set up a light to highlight your product and then adjust camera settings to take the shot.
An LED panel is easy to place in different positions around the product to highlight the gear’s various features.
For my product shots, I use a single Aputure MC RGBWW LED Video Light with variable bi-color light temperature and RGB output.
It’s rechargeable and can be controlled manually on the LED unit or via a handy app on my iPhone.
I mount the Aputure MC on a Manfrotto PIXI tabletop tripod. It sits relatively low to the surface of my desk and casts a controllable amount of light.
As a result, I quickly change the light’s location, direction, strength, and warmth to suit the shot.
Making the most of any available light in the room is also essential. The best shots are taken in a room with good daytime light flooding in.
The single LED adds drama, pushes back shadows, and adds depth to a camera or lens photo.
The LED light and tabletop tripod are the only significant expense on your shopping list.
While you can opt for pro-level products, picking up cheap alternatives on Amazon is possible.
Alternatively, an LED desk lamp is an excellent substitute – sometimes I use one along with my Aputure MC.
Backdrops
The only other item on your shopping list is a backdrop.
I’ve reviewed many cameras and lenses, so I’ve taken many product shots for articles.
I find that camera gear looks best when photographed with a black background.
Granted, there are times when a contrasting background is necessary, but for the most part, tech looks best in black.
The best backdrops cost less than $5. Therefore, I purchase heavy-duty cards or foam boards with a matte black finish.
Depending on the size of the products, I typically work with A3 (297 x 420mm / 11.7 x 16.5”) or A2 (420 x 594mm / 16.5 x 23.4”) sizes.
I work with two sheets of the same board to ensure a consistent look and finish.
Where To Set Up
Camera gear is far easier to photograph than oversized items like televisions or furniture. As a result, you don’t need a large space.
Don’t kick your adult kids out of their bedroom or rent a studio just yet. Patience, my friend, your time will come.
Any flat, clean, and dust-free surface is perfect. Anywhere closer to a window lets you make the most of any available natural light.
Working from a desk, kitchen counter, or even down on the floorboards works.
I take most of my product shots on one end of my desk. It’s only a small desk that my iMac, desk lamp, and keyboard mostly occupy.
The Simplest Product Shot Layout
Setting up a product shot of your camera or lens is super easy.
Ensure that your work surface is clean and free of dust. Don’t set up in a high-traffic zone, as floating dust can be your worst enemy with this style of shoot.
Set one piece of card or foam board horizontally on your work surface.
Set the second piece at a 90° vertical leaning against a wall or prop it up with something behind it.
The vertical card should face toward you. You’re now ready to position your camera or lens in the composition.
Before setting your camera or lens down to be photographed, clean it with a microfiber cloth and a small brush to remove dust or hair.
For some reason, pet hairs tend to cling to tech. Clean the front lens glass and/or the camera LCD screen.
Place your camera or lens on the horizontal board facing towards you. Keep a distance of 5cm (2”) between the product and the rear vertical board.
Tilt the product by a 30° angle from the vertical backdrop to create interest and dynamic angles.
The next step is to place your LED light and tripod.
If the LED is bi-color, set it to a cool temperature. Warm temperature lights make products and highlights look yellow.
Place the LED to the left or right side of the product, facing it at a 45° angle.
Adjust the height and angle of the light to achieve good product coverage without overly highlighting the background vertical board.
Experiment with the strength of the LED to ensure you get enough detail without overexposing the images.
The Best Camera and Lens
Fujifilm X-E4 + XF 50mm f/2
If shooting product shots with a digital mirrorless camera, ensure that you enable autofocus so the camera will warn you if you get too close to the product for a clean shot.
While we’ll discuss camera settings later, having the right lens for the job is important.
Depending on the size of the product and what lenses you already have, you don’t want a lens that’s too wide.
I shoot with either a Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 or XF 50mm f/2 on my Fujifilm X-E4. However, if you have an 18-55mm or 24-70mm zoom, use that.
Don’t be afraid to get close or zoom in if shooting with a smartphone.
Camera Settings
Understanding the exposure triangle is a necessary lesson in any photography genre, and photographing your camera gear for sale is no exception.
Manual camera control ensures optimal exposure and image quality.
Aperture
The aperture makes all the difference in taking great photos of your gear for sale.
Aperture allows you to control depth, light, and core compositional elements.
For example, to achieve focus on the entire product, set the aperture to f/8. Ensure that the product is moved away from the backdrop.
Alternatively, to emphasize specific elements of the product, use a wider aperture between f/2.8 and f/5.6 and focus on those elements.
Remember that the wider the aperture, the finer the slice of the product that’s in focus.
Wide apertures achieve more significant background blur while the product is in focus.
Experiment with apertures and review the outcomes on the camera.
Shutter Speed
A slow shutter speed is recommended because the products will be stationary, and your available light will be limited.
However, too slow a shutter can result in a camera shake and blurry images. If you have trouble keeping a steady hand, mount your camera to a tripod.
I typically shoot handheld for product shots with a 1/60 or 1/125 second shutter speed.
ISO
ISO controls the quality of the light hitting the image sensor.
The image will suffer from excessive grain or noise if the setting is too dark and the ISO is set too high.
Noise refers to the degradation of pixel quality caused by the sensor’s inability to determine the correct exposure.
I set the ISO to between 800 and 3200 depending on the available light.
It’s Time To Take The Shot
With your product on the backdrop, take various shots at f/8 from multiple angles and at varying distances between the camera and the subject.
Don’t be afraid to get in close while retaining a sharp focus.
Move the LED light from one side of the product to the other and alter the angle of the product in relation to the focal plane of the camera and the plane of the vertical backdrop.
Widen the aperture to f/5.6 and then f/4 and repeat the above process.
Remember that the camera sensor captures higher light levels as the aperture widens.
To compensate for a wider aperture, dial back the ISO, increase the shutter speed, or, if possible, dial down the light’s power.
Finally, widen the aperture to f/2.8 or f/2 to capture sharp details of specific product elements.
Again, remember to shoot from different angles and adjust the shutter speed, ISO, and LED light to compensate for the increase in exposure.
Lastly, place the camera on the horizontal card facing up. Capture a top-down shot of your gear, similar to those featured on Shotkit.
Take your entire range of images, ensuring you frame the product in shots and closer shots of details.
The golden rule is that if you’re in doubt about aperture, stick with f/8. You’re now ready to edit.
Fundamentals Of Editing Product Shots
Complete the image import and then delete any unwanted images
Editing product images of camera gear doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking, and there are no hard and fast rules or formulas for success.
However, there are a handful of fundamental elements to the post-production workflow to achieve striking product images:
- Delete unnecessary images
- Keep the mood dark but not too dark
- Don’t be afraid of dynamic angles
- Crop and rotate to showcase specific product details
- Avoid color saturation, and don’t be fearful of monochrome shots
- Remove all the dust!
My Editing Process
Rather than repeating existing product photo editing processes, I thought sharing my workflow with you was best.
My Setup
Crop and rotate for drama
I use Adobe Lightroom on my 7-year-old iMac to edit my RAW Fuji images.
With the images imported into a new Lightroom catalog, it’s time to cull! I delete duplicates, overexposed images, and out-of-focus images.
Regardless of how many images I initially captured, I select 10-20 photos to edit for the listing on eBay or Marketplace.
Editing product photos takes much time and concentration to get the best look.
As a result, I don’t want to spend that much time on dozens and dozens of potential images.
I crop and rotate the frame with the selected images to achieve the best look.
Exposure Control
I adjust the Exposure tool to increase or decrease an image’s overall exposure. I strive for a darker-is-better-than-lighter approach.
I also find it essential to edit dark and underexposed images, as the detail can be pulled out from the shadows – especially with RAW files.
Under-exposed images also ensure that the background remains dark and in shadow while the product is effectively lit.
Next, I use the Highlights, Shadows, Blacks, and Whites tool to fine-tune the shot’s overall exposure.
With these tools, I push back highlights and pull details out of the shadows. However, I tend to keep the shadow darker than any other shot style.
Additional Adjustments
I avoid touching the Vibrance or Saturation tool and, if anything, prefer to apply a Fujifilm film simulation like Classic Chrome or Classic Neg.
Either way, I keep the color saturation or look to a minimum.
I make minimal adjustments to Sharpness and will address any noticeable grain or noise with the Denoise slider. It’s essential not to overdo the noise management.
It’s Time To Dust!
It’s time to remove every single spec of dust
One of the most critical aspects of product photography is to remove spots. Spots are tiny pixel-sized blemishes that appear on an image.
They’re caused by dust and fine hairs sitting on the product when the photo was taken.
Working in a pure and filtered environment is impossible, and dust and hair are everywhere. Especially in my home with five cats and two dogs!
Spot removal is critical to achieve ultra-clean and professional-looking gear shots.
Dust and hair on your listed items can suggest to buyers that the gear isn’t well cared for.
To address this, I zoom in on the image in Lightroom to clean a section at a time.
By enabling the Remove tab on the right-hand tool list, I select a spot, and Lightroom automatically chooses a clean spot with a matching color, tone, and exposure.
I can adjust the selection tool’s size to match the spot’s size perfectly.
It’s not always 100% accurate, so I ensure I’m happy with the clean spot the software selects.
While tedious, I take as much time as necessary to eliminate all spots. It’s also essential to clean spots on the foam board backdrops.
It’s important to not attempt to hide scratches or permanent marks on the lens – your sale listing must be honest and accurate.
Heavy Vignetting
In some circles, vignetting is taboo! However, like any creative application, there’s a time and a place for everything.
I apply the post-crop vignetting tool in Lightroom to frame the product and deepen the shadow at the edges of the image.
That way, the product is pushed forward to elevate its presence in the image.
I typically apply -20 to -30 Vignetting and ensure it’s feathered to around +80. Trial and error is the best way to learn.
It’s time to export your pro product shots and upload them to your eBay or Marketplace listing.
Final Words
If you want to sell your camera or lenses via an online marketplace, you must take high-quality product shots.
Cameras and lenses retain their resale value and return high prices – especially if you care for your gear correctly.
Doing the job properly is worth the time and small financial investment to attract more buyers and sell your gear for top dollar.
Besides, selling your gear for the best possible price means you have more cash to buy that macro lens you were drooling over in the camera store.
My final bit of advice is to plan, prepare, and practice product photos of your precious photography gear for perfection!
That’s 8 Ps. Remember the 8 Ps, and you’ll do great.
Credit : Source Post
