When we first bought the Photo Camper, it was so interesting to learn about all of the different moving parts that make up a photo booth.
Whether you’re thinking about starting your own photo booth biz, or you’re just wondering what type of high-quality equipment is used in the Photo Camper at events, here is a list of what goes into ours.
Software
What we use: DSLR Booth
Our thoughts on it so far: We have been pretty happy with this software! It works fairly well. It does have a few quirks but they’re easy to navigate once you get the hang of it.
Camera
What we use: Canon T3i
Our thoughts on it so far: Generally any Nikon or Canon DSLR camera will work with any photobooth software. I can’t say I’m too happy with the T3i, but I think it is mostly due to it being a lower-end camera that I don’t know the menu structure too well. We can’t use the auto shoot due to our recessed mounting hiding the light sensors and getting the manual settings dialed in has been a little tricky. However, since the photo strips are so small the granular details of quality matter less. You can really only see them if you blow up the original raw images.
Lens
What we use: 18-55mm (standard with camera)
Our thoughts on it so far: We just use the standard lens that comes with the camera. We could probably get better-quality images with a fixed zoom lens, but I don’t really think it’s worth the time or money.
Computer
What we use: Macbook Air
Our thoughts on it so far: We have the lowest-tier Macbook Air. It is a 2022 version so it’s still pretty fast. DSLR booth has some minimum computer specs on their website. I think we are slightly under those, and it has really only been noticeable sometimes with a little bit of lag in the software. It could be the lack of system resources or it could be a combination with the USB communication with the camera.
Flash
What we use: Godox DP400III with Godox X2T trigger
Our thoughts on it so far: We recently bought this flash to hopefully help with our lighting and image quality. It is still TBD if it is going to help or be mostly a headache.
Printer
What we use: DNP DS-RX1HS
Our thoughts on it so far: Overall, we are pretty happy with this printer. We use 4×6 paper and the printer has a built-in cutter that slices the strips. It can be a little slow, but I don’t know if there are any faster ones out there.
Lighting
What we use: LED light bulbs and Clamped Work Light
Our thoughts on it so far: We have a couple of 200w LEDs in some basic reflectors. We have a diffusal cloth over the lights. We also have a few LED strips running the length of the camper. Overall there is plenty of ‘model’ light in the camper; however, it can be hard to pick up a good image if it’s dark outside. This is one of the main reasons we are adding a flash.
Our goal is to not only provide a super fun experience for people but also to provide high-quality photos that will last. We’re excited to see how the quality of photos and the overall experience in the photo booth will only keep getting better!