Best Product Photography Tools in 2022

CloudPano Editorial Team
April 30, 2024
5 min read
Share this post

In this digital age, product photography is more important than ever. Whether you're selling online or in a physical store, customers need to be able to see what they're buying. And with the competition as fierce as  it is, you can't afford to have lousy product photos.

That's why it's crucial to have the best tools for the job. In this article, we'll discuss some of the best tools for product photography and how to use them. So, whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, there's something here for you.

Best Cameras for Product Photography

A good camera is the first and most important tool you need for product photography. This doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive camera, but a camera that's good for close-up, detail-oriented shots.

Alternatively, you'll need a camera with a fast shutter speed if you're shooting products in motion like cars or sporting goods. This will help you freeze the action and get sharp, blur-free photos.

Best Light for Product Photography

No matter what camera you're using, you'll need good lighting to get great product photos. Poor lighting can make even the best cameras produce less than stellar results.

There are a few factors to consider when choosing lighting for product photography. First, you'll need to decide whether you want natural or artificial light.

Natural light is always our first choice. It's free, and it's easy to find a good spot to shoot. However, ensure you avoid direct sunlight, as it can create harsh shadows and blown-out highlights.

Artificial lighting is the next best thing if you can't find a good spot for natural light. You can use studio lights, desk lamps, or even your camera's built-in flash. Experiment a bit to find the lighting that works best for your products. Depending on need, you could use:

Godox FV150 - Strobe and continuous light

Godox V1 Flash - Speedlite

Best Lens for Product Photography

Once you have a good camera and good lighting, the next step is to choose the right lens. The lens you choose depends on the product you're shooting and the look you're going for.

For example, if you're shooting small items like jewelry, you'll want a macro lens. This will allow you to get close to your subject and capture all the details.

You'll want a zoom lens to shoot larger items, like furniture or appliances. This will allow you to get close-up shots without moving your camera physically.

And if you're shooting products in motion, like cars or sporting goods, you'll want a fast shutter speed. This will help you freeze the action and get sharp, blur-free photos.

Here are a few of our favorite lenses for product photography:

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens 

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens

Sigma 85mm  f/1.4  DG HSM  Art  Lens

360 Product Photography Software

There are a few things to remember when choosing software for 360 product photography. First, you'll need to decide whether you want a standalone program or a plugin.

Standalone programs are great if you're just getting started with 360 product photography. They're usually easier to use and don't require any additional software.

For example, CloudPano provides users with 360 virtual tours and photography software that helps them visualize a product, service, or location from all angles. This is one of the best tech for product photography software as it helps businesses create virtual tours of their products or services. In addition, it boosts customer confidence and satisfaction and allows customers to see products in new and innovative ways. All this can help increase sales.

In conclusion, product photography can be a challenging but rewarding task. It's important to choose the right camera, lighting, and lens for your product. Once you have those basics down, it's time to experiment with various software options. There are various great standalone programs available, so there's sure to be one that fits your needs. Sign up with CloudPano today to try out 360 Virtual Tours. With a little practice and some patience, you'll be able to create beautiful product photo and video tours that help sell your products online.

Conclusion

In today's digital landscape, product photography is an essential aspect of successful marketing. Whether online or in-store, high-quality visuals are paramount. This article highlights the best tools for the job, catering to both beginners and seasoned photographers. From choosing the right camera, lighting, and lens to exploring 360 product photography software like CloudPano, it's a comprehensive guide to elevate your product photography game. Invest in the right tools and techniques to capture your products in their best light and boost your sales potential.

Visit CloudPano.com and embark on your journey towards creating captivating virtual tours that leave a lasting impression.

Share this post
CloudPano Editorial Team

Choose The Right 360° Camera

Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition

  • Compact, ready to go anywhere

  • Interchangeable lens that’s upgradeable

  • Dual 1-inch sensors for improved clarity and low light performance

  • Dynamic range and 6K 360° capture

  • 360° photo resolution at 21MP

Learn More

Insta360 X4

  • 8K 360° video recording for ultra-detailed visuals.

  • 4K single-lens mode for traditional wide-angle shots.

  • Invisible selfie stick effect for drone-like perspectives.

  • 2.5-inch touchscreen with Gorilla Glass protection.

  • Waterproof up to 33ft for underwater shooting.

Learn More

Ricoh Theta Z1

  • 360° photo resolution in 23MP

  • Slim design at 24 mm thick

  • Built-in image stabilization for smooth video capture.

  • Internal 19GB storage for photo and video storage.

  • Wireless connectivity for remote control and sharing.

Learn More

Ricoh Theta X

  • 60MP 360° still images for high-resolution photography.

  • 5.7K 360° video recording at 30fps.

  • 2.25-inch touchscreen for intuitive control.

  • USB Type-C port for fast charging and data transfer.

  • MicroSD card slot for expandable storage.

Learn More
Property Marketing
Allows potential buyers to explore properties in detail from anywhere, enhancing the real estate marketing process.
Automotive Spins
Create an interactive virtual showroom and engage affluent digital buyers with live 360º video calls, all through the CloudPano mobile app for a complete automotive sales solution.
Interactive Floor Plans
Create 2D and 3D floor plans with measurements in 4 minutes or less, all from your phone. Download the Floor Plan Scanner app and get your first scan free.

360 Virtual Tours With CloudPano.com. Get Started Today.

Try it free. No credit card required. Instant set-up.

Try it free
Latest posts

See our other posts

Interviews, tips, guides, industry best practices, and news.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Unbranded Virtual Walkthrough Link

This high-level article provides an authoritative, technical breakdown of how real estate agents and brokerages can structure virtual walkthrough URLs that satisfy rigid Multiple Listing Service (MLS) rules. Written from the perspective of an experienced Real Estate Marketing Strategist who has dealt directly with compliance enforcement, the article addresses a critical shift in the industry: real estate boards no longer just audit visible text, logos, or agent headshots—they utilize automated security scrapers to audit backend source code. Many agents face unexpected fines and data feed suspensions because their unbranded links are hosted on domains that feature underlying analytics scripts, tracking pixels, or digital rights management tracking cookies. These hidden trackers violate the absolute data neutrality required by cooperative broker networks. The article outlines a systematic solution through specialized real estate video software that works with MLS rules. By using advanced photogrammetry to turn standard 2D property photos into dimensionally accurate 3D spatial models, the platform automatically generates dual-stream assets from a single image upload. It simultaneously creates a highly branded, high-conversion vertical (9:16) video link optimized for social media feeds, and an entirely sanitized, white-label widescreen (16:9) horizontal walkthrough link hosted on a clean content delivery network (CDN) engineered to pass automated MLS scans.
Read post

Choosing an AI real estate marketing software for agents That Won't Trigger Board Fines

This expert article provides an essential guide for modern real estate professionals on how to evaluate and select artificial intelligence tools that scale video production without incurring devastating Multiple Listing Service (MLS) penalties. Written from the first-hand perspective of a senior Real Estate Marketing Strategist who has navigated severe board fines and broker frustrations, the article exposes the hidden compliance liabilities built into generic consumer media software. Many agents assume that a video is safe for public real estate portals as long as it does not display a visible logo or phone number. However, the piece reveals the technical reality: lower-tier media builders routinely embed backend tracking pixels, unverified vendor scripts, and hidden creator metadata within font or audio containers. When these files reach automated listing networks like Matrix, Paragon, or Flexmls, they are instantly flagged as unauthorized lead-capture mechanisms, resulting in thousands of dollars in administrative fines or total suspension of a brokerage’s automated IDX data syndication feed. The piece introduces a specialized workflow using an AI real estate marketing software for agents that prioritizes structural compliance at the point of ingestion. By leveraging advanced photogrammetry to translate 2D property photos into 3D coordinate meshes, the platform builds smooth virtual camera trajectories that are mathematically bound to the home's true dimensions. This ensures absolute compliance with consumer transparency laws and regional board rules while simultaneously bifurcating the asset production into two isolated streams: an engine optimized for branded, vertical social media feeds, and an entirely sanitized, widescreen unbranded output prepared for flawless portal syndication.
Read post

How to Make MLS Compliant Real Estate Videos: Avoid MLS Violations from Branded Content

This article explains how Realtors can create MLS-compliant real estate videos without risking branded content violations, fines, or listing feed issues. It breaks down the difference between branded social media videos and unbranded MLS-safe video assets, explains common compliance risks like metadata, hosting pages, captions, thumbnails, and AI-generated edits, and shows how PhotoAIVideo.com can help agents turn property photos into clean listing videos faster. The article positions AI video automation as a practical workflow for creating both MLS-compliant videos and branded marketing versions from the same approved listing photos.
Read post