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Archive 2014 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?

  
 
BostonGreg
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


This will be the first season we're offering a "boothless" photo booth. The setup will be a Canon 5D3 on a tripod with a single Profoto B1 Air and Profoto Air-TTL remote for full ETTL. I have a Westcott rapid box octa for nice soft light and a few Drop It Modern drop options. I'll be shooting about 8 feet from backdrop with the new sigma 35 or 50 art (allowing groups of up to 4 people in each shot with 9x9' drops. I'll have a friend running the booth and she will be triggering the camera with a wired push button trigger.

My question is mainly about printing on location. This is new to us and I need to figure everything ASAP. My first booth package option includes all the images on a dvd with a Facebook gallery to share & tag friends(no albums or prints). Do you offer printing and albums? How many brides opt for the album+prints? Or do most brides only want the disc of images and online gallery? I've seen some really bad photo booths and some great ones. I'd like to do this right and offer what my clients are going to want. Please let me know what your best selling package is and I'd love to see some photos of your setups. I'd like to wire a printer directly to the camera (not a big fan of wi-fi) and this needs to be as easy as possible for my assistant to run with no issues. I do NOT want to bring my laptop so need a quality printer that prints 4x6 or strips directly wired to our camera. I have a good budget for this and want something that produces nice quality glossy prints + will last a few seasons + isn't HUGE and is setup/travel with. Any other suggestions or tips very much appreciated!

Last question- how long do you keep your booth setup for? I'm thinking 1.5 hours starting at the end of dinner? Thanks in advance!



Feb 16, 2014 at 11:51 PM
Mr645
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


I don't think there is a printer that will seemlessly prints as shoat are taken without a computer.
Your set up sounds more like a portrait station then any type of photo booth.

For a photo booth, guests typically like to have props, act silly, see themselves on a monitor and get the strips. It's more about the experience then the photos.

Just get a cheap PC or Mac Mini and look into DSLR remote by Breeze systems. This can automat the whole process. Take control of the camera, printer, graphics and all. Let the assistant hand out props, make sure they don't get lost, enhance the guests experience.

For a printer, I would suggest the RX-1 from DNP



Feb 18, 2014 at 08:36 AM
joelconner
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


Have never tried not tethering to a laptop, and while I know they exist, I am not sure any have the software built in to do 4-up strips directly from camera. Bringing a small laptop is probably not as big of a hassle as you might think.

We only offer two packages...with printing and without. Printing is definitely more popular.

We try to keep our setup up for close to three hours. This can be a drag because it usually means we stay at the reception significantly longer than we normally would.

I would not use a prime lens. That is going to be a big headache when dealing with different size groupings. I would get a zoom (can be a cheaper one), and stop it down to f8. We use the cheaper old 28-135 Canon lens, and it does very well for it. That gives you the option of cropping the various groups more tightly without having to move your tripod

One question...why ttl? If you are shooting in the same place in front of a backdrop, you are much better off on manual so your exposure does not fluctuate. Consistency between images is extremely important, and ttl keeps a variable in place that is potential for problems



Feb 18, 2014 at 10:29 AM
jas262
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


Laptop + Breeze DSLR Pro + DNP DSRX1 ... it will automatically print the photos. I am guessing you already have that equipment (5d, Profoto, etc) but that is way overkill. I have a XTI+18-55+ Alien Bee and it works great.

I only offer prints + jpegs so can't help much on the sales part.



Feb 18, 2014 at 01:24 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


Seeing as this is what we do I can make some recommendations.

First, there is an option that will allow you to print directly from the camera and it can even be wireless depending on the setup.

That would be to use a Canon Selphy Cp900 printer. These are the mini dye sub printers that can print directly from your canon Camera.

Print quality is the same as the commercial dye subs. Print speed is 50 seconds which isn't fantastic but often good enough for weddings. The printers are inexpensive but the paper and media is a little bit on the expensive side. The printers are also super tiny.

Plus with this you can connect to your camera, print from camera. They are small and affordable just not super fast and they don't do 4x6 strips.

Do not buy the DNP. Really don't care who recommends them. They are big and bulky. It's the one thing that really is bad about them. You can buy a Shinko CS2 for $749 that prints 4x6 in 11 seconds I think. Its the smallest full size dye sub printer and is built like a tank.

The down side to these printers are you are going to need laptop or tablet.

Unless the client wants just normal 4x6 prints with no graphic overlay for their names, dates, etc. Then the software really is something you'd need to look into it.

I also wouldn't use Breeze software. There is a lot better software on the market that is not as expensive.



Feb 18, 2014 at 01:46 PM
joelconner
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


aspirebooth wrote:
You can buy a Shinko CS2 for $749 that prints 4x6 in 11 seconds I think. Its the smallest full size dye sub printer and is built like a tank.



That's the printer we use. It rocks.



Feb 18, 2014 at 01:53 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


Yep they are awesome printers that rarely run into issues. The other dye subs you'll find are all larger and substantially heavier. The weight is a big issue for many as some of these printers are 30-40 lbs.

There really isn't a clean way to run the booth without the laptop or a tablet though. I think you would be looking at this from the wrong view point personally. Your looking at this from your view point making this the easiest and simplest solution for you.

You might want to ask yourself what your clients are paying for. I mean if your pricing what you are giving them at a reasonable level then that's fine. But, if you are hoping to be charging what photo booth companies are charging while giving a fraction of the service I think you would be doing an injustice to your clients.




Feb 18, 2014 at 02:01 PM
viscosiphotogr
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


i purchased the dnp rx-1


Feb 18, 2014 at 03:42 PM
eburge
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


"Boothless" photo booth is a good name for your setup since most photobooths are just that.


Feb 18, 2014 at 08:52 PM
BostonGreg
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


Thanks everyone for all the advice. Seems like printing is something we NEED to offer. I changed my order with B&H and rather than a 5D3, we will be using a 6D and the new 28mm f2.8 IS USM prime lens. This freed up some cash and I am going to purchase a die sub printer. I do want to use a prime so I can "set it and forget it" and make things easier on my booth workers. I feel like with the 28mm I can allow 2-6 people in each shot.

Joel- I think you're right. I am going to increase coverage to include 2 hours. However, I want my booth and ladies out-of-there before the end of the night when things get rowdy/broken.

Here is the thing, I will be busy shooting the reception the entire time and my wife and our good friend will be doing the booth. I'm going to get everything setup here at the house, grab a couple bottle of sauvyyy B and have a "training night" where we can do a test run. I want it to be easy enough so that these two can handle everything without me after a few events.

The 6D has Wi-Fi. My main question is how do I print from the 6D without a laptop. Is this possible? Even if I don't use the wi-fi, can I just run a cord?

I am looking at this printer kit. Can I hookup my 6D directly to this printer and be all set?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/966204-REG/dnp_rx1_compact_digital_photo.html/mode/edu

This printer also looks bad ass and is $500 off right now!!
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/726201-REG/HiTi_88D143500A_P720L_Photo_Printer.html/mode/edu

One more thing-there is a killer deal on a 39" Smart TV. It is DLNA capable, meaning I can stream all the photo booth images from my camera to the big-screen. I think the guests will LOVE this. And I use the TV for promotional stuff at the studio when not in use at events.



Feb 19, 2014 at 11:48 PM
BostonGreg
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


If I were to splurge on this printer and buy something like the Fuji ASK 2500 ($1800) would I be able to make prints at home comparable to Millers etc? Or do these places use something much better than dye-sub? If I could produce professional quality small prints at home PLUS have a top-of-the-line printer for my photo booth, I have no problem investing $2k.

I'm just hoping these printers do not require a laptop for simple 4x6 prints. I will NOT be doing the strips...just regular 4x6 prints at weddings. I don't even care about the cheesy borders...although that would be nice to have.

Here is the Fuji ASK 2500 that looks awesome:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/752645-REG/Fujifilm_600009037_ASK_2500_Dye_Sub_Printer.html/mode/edu



Feb 20, 2014 at 12:11 AM
erdons2002
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


6d for a photo booth? that is waaaaay overkill, I have been using a 40d with an 18-55mm kit lens and dslr remote, setting it to ISO 100 and letting my b800 do the work. Hiti 510L printer has been great!


Feb 20, 2014 at 02:42 AM
joelconner
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


I think there are going to be some things you want to change once you get the ball rolling...

The first one, I would wager, is going to be the prime lens. Keep this in mind...people want to see themselves in their prints. For things like this, people usually want it to be a decently tight shot. To get a tighter shot with a 28mm lens, people will have to get pretty close. Hello wide angle distortion. Plus, with a lens like that, where they are going to have to stand is going to vary quite a bit for groups of differing sizes. So, with a prime, they will have to physically move themselves rather than the camera operator moving (unless you plan for the camera tripod to move each time...which would be even more problematic if tethered to a printer). Thus, refocusing and possibly changing the exposure depending on how evenly and wide the light is falling (which with a smaller octa could be a problem).

With a zoom, you set them and adjust accordingly without moving/changing anything (except possibly refocusing, but when stopped down significantly, this is not really a big issue). I think you are walking into a headache going with a prime. The only time a prime makes sense to me is if the situation is controlled and consistent (yours is controlled, but not consistent), or if you are working with a completely automated system where the subjects see themselves on a screen and can frame themselves accordingly.

Not that you are throwing money away getting the 6d, but you are definitely buying WAY more than you need. You will be shooting jpg, and (as erdongs said), the light should be what's doing your work for you. I would be using my old 40D with my booth setup if it supported tethering/liveview, and it would likely do just as good of a job at the 6d (image size and cropped sensor notwithstanding) I am going to be getting a rebel this spring to replace the camera we have been using.

Edited on Feb 20, 2014 at 11:56 AM · View previous versions



Feb 20, 2014 at 10:08 AM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


The 6D is actually a good idea. Using a crappy camera and relying on shooting a lot of light is actually not the best thing you can be doing. It's not uncommon for older people to seriously complain if the lighting is too bright.

All dye subs are going to produce quality that is pretty much not distinguishable from the next. If you have somebody telling you different I'd be scratching my head. They all use mitsubishi media for the most part.

DO NOT BUY IT FROM B&H, ADORAMA, ETC. That will be the biggest mistake you could ever make. Warranty and support you are virtually screwd. Call the guys at Imaging Spectrum. This is what they do and their prices are better than B&H.

I would still tell you get the Shinko CS2. You'll find it's one of the most popular printers out there due to size and weight. The DNP weighs in at 35 LBs. Its the huge draw back with the DNPs.

We use 24mm F2.8's in our booths and we never have any problems and we fit groups in quite easily as our backdrops are 10' feet wide.

I would still think your clients are going to want an overlay to be giving to their friends as a "gift" from the wedding. That is why most people hire a photo booth company is for a wedding favor. You will find a lot of dedicated companies giving a 2 hour service for $495 or less in most markets so just be aware of the pricing of that aspect.

Most booths we book for weddings are in the 3-4 hour range and we only get a handful of requests for 2 hours. For some reason brides tend to prefer the rowdy photos near the end of the night.



Feb 20, 2014 at 11:39 AM
jas262
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


+1 for Imaging Spectrum. I think that printer is overkill. Make sure you factor in the cost of media. I don't care about having top quality prints (I do use the DNP DSRX1) ... I do care about reliability, speed, and cost. Regarding weight, it is not a big deal as I have a cart that moves everything.

I think the prime is fine ... I have an 18-55 lens and it stays at 18mm (on a crop body) 100% of the time.

I promise you are going to run into problems trying to do everything wireless. Something will go wrong and you will be spending time (while everyone is watching you) trying to figure out where the problem is. Put the camera on a tripod, hardwire it to a laptop, and hook up the printer to the laptop. There is nothing worse than spending time during the reception troubleshooting.

Also, have you factored in any backups?



Feb 20, 2014 at 12:02 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


I would agree with the wireless being a nightmare. We stopped even trying to run things wirelessly as there are always communication errors.

The big reason we go with the Shinko printers over the DNPs. There are three reasons.

1. The size. It's roughly half the size of the DNP.

2. The weight. 22 lbs vs 35 lbs.

3. The Shinko is a beast which you'll find out they claim to be Jam free.

The print quality on all of them is going to be so similar. Some people may think one brand is better than the next. Reality is print quality is very similar, print speeds are all within a second or two and the cost is always very near identical.

Have you considered maybe using a 20" All in one touch screen computer to run the events?

I'm telling you right now you are best off using automated software with some sort of computer to do everything. You can buy HP 20 Roves for around $600 that can do everything for you and will simplify your life.



Feb 20, 2014 at 12:15 PM
joelconner
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


question from you last two, though...are you using automated booths or manually operated setups? Maybe I am just ocd, but I know I would have a tough time with a prime if I was doing manually operated. The times we were doing it before, we were always adjusting it between groups. Once we went to automated with a monitor it was not a big deal


Feb 20, 2014 at 12:26 PM
BostonGreg
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


I actually bought the 6D because I can use it all day as a backup to my 1DX (had to be full frame). I also heard from a few people that the 28mm on a APS-C sensor would be WAY to tight for photo booth (46mm).

I agree that wi-fi could be a huge potential problem. I'm going to get the cheapest macbook pro i can find and pick a printer. I will absolutely call Sprectrum-thank you!! I'm still going to do the wi-fi to the DNLA Smart TV for guest viewing while prints are printing/for people in line.

For backdrops, we're going with DROP IT MODERN. I bought two 9x9 drops to start- Greydient and America.

To give you an idea, here is my boy JP's photo booth- this is what I want my photos to look like:
http://elariophotography.com/haydens-photo-booth-picks/

And in addition to the prints, guests will have all the pics put on our Facebook PB page for viewing/tagging. I think thin will bring in likes and new business.
https://www.facebook.com/gregbrettphotobooth

Thanks for all the tips-this all REALLY helps. I think I could have wasted some serious money without your tips.

Two last questions - with the HiTi or these other >$1k printers, I've heard sometimes the prints come out bent since they came on a roll. I think this would be very annoying.

Is there software or a Photo Booth application that help me with location printing. I think it may be nice to do the STRIPS or even 4 images on a single 4x6" print. I do not want to use Lightroom, something easier for my booth staff would be great. It would need to be MAC software. And where is the best place to buy the clear plastic covers for the guests to put their prints in?



Feb 20, 2014 at 12:35 PM
jas262
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


100% automated

Touchscreen Monitor (I have two as this is the one thing that has gone down during an event)
HP Laptop
Breeze DSLR Pro
DNP DSRX1
Canon XTI + 18-55 (can use my normal backup camera if needed)
Alien Bee B800 + Beauty Dish (spare flash tubes)

Everything is hardwired ... the only thing I need to figure out is a backup for my latptop & printer

http://imageshack.com/a/img36/7773/wi0j.jpg



Feb 20, 2014 at 12:36 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Photo Booth Questions - Best printing options?


Ours are automated with an attendant at each event. We use a 10' backdrop so there tends to be a lot of space. We get things setup and get the lens covering the area we want it to cover.

If people want shots that are not as wide they can simply go a step or two forward. The issue I see with a lot of wedding photographer setups is they run manual exposure on the camera and manual light output so often its a WYSIWYG setup.

We have ours setup so that the camera is metering things and we use a constant light source rather than flash so the camera is able to do everything for us.

Guests just touch the screen and it does everything for them. The attendant is there to help with questions, pose people and technical issues that of course seem to arise with portable photo booth setups.

The one big plus we love with the 24mm F2.8 IS is the quality we get. We also find with the way we do our setup we aren't having to stop the camera down to F8 and in then needing super bright lights. We did that when we first got running and we just seemed to get complaint after complaint from older guests that it was too bright.

We've been doing a lot of large corporate events more so now than weddings so we tend to see a bit of everything.

For what it's worth I'd recommend doing anything with a photo booth using TTL lighting rather than a studio strobe. Being able to automate as much as possible while still giving out superior quality is what is important.

The big selling point you need to push across is that most photo booth companies don't know a single thing about photography. They setup this kiosk put it in green screen mode and expect miracles. When things are done properly though a photographer is always going to do a better job at this since we simply know what we are doing.

Doesn't take a genius to setup a camera up in a semi automatic mode, meter lights using TTL and get pretty darn good photos from it.

Edited on Feb 20, 2014 at 12:57 PM · View previous versions



Feb 20, 2014 at 12:37 PM
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