Product photography tips: how to set up your camera for the MagicBOX
With a few settings you get the most out of your MagicBOX, with a camera or your smartphone. On this page you can read which camera settings you need for good product photography and how to get a white background with your phone.
Book a free demo Go to the smartphone tips
By Birgitta, MagicBOX · Updated 1 November 2026
In short
- Take the photo in the format you need straight away and put your camera on a tripod, always in the same place.
- Use a camera in M or P mode. If you have little experience of photography, choose P mode.
- Is the background blue or grey? Set the white balance to shade or daylight. Is the product too dark? Turn the exposure (+/-) up.
- With a smartphone, tap the product and slide the sun icon up for a whiter background. On an iPhone, turn HDR off.
What should you always do when photographing products in the MagicBOX?
Shoot in the right format straight away, fill the frame with the product as much as possible and use a tripod.
- Format: take the photo in the format you need for your website. Then you do not have to crop it afterwards, which saves time.
- As large as possible: fill the frame with the product as much as possible. That gives you the best result in colour and light.
- Tripod: a tripod gives you a steady image. Always put the tripod in the same position, so every photo and video is taken from the same viewpoint. That gives your website a calm, consistent look. Some tripods also have a holder for a mobile phone.
Which mode should you set your camera to for product photography?
Shoot in M mode or P mode. If you have little experience of photography, P mode is the best choice.
If your camera is set to automatic, you cannot use the tips below. In P mode the camera sets the ISO, shutter speed and aperture itself, but you can still adjust the white balance, the exposure and the metering. Settings differ per camera, and they also depend on your own preference and taste. Would you like advice before buying a camera? Get in touch with us.
Why is the background blue or grey, and how do you fix it?
The MagicBOX has LED lighting, and a camera on automatic white balance (AWB) sometimes reads that light as blue or grey. So set the white balance manually, for example to shade or daylight.
Check in your camera menu whether you can change the AWB. The blue-grey light then turns white. Try a few light settings and choose what suits your products best.
Why is my product too dark, and how do you make the background whiter?
Because the floor and back of the MagicBOX are lit, your product is often underexposed. You fix this with exposure compensation: the +/- symbol on your camera.
- Find the +/- buttonOn the back of your camera there is a square symbol with +/-. By default it is set to 0.
- Towards + for a light backgroundWith + the background and product get lighter. That makes the white background even whiter.
- Towards – for a dark backgroundWith – everything gets darker. Use this when you work with a black or dark background.
Metering
Try the different metering modes on your camera: matrix (evaluative) metering, centre-weighted metering and spot metering.
Macro for small products
If you shoot close up, switch on macro mode (the tulip symbol). Your camera can then focus, even when you get very close to your product.
Can you take product photos with your smartphone?
Yes. Smartphones now have such good cameras that you do not need a complicated camera for product photography. Almost anyone can use one, even without any knowledge of photography.
The MagicBOX gives a lot of light, while your phone is set for normal use. With one small adjustment you still get a good photo:
- Tap the productTap your product on the screen to focus. A sun icon appears.
- Slide the sunSwipe up or down. Swiping up makes the background whiter.
- No sun icon?If your phone does not have this feature, change the exposure (the EV value) in the camera menu.
There are also plenty of apps for cropping and uploading a photo, for example with your company details, article number or logo. We have had good experiences with the Pixlr app ourselves.
Why do the settings not work on my iPhone?
Some phones, especially the iPhone, have a feature that undoes your manual settings: HDR. Turn HDR off.
- Turn HDR off: switch HDR off in the camera settings. Sometimes you also have to turn it off manually when taking the photo; HDR then shows as on at the top of the screen, even though you switched it off in the settings.
- Live Photos: in Live mode the iPhone takes several photos. When you look back at the photo, you do not always see what you changed manually. Go to edit photo and tap the Live symbol. Choose the best photo from the series and save it as the key photo.
How this works differs per iPhone. You can find more technical information about your phone camera online.
Prefer to set it up together?
At a demo in the showroom in Almere (the Netherlands) or online, we set up your camera or phone together, with your own products. In English if you like.
Where can you find instructional videos?
On our instructional videos page and on our YouTube channel you can see how to use the MagicBOX. Curious what you can make with it? View the examples of product photos by industry.
Frequently asked questions
Which camera mode is best for the MagicBOX?
M mode or P mode. If you have little experience of photography, choose P mode: the camera then sets the ISO, shutter speed and aperture itself, and you adjust the white balance and exposure.
Why do I get a blue or grey background?
Your camera reads the LED light of the MagicBOX as blue or grey. Set the white balance manually to shade or daylight and the background turns white.
How do I make the background whiter with my phone?
Tap the product to focus and slide the sun icon up. If your phone does not have this, change the exposure (EV value) in the camera menu.
Should I turn HDR off on my iPhone?
Yes. HDR undoes your manual settings. Turn it off in the camera settings, and check when taking the photo that it is really off at the top of the screen.
Do I need an expensive camera?
No. With a smartphone you can already take good product photos in the MagicBOX. A camera on a tripod is better suited when you photograph a whole collection. Would you like advice before buying a camera? Get in touch with us.