It may seem pretty obvious as a product photographer to make sure you set up your new camera correctly, but many people gloss over some of the most important steps. It can be exciting getting to grips with that shiny new camera, but getting it set up correctly will mean you can start delivering amazing shots for your packshot studio.

We’ve put together some of the basic steps to take to set up your camera, as well as a reminder about how important it is to get the settings right before you start using it.

Start off with the basics

So you’ve got the new camera and taken it out of its box but what is next? Well here are the three most important steps to take with regard to your equipment.

Make sure the battery is charged

The most basic step to take but still one that a product photographer can sometimes gloss over. The battery that comes with your camera will often only be partly charged, which is enough to let you test the camera.

There is a differing opinion out there on whether it is best to let your battery drain first before fully charging it, so take a look at the manufacturer’s manual and see what is advised. It can sometimes help to prolong the life of the battery to do so. This is really important because you want maximum performance and never run the risk of batteries running out when in the middle of a packshot studio shoot.

Format the memory card & set the date, time etc

Every product photographer and packshot studio will have a set of memory cards, which should work with the new camera if you’ve done your homework. A good piece of advice for any new memory cards is to format them to remove any existing folders or software added by the manufacturer.

Aside from the card formatting, make sure to set the camera to the correct date and time so that all data attributed to images on each photoshoot has an accurate time stamp. Some even have a location to help with geotagging your images.

Connect your lens, tripod and other equipment

Depending on the camera you have purchased, it is time to set up the lens, tripod and any other equipment you use as part of your packshot studio service. It is always important to check that existing equipment will work with your preferred camera before purchasing.

By connecting and checking all of your equipment, you can run some tests to make sure that the camera works as required.

Move on to the settings configuration

Now that you have configured the hardware itself, along with any equipment you wish to connect to it you need to focus on configuring the settings.

This requires a whole new article on the different settings, features and functions of your camera but the fundamental requirement here is to get familiar with the modes on the camera. As a product photographer, you want to be able to switch between modes at ease, maximising the quality of each image you take.