Creating interactive 360 degree product images, like those on your favorite shopping site, has traditionally been an expensive and time-consuming task. Foldio360 is a smart photography turntable which has been designed to make the process easier, faster, and able to be undertaken using just a smartphone.
Foldio360 is being launched by OrangeMonkie, the makers of the Foldio lightbox studio, which it is probably best used with. The idea is that, controlled by a companion smartphone app, the turntable can automate producing 360 degree product images by triggering the smartphone (or a camera) as it rotates products up to 5 kg (11 lb) in weight.
Foldio360 is being launched by OrangeMonkie, the makers of the Foldio lightbox studio, which it is probably best used with. The idea is that, controlled by a companion smartphone app, the turntable can automate producing 360 degree product images by triggering the smartphone (or a camera) as it rotates products up to 5 kg (11 lb) in weight.
Using the Foldio360 is said to be as simple as putting it in your Foldio studio (or other light box), placing the product you want to photograph on it, and setting your smartphone on a mini tripod in front of the setup. In the Foldio360 app you can then adjust settings and start photographing, with the 25 cm (10 in) diameter turntable platform rotating incrementally as the smartphone camera snaps away, capturing your item from all angles.
While Bluetooth is used to trigger a smartphone camera, IR can be used to tell a compatible DSLR or mirrorless camera to do the same if you want even better quality images. Photographs can then be compiled into interactive 360 degree images using the app and the Foldio360 Online service. From there they can be embedded into websites and exported as GIFs or MP4s.
The white plastic Foldio360 also has another trick up its sleeve in the form of a Halo Edge light feature. This light is built into the rear of the turntable and helps to eliminate any boundary line caused by the platform of the Foldio360, producing cleaner images.
The Foldio360 project is currently raising funds on Kickstarter, where backers will need to pledge at least US$89 for a turntable, or $139 for the turntable and a Foldio 15 inch portable studio. The $80,000 funding target has already been met, so should everything else go to plan, the Foldio360 is estimated to start shipping in July.
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