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This is
a very long page containing lots of information about TableTop
Studio, the EZcube and our Specialist EZcube Photography Kits.
You can use the menu below to jump further down the page to the
section that particularly interests you, or simply scroll down the
page to browse.
If you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask
'jo@tabletopstudio.co.uk'
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About TableTop Studio
We are the
premier supplier of product photography equipment for websites,
e-commerce, brochures, eBay,
cataloguing, research, archive and more. Our specialist kits
are ideal for for all
product photography, jewellery, glass, ceramics, collectables,
antiques, watches, coins,
computer equipment, shoes, clothing, toys, flowers, cakes, portraits
(pets and people), pack shots and full studio photography.
We also supply a full range of bespoke custom accessories and we
and always have spare bulbs available.
We are the
authorised European distributor of the World famous EZcube®
(easy-cube).
Our
aim is to help you to produce professional quality images for
use on web pages and on eBay. Anyone compiling web pages - from
sellers and collectors to information sites and companies - needs to
be able to produce fantastic quality images quickly, professionally
and inexpensively themselves. Our products are ideal for anyone
with a website, selling on eBay or who just wants to photograph their
personal collection or exchange digital images with friends.
We believe that even inexperienced and
non-technical people can create excellent images without spending a fortune
and without having to spend a lot of time learning about special photography
techniques or going to the expense of employing a professional photographer.
And it's Easy! Set up your Kit and be producing Professional Images in
less than 20 minutes.
All our Kits are Bespoke and made up for each individual customer. If
you have any special requirements we will be happy to put a kit
together just for you.
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All purchases
are backed up by our Unique
Customer Advice and Technical Support Service.
We understand that not everyone is a photographic expert and that
sometimes help is required. We never just sell Kits and then
leave you to work it out for yourself. We are always on hand to
advise on camera suitability, help with camera settings and
lighting queries and to give any assistance you might need.
We are always happy to emulate your requirements in our own studio
in order to give you the best advice.
If you have
any questions, we would always encourage you to ask before you
purchase. Let us know what type of items you want to photograph
and any special effects you are seeking and we will be pleased to
suggest a suitable Kit for you, or make one up!
More about the EZcube®
What is an
EZcube?
("easy"-cube)
The EZcube
photographic light tent is designed for producing professional images of
virtually any kind of object. The six sides of the EZcube and the
Background Sweep are made of a translucent material that diffuses the light to
surround the item in beautiful soft light. This avoids glare, shadows and
hotspots on the image. The EZcube provides a seamless, uncluttered pure
white background
The
top, bottom, and sides of the EZcube
tent are made of translucent, durable, colour neutral fabric to completely
surround your product in beautiful soft light.
The top quality, pure white, specialist photographic fabric was chosen for
its unique ability to transmit and distribute light evenly from all sides,
including the top and bottom. This means that
you can also rotate the EZcube
to photograph down from above
The
EZcube comes in five convenient sizes of 12", 20",
30", 40" and 55"
The EZcube® is the
most advanced light tent on the market.
What does
the EZcube do?
What Features does the EZcube have?
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Zipped
Front Panel
Two way zip provides total flexibility for camera positioning for
photographing reflective items, prevents undiffused light from
entering through the front |
Zipped Top
Panel
Easy top access to position item without disturbing the camera and
tripod set up and also allows the EZcube to be used upside down over
fixed objects
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New EZrigging System
The new 2007 EZcube has a
built in support structure to allow the use of the new EZrigging
system to invisibly suspend small objects in the air -
currently available on the 12", 20" and 30" EZcubes. |
Note: The 55" EZcube
does not have a Zipped Top Panel
What is Special about
the EZcube?
The owners of EZcube
have gone to great lengths to make the EZcube the best light tent available
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1) Softens,
reflects and intensifies light
2) Bathes
object in even light, reducing shadows
3)
Eliminates glare and hot spots (also known as CCD bloom)
4)
Works with daylight or artificial light
5) Includes
a seamless background for clutter-free shots |
6)
Eliminates
unwanted reflections
7)
Allows for easy insertion of range of coloured backgrounds
8)
Easy to set up and easy to store
9) Folds up into a hand storage and carrying case
10)
Includes Comprehensive EZcube Manual |
How do you use an
EZcube?
The EZcube is a very easy to
use - simply place the object to be photographed in
the EZcube and light from two sides. There's no need for flashes or
strobes. We recommend using daylight balanced fluorescent 5000k lights since they
mimic the colour of natural daylight in the UK (so they don't conflict with
light from windows), they have good colour balance and won't get hot like incandescent lights.
However, many light sources can be used including sunlight or standard
incandescent lights
What does the
EZcube include?
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EZcubes come with:
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White Background Sweep |
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A Two-Way Zipped Front
Panel |
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A Carrying Case |
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Comprehensive
20 page EZcube User's Guide |
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What Accessories are there for the EZcube?
There
is a great range of custom accessories for the EZcube
About the EZstaging System
The
Unique EZcube®
- New Design, Endless Possibilities
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What Features does the 2007 EZcube have?
The 2007 EZcube include the
advanced built-in EZrigging support feature. Used with the additional
EZstaging Kit this allows small items to be suspended or supported in numerous
innovative new ways. Small items that are difficult to support by
themselves can now be suspended using the EZrigging System, making it possible
to produce shadowless and natural-looking images in a way not previously
possible.
These features are available on the 12", 20", 30"
and 40" EZcubes
EZstaging Kits are available in 12", 20" and 30" - choose the size to match your
2007 EZcube.
As
always, EZcube is staying miles ahead of all other light tents by introducing
these unique advanced features |
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Below are some examples of what is possible with
the EZcube and the EZrigging System |
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In this first example, a sun
catcher is suspended inside the 20" EZcube using the EZrigging
support system and the EZstaging Accessory Kit. The built-in
EZrigging supports the additional support rod from which the sun catcher is
suspended using "invisible thread" (a very fine translucent strand).
One EZclip is used to hold the thread tightly. The EZclip is able to
rotate through 360 degrees allowing the sun catcher to be rotated into any
position or angle. The background is then easily removed using photo
editing software such as Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. |
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In this
second example, a pair of Swarovski chandelier earrings are suspended
inside the 20" EZcube using
the EZrigging support system and the EZstaging Accessory Kit.
The earrings are suspended using "invisible thread" held by two EZclips,
whilst a small black background is held in place behind the earrings using
one EZclip suspended from the support rod. The "invisible thread" is
then easily removed from the final image. |
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In this
third example, a pair of Swarovski crystal earrings
are suspended at different heights
inside the 20" EZcube using the EZrigging support system and the
EZstaging Accessory Kit. The earrings are suspended using two
pieces of "invisible thread", each earring being held by a separate thread
and a separate EZclip. A small white paper background is held in place behind the earrings using
one flexible EZarm. A second flexible EZarm is then used to hold small
piece of black paper in place to provide a small amount of black reflection
on the silver earring clasps. The "invisible thread" is then easily
removed from the final image. |
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In this
final example, a Swarovski crystal necklace is suspended in a unique
position, demonstrating the endless possibilities for displaying items using
the new EZrigging System. As with the first example, the necklace
is suspended using "invisible
thread" inside the 20" EZcube using the EZrigging support system
and the EZstaging Accessory Kit. One EZclip is used to hold the thread tightly. The EZclip
is able to rotate through 360 degrees allowing the necklace to be rotated
into any position. In this example we have used a 20"
Graduated Colour Background Black/White to provide a great backdrop.
The "invisible thread" is then easily removed from the final image.
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EZrigging Features
& Accessory Kit
The 02007 EZcube® design
has a powerful new built-in feature called the EZrigging System. To
take full advantage of this new feature we are offering a complete
EZstaging Accessory Kit for sale separately |
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EZarm
TM
"Invisible thread"
Placing a rod inside the
EZcube
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Built in Support
Strips with White Grommets
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The inside of each 2007
EZcube now has fabric strips lined with white grommets for
suspending small items |
EZclip
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Special, white clip with
a full 360 degree rotation |
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A perfect fit for
sliding right onto the rod |
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Can also be hung from the
new grommet strips inside the EZcube |
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Grasps the invisible
thread firmly |
EZarm™
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10" long flexible support
arm with a clip at each end |
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Perfect for holding many
small things |
Invisible thread
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Fine, transparent,
light-weight strand for supporting items |
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Easy to remove from final
image |
Support rod
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Span one or more rods
from one side of the EZcube to the other, for suspending items |
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Supported in place by the
EZcubes new built-in grommet strips |
Digital Photography Log Book
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The first photography log
book designed specifically for digital photography. Great as a
pre-flight checklist or for recalling your previous settings |
Small container of Prop Wax
Anti-Static Brush |
Built-in white grommet strips
on "L" and "R" EZcube insides
Support rods
"The shortest pencil is
better than the longest memory"
Anti-Static Brush |
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More about the Lighting
Lighting for Product Photography
The keys
to the ideal lighting for product photography are diffusion and light colour.
Diffusion
Harsh lighting can
cause shadows, glare, reflections and hotspots.
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Direct light gives a harsh shadow |
Diffused light inside a light tent gives a
very soft shadow |
What Kind of Lighting is Best?
The EZcube®
is the ideal way to diffuse the light. Although it is possible to
illuminate the EZcube®
using sunlight, the availability of sunlight tends to be unreliable so a
professional lighting solution is the best approach. A good balance of lighting
is achieved by illuminating the EZcube® from two opposing sides, although
please note that no single light position will work for every item or every
situation and many and varied results and effects can be achieved by
adjusting the angle and position of the lights.
We recommend using
Perfect Daylight 5000K Compact Fluorescent Bulbs because they:
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are
the perfect colour for the Northern Hemisphere, giving light identical to
natural daylight (see below)
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use
very little power relative to the light they produce
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stay
cool and so are safe to touch
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do
not heat up the lamp holders, EZcube® or the products being photographed
(especially important for some products)
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have
a long lifespan (typically 8000 hours)
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are
eco-friendly
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Light
Colour
The colour of light
(correctly known as the "colour temperature") is measured in units of Kelvin (K).
The range of the Kelvin (K) scale for visible light is 1500K to 9000K. The
lower the number the warmer or more yellow the light and the higher the
number the cooler or more white and/or blue the light. The human
eye is not able to see all of the colour in the range of colour temperature.
The ideal colour temperature for product photography is 5000K as this
provides the best colour balance and representation without the need for
filters or software editing. This ensures correct colour rendering and
balance such that the colour of the image closely resembles the colour of
the original item. This is very important if you are selling items
online as your customers need to be sure that your image accurately reflects
the genuine colour of the item.
Mixing Light
Colours
It is important to be
sure that you do not mix light colours - all the light sources that you use
at one time need to be the same colour temperature. No camera, no
matter how good or expensive, can cope with more than one colour of light at
the same time.
All
the light sources that you use together should be the same colour
temperature. Remember that UK Daylight is 5000K so it is safe to use
our 5000K lighting with natural daylight from a nearby window (for more
about this see below)
Daylight Balanced
Lighting
There is a lot of
confusion about "daylight" or "daylight balanced" lighting. Lighting
described as “daylight” can be anything between about 4700K and about 6500K
but not all of this range is suitable for specialist product photography.
The range of suitable lighting is very much smaller, in the region of 5000K
to 5500K maximum.
Our lighting is 5000K
because this most accurately reflects true natural daylight of the kind that
will be coming in your window. As mentioned above, it is important always
use lighting products that all match in their Kelvin value and this applies
to window light just as much as to any artificial light you might use.
Unless you want to work in the dark (at night or with blackout blinds) then
the artificial lighting you use should be the same colour as your natural
window light. Natural window light can actually be used to advantage
providing that your artificial lighting is the same colour.
The colour temperature of “natural daylight” (the
daylight coming in your window) depends on where you are on the planet since
the colour temperature of “natural daylight” varies with latitude. The
colour temperature of “natural daylight” on an average day in the UK and
Europe (Northern Hemisphere) is 5000K. Colour temperature of 5400K only
occurs at noon on a very sunny day (very rare in the UK) and so lighting of
5400K is inappropriate at any other time or under any other circumstances.
Lighting of a colour temperature above 5400K is suitable only for Central
Latitudes. The diagram below illustrates this well.
It is clear from this
explanation that for perfect colour representation, so that the colour of an
image appears identical to the way the object would appear under normal UK
daylight conditions to someone who was viewing the object (and not an image
of the object), 5000K will give the perfect match. Therefore, lighting of
5000K will give the very best images without problems or corrections.
 Why
spend hours editing the images when you can take them right in the first
place!
J
TableTop Studio Lighting
The comparison below illustrates the colour and light
spread of TableTop Studio TrumpetTop Bulbs
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40w Loop Bulb |
30w TrumpetTop
Bulb |
25w Spiral Bulb |
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2700k Yellow
Light |
5000k Pure White
Light |
6400k Blue Light |
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Unsuitable for
product photography |
Ideal for Product
Photography Notice the Spread
of Light Outwards - Utilising the shape of the Reflector to intensify
and direct the light |
Unsuitable for
product photography |
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Large Light extends from 2'
to 6'
Ideal for any size
of EZcube |
Tabletop Light
extends from 12" to 15"
Ideal for the 12"
and 20" EZcubes |
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The
Lights shown above have the same bulbs, reflectors and
fittings, only the light stand differs |
More about Our Kits
Why Are
Our Kits Better than Any Other?
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Ease of Use:
Even the most inexperienced user can achieve professional images
with our Kits in as little as 20 minutes |
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WYSIWYG:
Continuous Lighting enables you to set up the image and see what you
will get before shooting therefore |
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Time Efficient:
See the image that will result before you shoot |
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White
Background: Easily achieved with appropriate camera, no software
editing required |
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Soft Light:
Light is diffused and bounced around inside the light tent to give
even lighting with no darker or lighter areas |
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Quantity of
Light: combination of the unique shape of our exclusive TrumpetTop
bulbs and the light bouncing effect of the EZcube ensures maximum
utilisation of light so less light is needed |
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Reflections and
Hotspots: Reduced or Eliminated, depending on your requirements |
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Software
Editing: Minimised to cropping and correct sizing for use on the web |
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Specialist Kits:
Tailored to specific types of products or tailored to individual
requirements |
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Flexibility:
Kits are fully upgradeable, all our products are compatible so you
can add on and upgrade at any time |
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Special Effects:
Easily achieved with our unique range of Reflective Risers,
Backgrounds, Sparklers and Dazzlers |
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Custom Images:
Lots of opportunity and flexibility to individualise images - make
your images unique |
What's wrong with
Light Boxes?
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Hard Lighting:
Light is not diffused (see below) |
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Reflections and
Hotspots: Very difficult to control or reduce |
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Size
Limitations: Most Light Boxes are designed only for small items with
no flexibility and no opportunity to upgrade to larger system |
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Limitations on
effects: Inflexible system gives little or no opportunity to create
effects or add accessories, risers, backgrounds etc |
What's Wrong with
Flash Studio Kits?
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Not
WYSIWYG: Illumination of the item is achieved only when the shutter
is activated, no opportunity to set up the lighting in advance
therefore |
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Difficult to
Use: Requires much experimentation or experience therefore |
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Time Consuming:
Much time wasted in trial and error |
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Hard Lighting:
Light is not diffused (see below) |
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Reflections and
Hotspots: Very difficult to control or reduce |
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Compatibility:
System is not enclosed so easily corrupted by other light sources
(it's not easy working in the dark!) |
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Limitations on
effects: inflexible system gives little or no opportunity to create
effects or add accessories, risers, backgrounds etc |
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Expense:
Requires a more complex (more expensive) camera and a hot-shoe or
single-pulse on-camera flash |
What Else Do You Get with Our Kits?
Well, the answer
is simple - You get the best Technical Support Service there is, included in
the price. If and when you need help, we'll be there for you by email
or phone. We can help you choose the right camera to buy, explain to
you how to set your camera up and talk you through the best way to work with
your own individual set up, your own unique products and any special effects
that you want to achieve.
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Where else can you get
this peace of mind? |
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How much time and effort
will it save you? |
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And how much is it
worth? |
We are the Market
Leaders in Specialist Product Photography Kits so you know you will be
dealing with people who know what they are talking about!
Why are we the Best Supplier of Product Photography Equipment?
Good Question! We know we are not the cheapest so here's a few
reasons why we are the best for quality, innovation, customer
support and value.....
We ONLY sell
Product Photographic Equipment. Buy with Confidence from the Specialists.
We really DO
want you to get GREAT RESULTS!
Best for Quality:
We only supply Top Quality Products - for example:
The EZcube® is the world wide market leader in light tents.
It is made of a light weight nylon material that allows
optimum diffusion of the light so you do not need high
powered, expensive to run and eco-unfriendly lighting
BEWARE:
of light tents made of a double sided flock lined
material. This is a very thick, poor quality
material that actually blocks the light. You need
seriously bright lights to penetrate it
BEWARE:
of light tents which are not white, some of the products available
appear to be white to the untrained eye but they are an
off-white/pale yellow which creates problems with white balance
Our Professional Lighting is designed to optimise the
available light. Our large reflectors are lined on the
inside with a special reflective coating which intensifies the
light. Our reflectors were designed by our own design
team to give the best shape and size to provide the correct
spread of light for use with a light tent.
These are our own reflectors, made specifically for us to our
own specifications, not off the shelf "make do".
When purchasing professional lighting products
BEWARE:
of reflectors the size of desk lamps. They create a
point of light which is focused in a small area, giving
uneven and ineffective lighting
BEWARE:
of reflectors that do not contain and direct the light,
leading to maximum light loss
BEWARE:
of higher powered, multi bulb light sets which are not as eco
friendly as they could be, quality of light is more important than
quantity
All of our products are UK
and EU compliant and UK legal (CE approval)
and have UK 3-pin plugs. We also include adaptors for
other countries FREE
BEWARE:
direct imports - your safety may be at risk. Even lighting
fitted with UK plugs may not confirm to UK regulations
Our light products are all 5000K and our large range of Accessories are designed to compliment
each other so you can built an entire versatile studio with
any combination of our products. Our EZcube® Accessories
are all custom designed to fit, both in size and with the
correct fittings and attachments, so no adjusting or trimming
is required
BEWARE:
of suppliers selling incompatible products with different
light colours - beware of suppliers who offer lighting
with bulbs of varying colour temperature -
you will not get good results from a lighting set that
contains bulbs that are a mixture of, for example, 5100K and 5400K.
This will just confuse your camera!
BEWARE:
of accessories that do not fit or that require trimming
BEWARE:
of inferior garish coloured nylon backdrops that do
nothing to enhance the product you are photographing.
They seem like a good idea, but we bet you never use them!
Our bespoke turn-key Kits go way beyond the basic light tent
and lights set. We supply Complete Specialist Kits with
everything you need to create fantastic images of Jewellery,
Glassware, Coins and Badges, Watches, Beads and Crystal and
many other specialist items
Best for Innovation
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We lead the innovation of product photography others follow - for
example:
We were the first supplier to offer a light tent with a versatile front zip which allows you to have the front slot at
any position higher or lower to create the ideal angle for your
camera to item ratio
We were the first supplier to offer
a light tent with a unique top panel that unzips to allow you to exchange items
through the top without disturbing your camera, tripod and lights,
making photographing multiple items much faster
We were the first supplier to offer
a rigging system to allow you to suspend your product (our
EZrigging System)
We were the first supplier in the UK to have 5000K Bulbs (they are
clearly marked and every batch is fully tested). These are
our own bulbs, made specifically for us to our own
specifications
The expression "Perfect Daylight" in the UK refers only to 5000K
but this expression is often copied and misused. How do we know?
We invented the term!
The concept, design and even the name "TrumpetTop" were invented
by TableTop Studio (which means if you see others using the same
name and design, they are copies!)
We are the first supplier to have a unique 3D Photography system
so you can show your items from every angle using a small and easy
to create animated image (our EZspin ™
System)
We are the only supplier to have a unique LED bulb for enhancing
the dispersion of diamonds and giving the diamonds that amazing
"dazzle" in 5000K format compatible with all our other lighting
(our Diamond Dazzler™)
We are the only supplier to have a bespoke total solution for all
jewellery and glass photographers (our Jewellery and Glassware
Photography Kits are just some of our large range of
bespoke Complete Kits
for photographing specialist
items)
The majority of our
products are designed by us and manufactured specially for us
(not off the peg products from a Chinese or Japanese standard catalogue).
This means they are designed specifically for our Kits and for
specialist product photography
We continue to create new
products and new concepts so we
remain on the very leading edge of product photography
development
Our
ideas are much copied, as all the best idea are, but never
equalled on quality, design and innovation |
Best for Customer Support
We have an unsurpassed Technical Support Service available on all
our products - for example:
Before you buy we will advise you on the suitability of your
camera for product photography. If your camera is not suitable
we will advise you to buy a different camera before you buy
anything from us. We only give honest and straight
forward advice
We advise on the most appropriate equipment for your
products, we will not sell you items you do not need
We answer all of your technical queries, help you perfect your
images, talk you through setting up your camera, invite you to
email us your images for comments and we provide a total before
and after sales support as much as you need for as long as you
need, both by email and by phone
You'll be lucky to find this level of service and support
anywhere else
BEWARE:
suppliers who are happy to supply cheap products until you find that
there is no technical support available - for example:
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We received an email from a lady asking if we could tell her how to fold up
a light tent she bought because the supplier wouldn't help her!
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We received a request from a customer for additional lighting because she
bought some cheap lights on eBay but when they arrived they were not UK
compliant, had no instructions with them and she couldn't get
replies to her emails asking for help!
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We have many such cases we can relate of those who purchased cheap
products only to find they did not do what they needed and
there was no help available from the supplier!
If you want to avoid these problems and frustrations, you are in
the right place. We really do provide a total service, from
discussing your requirements with you before hand, to advising on
which products or Kit would be best for you, making up a Kit for
you (no "set packages" here), helping you to decide which camera
to buy, to holding your hand through your early efforts right
through to those wonderful customers who get really into product
photography and come back to us time and again for help achieving
unusual and unique special effects. We'll even experiment
for you in our own studio (using your own products if
appropriate). This is all FREE if you have purchased an
EZcube Kit from us.
We have lots of tips and advice on our website
www.tabletopstudio.co.uk, all of which is available for anyone
to access and use, but this is just the tip of the technical
knowledge and experience we have. If you'd like access
to everything we know, we'll gladly share it with you!
All this comes free when you buy from us - as much help as you
need for as long as you need it
BEWARE:
of suppliers who point you to our website for
reference and information (yes, we know this happens a
lot). Why are they not producing their own
information? Why can they not answer your questions
directly themselves? If they can't help you with the
basics, what else won't they be able to help you with...?
BEWARE:
of sellers who steal descriptions from competitors and alter a
word or two here and there (we've had our eBay listings
plagiarised many times). Why don't they know enough to write
their own descriptions? How much knowledge and technical support
will they be able to give you when you need it?
Best for Value
We may not be the cheapest but we are the best value - for
example:
Our Total Concept System allows you to add extra
items, specialist lights and all kinds of fully compatible accessories at any
time, so you can start off with a basic Universal Kit and
build up in your own time to a seriously sophisticated Total
Kit for your own specialist products
We are based in the UK and ship from stock in our own
warehouse. We don't sell products we don't have and we
don't ask suppliers to ship straight to you, resulting in your
order arriving piecemeal or
in poor packaging
We deal with all queries directly ourselves, quickly,
efficiently, knowledgeably and in a friendly and non-jargon
manner
We operate fully legally
through a fully registered Limited Company
and we
are VAT registered so if you are purchasing for business use
you will be able to reclaim 17.5% of the purchase price
We comply fully with the European Direct Selling Regu | |
