Best Camera For A Passport Business

Hello Photographer

 

I am thinking of starting a passport photo business. My question is what iz the best camera for this business. Also where can I get it at the best deals and how much will it cost.

Just about any camera with full manual controls. Aperture, shutter speed focusing. You will need a flash. You will need a printer. If you buy everything new you should be able to do it for $1000 or may be even less.

When I renewed my Passport a couple of years ago the clerk at the courthouse had a cheap little pocket sized digital camera (bad picture!) but also a dedicated passport picture printer - didn't see a brand name, but the printer might be worth searching.

Costco charges about $5 to do it, and any chain drug store (CVS, Rite Aid, ect) and Walmart will also do it, for around $10 or less (with readily available discount coupons). For even less money, there are apps that can use a smart phone photo and generate a passport photo for multiple countries. Why would you think this is a business that you can make money?

Costco charges about $5 to do it, and any chain drug store (CVS, Rite Aid, ect) and Walmart will also do it, for around $10 or less (with readily available discount coupons). For even less money, there are apps that can use a smart phone photo and generate a passport photo for multiple countries. Why would you think this is a business that you can make money?

Why do you think Costco or CVS do it?

Why do you think Costco or CVS do it?

I'm guessing because all the overhead is taken care of by other products, and you're apt to buy something just because you're there. They don't have to make much on them, if anything, to come out ahead. If somebody already had a studio or someplace where it was handy to set up, and the space wasn't better used for something else, it might make sense. Otherwise, it seems like almost anything would be a better use of time.

If you're in the US, the only passport photos you could make money on are those for other countries that have slightly different requirements for backgrounds, head size, print size, etc., that Costco or the post office won't be able to match exactly. I can't imagine this as a viable business on its own even though the equipment necessary could probably be acquired for around $1000 for a camera/kit lens, printer, trimmer, etc., since too many others are willing to do this as a loss leader to get you inside their stores. Space rental, advertising, insurance, etc. would quickly eat up any profits unless you could generate huge volume and get a premium over the other sources.

Almost any half-way decent camera will do the job, BUT the passport people are very strict about dimensions, etc.

see

Passport Photos

Almost any half-way decent camera will do the job, BUT the passport people are very strict about dimensions, etc.

see

Passport Photos

But that becomes very easy to do once you do your testing initially. After that it's simple.

I'm guessing because all the overhead is taken care of by other products, and you're apt to buy something just because you're there. They don't have to make much on them, if anything, to come out ahead. If somebody already had a studio or someplace where it was handy to set up, and the space wasn't better used for something else, it might make sense. Otherwise, it seems like almost anything would be a better use of time.

 

I do agree. It would be difficult to make money doing so as you don't have enough business.

Why do you think Costco or CVS do it?

It's a loss leader for them and many others. These days, as a standalone business, it is a poor business model.

if you wanna do passport business then you can buy any digital camera for photo-shoot and then throw it adobe cs6 just do some retouch. I think it will be fulfill your all demands.

Spend about three-quarters of your budget on decent flash equipment, modifiers and stands, radio triggers, and a white background and supports. What's left, spend on any camera with more than 6 megapixels, manual mode and a flash hotshoe. A used Canon G9 or G10 for example. Or a Sony Nex 6 maybe.

Unless the OP is about 14 year old.......

Am i the only one that thinks this all sounds asinine.?

The OP wants to start a business, that requires taking "portraits". He does not have a camera and does not know what camera to buy, or where to buy it.?

Does this make sense.?

 

I want to start a window-washing business. What is a good bucket and squeegee to buy.?

Where would i buy the bucket and squeegee and how much will they cost.?

Don't you already know.....haven't you already been doing it at SOME Level.?