Buy a photo booth—buy one, build one yourself, or rent one?

Photo booths are a popular addition to weddings, birthdays and many other types of events. With this interactive photo corner, your guests can capture fun and unique memories. Before you decide to get a photo booth, however, various options are available to you: renting, building one yourself, or buying a professional photo booth.

So, should I buy a photo booth, build one myself, or rent one? If you only need the photo booth occasionally or once for a specific event, we recommend renting one. This saves you time and money. However, each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on your personal needs, your budget and the requirements of your event.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these alternatives and their pros and cons, and help you make the right decision for your project.

This mobile photo box, also known as a photo booth, not only adds a playful touch to your event but also creates unforgettable memories for you and your guests.

Once set up and installed, your guests can operate the photo booth on their own all evening long. With the fun accessories (including glasses and signs), funny pictures are created that can be printed on photo paper and saved digitally. Let your guests print out their pictures right away and stick them into a guestbook – perhaps with a nice note to go with them. That way, you’ll instantly have a lovely memento of all your family members, friends, colleagues and co.

A Fotichaschte also encourages the social interaction of your guests, as it encourages them to pose together in front of the camera. It not only brings people together, but can even give camera-shy guests – who the photographer may have overlooked at the event – the courage to step in front of the camera.

Whether for weddings, birthdays, corporate events or other occasions – the photo booth creates an entertaining atmosphere. That makes it a worthwhile investment for your events.

The decision to buy, build or rent a photo booth depends on various factors. You should consider the following points:

Photo booth rental

Are you thinking about renting a photo booth for your next event? Then you should clarify the following things in advance:

• The type of your event and the venue: Keep in mind that some types of photo booths are better suited to certain premises – for example, for mirror photo booths you should allow for a certain height (at least 2.40 m). Make sure the rented photo booth suits your event needs and that you have enough space available.
• Check the functions and customization options of the photo booth: High-quality photo booths offer advanced features such as personalized lettering and backgrounds. Choose a photo booth that matches the requirements and style of your event. With our photo booths from Fotichaschte.ch, you can integrate your own text or even a logo on the pictures. This way, you can adapt the photo booth perfectly to your event.
• Clarify the rental period and the associated costs in advance: Check whether there are different packages and what is included in the rental costs (e.g. the number of prints included, or whether themed props are available). Our Fotichäschte are sent out so that there is at least one spare day before the event. This gives you enough buffer to make all the necessary preparations. Of course, we only charge for the photo booth for that one day.
• Make sure the photo booth is user-friendly: Your guests should be able to take photos with the photo booth without any difficulty. If the operation is too complicated, it could spoil the fun.
• Check the quality of the photo booth and the pictures it produces: Your rental photo booth should be of high quality. Customer reviews usually shed light on this. If necessary, ask the provider for sample pictures. You want to make sure the photo booth takes high-quality, clear shots. At Fotichaschte.ch, we use high-quality DSLR cameras for our photo booths. That way, you get perfect photos! Our customers are often thrilled with the quality of the pictures.
• Clarify whether delivery, setup and collection are included in the rental price: Check whether you have to pick up your photo booth yourself or whether it will be delivered. If picking it up, pay attention to the collection times. This way, you ensure the photo booth arrives at your venue on time and works perfectly during your event.
• Make sure the rental company offers reliable customer service and technical support: In case of problems before or during the event, it’s important to get support quickly. We know how busy bridal couples and event organizers are. That’s why we offer our customers an all-round carefree package, with setup instructions, setup videos, a support chat and a support phone line.
• Think about how big your budget is: How much do you want to or can you spend on your photo booth? For CHF 400 to 800, you already get a high-quality standard photo booth – depending on the package and equipment.

To find a suitable photo booth for your event, we recommend comparing the offers from different providers and reading the customer reviews. These often provide good insight into the quality of the photo booths and the provider’s services.

Buying a photo booth

If you’re thinking about buying a photo booth, you should first take a very close look at the various software and hardware options. The range is now enormous, and every software has its pros and cons. At Fotichaschte.ch, we use software from over six different providers. The same goes for the hardware, because here too the range is incredibly large and diverse. At Fotichaschte.ch, hardware from over ten different providers is in use. Mainly, though, we naturally rely on the classic, which we developed entirely ourselves.

In addition to the hardware and software themselves, you should also pay attention to a stable and transportable design.

Building a photo booth yourself

To build a photo booth yourself, you need manual skills, the necessary know-how and a lot of time. First of all, you should get the following materials and tools:

• wooden boards (for the frame)
• tools (screws, nails, screwdriver, hammer, saw, etc.)
• a camera with a tripod
• a touchscreen monitor
• a laptop
• lighting (LEDs or flash)
• a photo printer for instant prints
• decoration material and backgrounds
• various cables
• backup material in case something breaks
• possibly paint

We’ve put together a basic step-by-step guide for you:

• Plan the construction of the photo booth: First sketch the design of your photo booth. Take into account the dimensions, the placement of the camera, the screen, the lighting and the printer.
• Build the frame: Cut the wooden boards to the dimensions according to your sketch and build a stable frame for your photo booth out of them.
• Integrate the camera and lighting: Securely fasten the camera on a tripod inside the photo booth and mount the lighting. Natural light looks best in the pictures. In dark places or indoors, however, you’ll need lighting. The light should be bright enough and as even as possible. We recommend using softboxes for indoor spaces. They create soft light by minimizing harsh shadows, which ultimately produces great pictures.
• Mount the touchscreen monitor: Place the touchscreen monitor in a visible spot so your guests can find it easily and operate it without trouble.
• Connect the screen to the laptop: Install the photo booth software on the computer and configure the software for the functions you want.
• Integrate the printer: Attach the photo printer in an accessible spot in the photo booth (or place it next to the photo booth) and connect it to the computer.
• Test your photo booth: Run a test round to make sure all the parts of your photo booth work smoothly. Check the image quality, the printing process and how easy it is to operate.
• Add the finishing touches: Paint the frame in your desired colour and decorate your photo booth and the background. Get funny props that match your event.

Is it cheaper to buy or rent a photo booth?

If you only need the photo booth for specific events and don’t want to make a long-term investment, renting a photo booth is more cost-effective overall. On the other hand, if you want to use the photo booth regularly for the same purpose while having full control over customizations and upgrades, buying could be more economical in the long run. When making your decision, consider primarily your budget, how often you’ll use it and your requirements for the photo booth. Also bear in mind that your requirements or the intended use may change over time.

Can I build a photo booth myself even without technical knowledge?

Yes, it’s possible to build a photo booth yourself without extensive technical knowledge, provided you have a certain amount of manual skill, are willing to familiarise yourself with the basic concepts, and have enough time and patience.

How far in advance should I rent a photo booth?

It’s advisable to reserve the photo booth as early as possible, especially if your event falls on a popular date for weddings, on public holidays or during major festivals. As a guideline, we recommend a window of 4 to 6 months before the event. That way, you can be sure you’ll get the photo booth you want on time. It also leaves enough time for planning, arrangements and any adjustments to your special requests.

Which extras should I look out for when buying a photo booth?

When buying a photo booth, there are various extras and features, including:

• the print quality
• how adaptable the software is
• touchscreen operation
• an online gallery and storage options
• lighting options
• the seller’s quality and customer service

Also check the warranty services offered by the manufacturer.

Are there differences in quality between bought, self-built and rented photo booths?

Yes, there are differences. The quality of purchased photo booths can vary depending on the manufacturer and model. Some manufacturers use advanced technology and rely on durable materials, others less so. The quality of self-built photo booths depends heavily on the builder’s craftsmanship, which can limit functionality and technical features.

The quality of rented photo booths depends primarily on the reliability of the provider. Professional photo booth rental companies often offer high-quality equipment with the latest technology and good support.

At Fotichaschte.ch, we stand out in particular through the following aspects:

• Quality: We use high-resolution cameras and innovative features to create professional pictures.
• Reliability: Thanks to the robust build of our Fotichäschte, you can trust that the photo booths will work reliably during your event.
• Lots of customization options: With us, you can choose from various designs and add individual text and a date to your pictures.
• Customer support: Problems with the setup? Our dedicated customer support is always there for you to answer your questions and provide technical assistance.
• Experience: We’ve been renting out photo booths since 2014 and have gathered a great deal of experience, which has gone into the development of our photo booths.

Whether small or large events, we have the right package for every occasion. Turn your event with our first-class Fotichäschte into an unforgettable experience!