Key Takeaways
- Open air photo booth hire in Melbourne ranges from £400–£1,000 per event, making it cost-effective for one-off occasions with inclusive setup, props, and technical support.
- Purchasing an open air photo booth typically costs between £3,000–£10,000+, offering long-term value for frequent users or businesses through customisation and ownership.
- Hiring eliminates ongoing maintenance, storage, and upgrade responsibilities, as providers like Adept Photo Booths Melbourne manage all operational aspects.
- Buying a booth involves additional ongoing expenses such as annual maintenance (£100–£800), consumables, and potential software or hardware upgrades.
- The best choice depends on event frequency, customisation needs, and available budget—hire is ideal for occasional use, while buying benefits regular or multi-city events.
- Adept Photo Booths Melbourne offers both flexible hire packages and purchase options, supporting personalised event experiences for all types of functions.
When planning an event in Melbourne, deciding between buying or hiring an open air photo booth can significantly impact both your guest experience and budget. This important choice hinges on understanding the true costs and benefits of each option. Open air photo booths, with their spacious design allowing up to 20 people per shot, have become increasingly popular for weddings, corporate events, and brand activations.
For one-time occasions, hiring proves cost-effective at $400-$1,000 per event, including professional setup, props, and technical support. Meanwhile, purchasing a booth requires a larger upfront investment of $3,000-$10,000 but offers long-term value for businesses or frequent users. Your decision ultimately depends on usage frequency, customization needs, and available budget. For comprehensive options and expert guidance, visit adeptphotobooths.com.au to explore solutions tailored to your event needs.
What Is an Open Air Photo Booth?
An open air photo booth places the camera, lighting, and backdrops in an accessible, tripod-based or freestanding setup without an enclosure. Guests stand in front of the backdrop, engaging directly with the lens. This design allows larger groups of up to 20 people, for example, to pose in a single frame, offering flexibility that closed booths don’t match. Open air photo booths commonly suit weddings, corporate functions, and brand activations across Melbourne and nationwide.
Many open air models include user-friendly touchscreen interfaces, instant printed photos, and digital sharing options. At Adept Photo Booths Melbourne, we provide print booths like GLAM Booth and Accessible Booth, as well as digital options including AI Photo Booths, Roaming Photo Booths, and 360 Photo Booths. These units support green screen photography, custom branding, and integration with national multicity bookings.
Open air photo booths enable rapid guest turnover, making them ideal for large-scale events at venues in Melbourne and beyond. Adept Photo Booths offers onsite support, delivery, and collection, streamlining setup and pack-down for event organisers. Our solutions become centrepieces for photo booth hire Melbourne requests, enhancing event photography with contemporary technology and tailored activations.
Buying an Open Air Photo Booth
Buying an open air photo booth creates a sustainable event asset for frequent users or event professionals. Our focus stays on Melbourne, where Adept Photo Booths Melbourne offers solutions matching local demand and technical expectations.
Key Features and Benefits
Buying an open air photo booth provides group flexibility, accommodating up to 20 guests per shot at corporate activations, sports events, or weddings. Customisable features—including AI Photo Booths, Green Screen photo Booths, and branded GLAM Booths—support detailed thematic or brand requirements for Photo Booth Melbourne events. Long-term installations for national multicity bookings work best with a purchased booth due to recurring access and configuration control. Owners choose hardware, integrate advanced cameras, and select touchscreens, tailoring the experience beyond temporary hires. Unique features like Roaming Photo Booths or Mosaic walls, available through Adept Photo Booths Melbourne, add interactive appeal and suit evolving Melbourne event expectations.
Typical Purchase Costs
Open air photo booth purchase costs in Australia typically start at £3,000 and reach £10,000+, determined by booth technology, hardware quality, and included software. Entry-level models cover standard print features, while premium booths like AI Photo Booths, Mosaic, or GLAM Bot raise investment with advanced functionality. Vendors such as Adept Photo Booths Melbourne offer flexible finance options for accredited businesses, including payment plans to ease upfront expense. Total purchase price factors in accessories, custom branding modules, and shipping if ordering outside major cities. High-end booths with multi-function features support larger business objectives, such as corporate hires and long term installations for national campaigns.
Maintenance and Running Expenses
Buying an open air photo booth creates ongoing maintenance and operational costs. Camera service, touchscreen calibration, and regular software updates carry annual or bi-annual expenses—averaging £100–£800 per year, depending on usage and repair frequency. Consumables for Photo Booth Installs, such as printers and lighting accessories, require periodic replacement. Power consumption for booths running full event cycles adds to monthly facility bills, especially for outlets in Melbourne’s high-traffic venues. Upgrading hardware or integrating new features (e.g., migrating to latest AI software or custom Mosaic wall installations) means planned outlays to maintain photo booth hire Melbourne market competitiveness. Colin Richardson, General Manager of Adept Photo Booths Melbourne, advises proactive scheduling to limit costly breakdowns and protect investment value.
Hiring an Open Air Photo Booth
Hiring an open air photo booth offers immediate access to professional event photography without long-term commitment. Providers like Adept Photo Booths Melbourne deliver tailored experiences for weddings, corporate functions, parties and national multicity bookings.
Advantages of Hiring
Hiring provides cost-effective access to the latest open air photo booth technology in Melbourne. We avoid upfront purchase costs and ongoing storage, which makes this option budget-friendly for one-time events. Adept Photo Booths Melbourne includes professional setup, onsite technical support from qualified staff and prompt removal post-event. We select from a range of customisation features, such as branded prints or digital overlays, enhancing guest interaction and sharing. These booths suit flexible event spaces, with Adept’s open designs adapting to indoor and outdoor venues citywide.
Average Hire Pricing and Packages
Photo booth hire pricing in Melbourne spans £400-£1,000 for a single event day, with open air booths usually less expensive than enclosed options due to streamlined setup. Packages typically cover four-hour sessions, with overtime charged at a flat hourly rate. Adept Photo Booths quotes tailored pricing for premium offerings, including GLAM Booth, Green Screen photo booth, AI Photo Booths and Roaming Photo Booths. Multicity or long-term installations receive custom quotes based on the service duration and technical requirements. Bookings include transparent pricing with no hidden fees, supporting event planners across Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Hobart.
| Hire Service (Melbourne) | Cost Range | Session Duration | Additional Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Air Photo Booth | £400—£1,000 | 4 hours (standard) | Extra hours, branding |
| GLAM Booth, AI Booth, Green Screen | Custom quote | 4+ hours | Custom activations |
| Roaming, Drop Off, Multi-city Booking | Custom quote | By agreement | Delivery, technical |
What’s Included in a Hire Service?
Adept Photo Booths Melbourne provides high-resolution camera equipment with professional-grade lighting and backdrops. All packages include a curated set of props for themed photo sessions. Onsite technical support remains available to resolve any operational issues instantly. Guests receive unlimited photo prints, instant digital copies and access to online galleries, with further options for custom-branded backdrops and overlays. Service covers delivery, setup, dismantling and post-event removal. Custom activations, including AI Photo Booths, Green Screen and Mosaic Photo Walls, come with optional extras like data capture or social media sharing to maximise reach and event engagement.
Buy vs Hire: Cost Comparison
Open air photo booth hire Melbourne costs differ significantly depending on whether we hire or buy. Adept Photo Booths Melbourne supplies both options, allowing us to match event requirements and budget limits.
Short-Term vs Long-Term Value
Short-term value for one-off events comes from photo booth hire, with typical event pricing from £320 to £800 for 2–4 hours. Photo booth hire includes transport, setup, onsite support and features like backdrops, props and digital galleries. Long-term value arises when we own a booth, as initial purchase costs from £1,500 to £4,000—sometimes over £7,000—spread across frequent use. Owning enables us to brand AI Photo Booths, Green Screen booths or GLAM Booths for repeat bookings, often reaching break-even after 10–15 events if the average hire rate is £500 per event.
Hidden Costs and Budget Considerations
Photo booth hire carries potential overtime fees of £80–£160 per extra hour, travel charges for out-of-area venues and insurance deposits. Buying brings different expenses: we budget £100–£500 per year for hardware maintenance, plus storage, software subscriptions and user training. Photo booths like those from Adept Photo Booths Melbourne may need hardware refreshes to stay up-to-date; hire clients benefit from providers handling upgrades and maintenance instead. Event frequency forms the main deciding cost factor—hiring works for sporadic use, purchasing for regular or multi-city national bookings, such as brand activations or venue installations.
Factors to Consider When Deciding
Frequency of use impacts whether buying or hiring an open air photo booth fits the event strategy. For frequent usage, especially for ongoing activations or national multicity bookings, buying makes financial sense after around 10–15 events. For one-off or annual occasions, photo booth hire Melbourne packages remain more practical.
Maintenance requirements add further consideration. Purchasing a booth commits us to regular camera servicing, software updates, and storing consumables. With photo booth hire, Adept Photo Booths Melbourne handles all ongoing support, technology, and upgrades, reducing time investment.
Space and flexibility play a role in booth selection. Open air formats accommodate larger group photos and fit into different venue layouts, while AI Photo Booths and Green Screen photo Booths allow custom theming for unique experiences. Events needing specific customisation, such as Roaming Photo Booths or long-term venue installs, benefit from full ownership.
Budget constraints determine the best choice. Buying a booth in Melbourne starts from £1,500, with advanced units costing more. Hire packages range from £400 to £1,000, often including onsite support and fast event turnaround.
Privacy preferences might affect guest experience. Open air booths create a social setting, while enclosed booths offer more privacy. Adept Photo Booths Melbourne provides both types, ensuring suitability for all event preferences.
About Adept Photo Booths Perth
Adept Photo Booths Perth is a premier provider of unique and engaging photo booth services for events across Australia. Led by General Manager Colin Richardson, Adept Photo Booths offers a wide variety of options, including print booths such as Open, GLAM, Accessible, Vintage, Mosaic Photo Wall, and Mirror Booths, as well as digital booths like the 360 Photo Booth, AI Photo Booth, Roaming Photo Booth, GIF Booths, Video Booths, GLAM Bot, Drop Off Photo Booths, Virtual Photo Booth, and Face Morphing. The company also provides event activations including Green Screen, Virtual Events, and Venue Installations. Serving events of all kinds—corporate gatherings, weddings, parties, and sports events—Adept Photo Booths operates across Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, and regional Australia.
Contact:
Colin Richardson, General Manager
Phone: 1300 233 781
Email: [email protected]
Address: Suite 46/328 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park WA 6100
Website: www.adeptphotobooths.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an open air photo booth?
An open air photo booth is a modern, tripod or freestanding photography setup without walls, allowing groups of up to 20 people to pose together. These booths feature touchscreen controls, instant printing, and digital sharing, making them perfect for events like weddings and corporate functions.
How much does it cost to hire an open air photo booth in Melbourne?
Hiring an open air photo booth typically costs between £400 and £1,000 per day in Melbourne. Shorter hire sessions or basic packages can start from £320, with premium options and extra features available at higher rates.
How much does it cost to buy an open air photo booth in Australia?
Buying an open air photo booth in Australia usually costs between £3,000 and £10,000, depending on the technology and features included. Entry-level models may start around £1,500, while advanced booths with custom options are more expensive.
Is it better to hire or buy a photo booth for my event?
Hiring is best for one-off events, offering a lower upfront cost and professional setup without long-term commitments. Buying suits those who need a booth for frequent use, helping save money over time and offering greater customisation.
What are the ongoing costs of owning a photo booth?
Ongoing costs include camera servicing, software updates, consumables like printer paper and props, and occasional repairs. Proactive maintenance is essential to keep the booth in good working order and protect your investment.
Can I customise an open air photo booth for my event?
Yes, open air photo booths offer various customisation options such as branding, green screen backgrounds, and themed props. Providers like Adept Photo Booths Melbourne also offer AI features, GLAM effects, and tailored experiences.
How many people can fit in an open air photo booth photo?
Most open air photo booths can fit up to 20 people in a single shot, thanks to their open, unobstructed design, making them ideal for large group photos at events.
What’s included in a typical photo booth hire package?
A typical hire package includes transport, setup and pack-down, a selection of props, on-site technical support, unlimited prints within the session, and digital copies of the photos. Premium packages may offer more features or custom branding.
How long does it take to break even after buying a photo booth?
If you use or hire out your booth regularly, you may break even after about 10 to 15 events, depending on your purchase price and hire rates. After this, ongoing usage becomes more cost-effective.
Does hiring a booth from Adept Photo Booths include setup and support?
Yes, hiring a booth from Adept Photo Booths Melbourne includes professional delivery, setup, collection, and on-site technical support, ensuring everything runs smoothly for your event.
