ALO Photo Sphere — Customer Guide¶

What ALO Photo Sphere is¶

ALO Photo Sphere is ALO's controlled desktop product-imaging system. ALO App coordinates camera capture, product positioning, rotation and lighting through the Sphere workflow to help produce consistent product photos and video.

ALO Photo Sphere works with ALO App on Windows and macOS. It is a desktop system; it does not run on iOS or Android. The exact controls shown in ALO App depend on your Sphere generation, connected controller, platform and app version.

Interface details and available controls may vary by platform, app version, and hardware configuration.

ALO Photo Sphere product shown from the front

Front view of the ALO Photo Sphere system and camera mount.

Before you begin¶

Confirm the Sphere and its controller are powered.
Open ALO App on your workstation and sign in to the correct account and cloud.
Check that the product and any supports cannot collide with moving parts.
Keep hands and objects outside the movement area before sending any movement command.

Preparing the workspace¶

Clean the shooting area and the product before capture, and remove anything that could obstruct rotation or other movement.

Connecting the Sphere¶

Connect ALO App to your Sphere and camera, following the configuration supplied with your ALO Photo Sphere. Confirm in ALO App that the Sphere is detected before sending any movement command.

Sphere motor controls after connection

Motor controls shown after the Sphere is connected.

Positioning the product¶

Place and center the product, using an appropriate support so it cannot shift during movement or rotation.

ALO Photo Sphere with the product positioned

The product is centered for the Sphere workflow.

Positioning the camera¶

Position your connected camera so the product is clearly visible in Live View. ALO Photo Sphere is a desktop, camera-based workflow; a smartphone-only capture flow is not documented for this hardware.

Camera mounted on the ALO Photo Sphere

Camera mounted for a Sphere capture workflow.

Live View¶

Live View lets you confirm framing, alignment and product position before capture.

Live View and controls with the Sphere camera connected

Live View layout shown with the Sphere controls panel.

Lighting setup¶

Adjust the lighting controls in ALO App and check for unwanted reflections before starting an automated sequence.

Sphere lighting controls

Lighting controls used to balance the scene before capture.

Manual rotation¶

ALO App provides turntable rotation control for the Sphere. Move the axes only after checking clearance, and stop immediately if you notice unexpected noise, resistance or a collision risk.

Additional movement (X/Y axis)¶

On supported configurations, ALO App may offer additional X-axis and Y-axis movement beyond rotation. Availability depends on your Sphere generation and controller — follow the configuration supplied with your unit, and stop movement immediately if the app reports a safety warning.

Detailed Sphere motor controls

Detail view of the motor controls and movement targets.

Magic Move¶

Magic Move is a coordinated movement mode available on supported Sphere configurations. Its exact behavior, supported axes and platform availability are not yet fully documented for customer use, so this guide does not describe its detailed operation. Where it appears in ALO App, follow the on-screen guidance and stop if the app reports an error or safety warning.

Capturing photos¶

Confirm the product's position in Live View.
Adjust lighting as needed.
Capture the photo.
Review the result before moving the product.

Capturing video or 360° sequences¶

Where available for your hardware and app version, ALO App offers rotation presets such as 360°, 180°, 90° and 0° for video capture. Select the required mode, start capture, and allow the sequence to complete without interruption. Do not force an axis manually while a command is active.

Reviewing results¶

Review the captured photo or video before moving the product or starting another capture.

Original image captured with ALO Photo Sphere

Original image captured with ALO Photo Sphere.

Example result after AI processing

Example result after AI processing. Results may vary according to the source image, selected settings, and AI service availability.

Focus stacking¶

Focus Stacking may be available for Sphere captures, subject to your platform, camera and configuration. Use it only with a fully stationary product, camera and Sphere — any movement between frames can create artifacts, and processing time depends on your hardware and the source images, not a fixed duration.

Focus Stacking control view for the Sphere workflow

Focus Stacking view with focus points shown in the app.

Improving images¶

After capture, you can improve images using the editor or AI Enhance available in ALO App. Any Coin cost for AI Enhance is shown in the app at the time of submission.

Saving and organizing media¶

Captured media is organized by product in ALO App, alongside any edited or AI-generated results.

Cloud Sync¶

Captured media synchronizes with your ALO Cloud according to your account and connectivity. See Cloud Sync for how synchronization works, working offline, and storage.

Troubleshooting¶

The Sphere is not detected¶

Check controller power, the USB or network connection, your app version, and whether the correct hardware profile is selected in ALO App.

Movement is blocked¶

Remove any physical obstruction, verify the current position, and restart the connection. Do not attempt to bypass a safety warning shown by the app.

Lighting works but movement does not¶

Record the exact message shown and the current connection state — the issue may involve the motion system rather than lighting.

An automated sequence stops partway through¶

Leave the product in its current position, record the exact message shown, and avoid restarting from an unknown position; reconnect and check the current state in ALO App first.

Focus Stacking results show artifacts¶

Verify that the product, camera and Sphere all remained still during capture, and that reflections did not change between frames.

Cleaning and maintenance¶

Disconnect power before cleaning.
Do not use liquids directly on electrical or moving parts; use a soft, dry cloth.
Keep the movement area and shooting surface clear of dust and debris.

Safety¶

Never obstruct rotation or other movement while it is active.
Do not force an axis manually during an active command.
Stop and reconnect after an electrical or movement warning; do not repeatedly retry a command when ALO App reports a safety warning.
Keep the area around the Sphere clear during operation.
Do not attempt to open or service the Sphere or its controller yourself.

Platform and hardware limitations¶

ALO Photo Sphere works with ALO App on Windows and macOS only; it does not run on iOS or Android. Available movement modes (including additional X/Y movement, Magic Move and Focus Stacking) can vary by Sphere generation, controller and app version. The options shown in your ALO App are authoritative for your specific setup.

Information for support¶

When contacting support about ALO Photo Sphere, provide:

app version and platform;
Sphere generation and controller, where known;
connection type;
active workflow and capture mode;
the exact error message shown;
the last successful command and current hardware state.