GIF, boomerang, video guestbook: what is the difference?
| Format | What the guest sees | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| GIF | The session’s poses looping | Funny faces, prop changes |
| Boomerang | The poses played forward then backward | One gesture: throwing confetti, a toast, a jump |
| Video guestbook | A filmed message a few seconds long | A word for the couple or the company |
| Photo and strip | A printed photo | The paper keepsake, on the table or the fridge |
The three animated formats are shared: a GIF cannot be printed. So everyone leaves with something, the simplest approach is to offer the GIF on top of the printed photo.
How a GIF photo booth builds a GIF
The booth takes a series of poses during the session, then turns them into an animation. In Froozbooth, the guest picks the mode on screen (photo, GIF, boomerang or video), or you produce the GIF on top of every photo session, with no extra choice for the guest.
- Frame rate adjustable from 1 to 20 frames per second.
- Adjustable width, for a light file that opens fast on a phone.
- GIF and boomerang sent with the photo, on the QR page and by email, and copied to the booth folder.
- Each mode is enabled event by event.
The video guestbook is a separate mode: the guest leaves a message of 5 to 30 seconds, shared by QR code and email. All Froozbooth features
Settings that make a good GIF or boomerang
- A slow frame rate for a GIF of poses, a few frames per second: every funny face gets time to be seen.
- A faster frame rate for a boomerang: the motion should look smooth.
- An on-screen prompt between poses: “Change your pose!”, “Everyone together!”.
- Props within reach: hats, glasses, signs, confetti.
- A moderate width: a GIF that is too heavy takes time to open on a mobile network.
- Steady lighting: a flash that does not recycle in time leaves black frames in the animation.
Between poses, Froozbooth can show a prompt image or video, and a “Pause +5 s” button gives the group time to get back into place.
Sharing the GIF with guests
After the session, a QR code appears: the guest scans it and finds their GIF on a page of their own, with no app to install. They can also get it by email. All files go into the event gallery, hosted in Paris, which you send to the client the next day.
With no network at the venue, the booth keeps going: the GIF is created and saved on site, and goes to the QR page and the gallery as soon as the connection comes back. Photo booth software for rental pros
Which GIF booth software to choose?
Almost all recent photo booth software offers GIFs and boomerangs; the differences lie in sharing, the gallery and the price. With some, the online gallery that delivers the GIFs is a paid add-on. With Froozbooth, photos, strips, GIFs, boomerangs and the video guestbook come with every plan, along with QR, email and the gallery, from €139 a year or €299 once. Best photo booth software 2026: the comparison
Frequently asked questions
What is a GIF photo booth?
A photo booth that takes several poses during the session and turns them into an animated image, shared to the guest’s phone by QR code or email. Many booths offer the GIF alongside the printed photo.
What is the difference between a GIF and a boomerang photo booth?
A GIF loops through the poses, always in the same direction. A boomerang plays them forward then backward, giving a back-and-forth effect that is ideal for a gesture: a toast, a jump, a handful of confetti.
Can you print a photo booth GIF?
No, a GIF is an animation: it is shared by QR code, email or in the gallery. So guests also leave with a print, offer a printed photo on top. Froozbooth can produce the GIF on top of every photo session.
How many frames per second for a photo booth GIF?
Few for a GIF of poses, a few frames per second, so every funny face is visible; more for a smooth boomerang. Froozbooth sets the frame rate from 1 to 20 frames per second, event by event.
Does the GIF work without internet?
With Froozbooth, yes: the GIF is created and saved on the booth, and the QR code appears. The QR page, the email and the gallery get the file as soon as the network comes back.
Does Froozbooth do video?
Yes, as a video guestbook: guests leave a message of 5 to 30 seconds, shared by QR code and email. The Windows booth does not do 360 video; 360 video on iPhone is in the works, with the same license.
Is the GIF a paid add-on?
Not with Froozbooth: photos, strips, GIFs, boomerangs and the video guestbook come with every plan, from €139 a year or €299 lifetime, with QR, email and gallery.
How do guests share a photo booth GIF on Instagram?
The guest saves the GIF from the QR page or the email, then posts it. Depending on the network and the phone, it shows up as an animation or a short video: the social app decides the format.