Product photography sharpness?

I only used a lens which only goes up to f5.4, is this the issue?

The F-number in lens specs is usually the max aperture (lowest F-number). Most lenses are capable of closing the aperture to obtain smaller apertures (higher F-number).

Make sure the entire product fits within the Depth of Field. DOF is region around the focal plane where subjects will appear sufficiently sharp. It is influenced by the following factors:

• Aperture. Smaller apertures (higher F-number) increase depth of field. You can try something in the F8-11 range. At F2.8-5.6, DOF may not be great enough to contain the subject. At F16-22, diffraction usually degrades the image.
• Focal length. Shorter focal lengths increase depth of field.
• Distance to subject. Greater distances increase depth of field.

Other factors involved are circle of confusion, magnification, and viewing size. If you're pixel peeping full-resolution images, you probably won't find any single image to be sufficiently sharp throughout. However, most product images are not shown at pixel-peeping sizes.

I was on iso 400 which I have read that this would be best used on 100 to reduce noise.

Since the product is not moving, you can use use longer exposure times needed for lower ISO if you use a tripod.

I also took the shot on 125 shutter speed as Didn’t have a shutter release until recently ordered one.

Most cameras have self-timers that can be used when remote releases are not available. Some cameras can be triggered remotely by apps.

Any tips on how to improve would be greatly appreciated.

• Experiment with different settings until you figure out what you like.

• Consider using a polarizing filter to cut down reflections.

I think the white background might be too close to the subject which is causing some soft edges. Could be remedied with more distance between the white background and the subject or aiming for a near-white background and correcting in post-production.