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Sunday, March 18, 2012

How to Buy a Camera, Flash & Lens for Clinical Dental Photography

Hi! If you're here, it means that you're trying to learn more about clinical photography and the equipment that goes with it. Kudos for taking the first step. Taking GREAT images (not just mediocre ones) is the first step towards changing your practice quality forever.

Clinical Photography
There's no reason to shoot a mediocre image (left) when you can quickly and easily learn how to get an awesome lateral image (right). Check out our DVD and get images like the right one for increased case acceptance and better documentation.

Also, please look to the right and notice our "Exceptional Clinical Photography Made Easy" DVD for purchase. We're proud that it has been acclaimed as being the best DVD for composition ever made and it's "sister" DVD "Getting Started With Clinical Photography" will be available soon. Don't fret, though, because the first DVD covers all of the tricks and tips to get exceptional composition every time. Click on the picture and use the code "Blog10" to get 10% off the DVD and any of our custom mirrors and retractors.

So, what camera equipment should I buy?

No matter where I go, or whatever group I speak to, this is by far the most common question I get. After all, what is a dental photography "expert" for if not to be a resource for the most up to date dental gear. So, I figured that this would be a great time to post my thoughts on current equipment.

Please keep in mind (or see my last post) about the fact that almost any equipment can be used to get great dental images. It just comes down to the question of how much work do you want to put into getting your images and how many steps do you want to take to get the kind of quality that facilitates increased case acceptance. After all, we MUST have increased case acceptance if we're going to do this, but more on this in future posts...

Also, keep in mind that if you're going to shoot an SLR (which are by far the easier cameras to use for dental photography once you know how) you MUST learn how to manipulate f-stops and flash settings (keep an eye out for our upcoming DVD "Getting Started With Clinical Photography" due out around 8/1/12), but as any of my students can tell you, those are two REALLY easy things to do once you're properly shown how. Though virtually no point and shoot will allow you to manually adjust f-stops or flash settings, the major differences in SLRs brands is the steps you need to take to change those things.

Now, for whatever reason, Canon definitely owns market share in dentistry. No matter what group I am speaking to, roughly 80% of dentists with SLRs seem to using Canons. That's OK. The only hurdle is that Nikon has always been ahead of Canon when it comes to the steps necessary to do what we need to do in dentistry. For instance, to change flash settings on the Nikon flash, one need only turn a dial one click and you're done. On Canon, you need to push the mode button, then select, then + or - an appropriate amount of times, then do it in reverse when you want to return to the original settings. For years, on Canon models, in order to see the histogram (the Almighty's gift to digital dental photographers) one needed to hit the play button, then info and wait for the tiny histogram, while at the same time Nikon models showed the histogram as an overlay that was full size. It was "little" things like this that always irked me with Canon. Are they great cameras? Definitely. Would I buy one for dentistry right now? No. Only because of what I just talked about. There's one more major reason...

Dental photographyNikon has the R1 flash (see right). Yes, it kind of looks like a Klingon bird of prey, but trust me on this. Learn how to effectively use this flash and your images will be exceptional. You see, the flashes are wide which gives you great shadows. Why do we like shadows? They give us ideal surface texture, embrasures and nuances of what we're shooting. Wanna destroy all of that? Use a ring flash. However, if you've learned how to use retractors and mirrors properly, this flash is a breeze to use. Like I said, switching from say a 1/4 flash setting to a full flash (for intraoral versus full face images) is a less than 1 second process. Plus, the flash is wireless, which gets rid of all of thos annoying cords. The angle of the flash is adjustable as well. I could go on and on about why a wireless flash could be useful from full face portraits to shooting lab work in a digital lightbox.

dental photography tips
Canon MT 24EX
Dental photography tips
Canon MR 14EX TTL (Double point, not ring)


Canon has two particular types of flashes that work great (see right) but they really aren't that close to the R1. They make a dual twin flash that looks like the R1 but has tons of buttons and wires and once set up, is far more complicated to use than the R1. They also have the traditional double point flash that works nicely, but again, a lot of buttons, and the flash is very close to the lens which means less shadows, which means less emphasis and highlights.  People think it's a ring flash, but it actually is a double point flash, however for some of our portraits, in order to get rid of annoying shadows, we need to turn off one flash. It's really easy with the R1, but with either of these flashes (or a Sigma equivalent) you'll be hitting so many buttons that you'll like a middle school girl texting her BFF. Of course, you could adapt the R1 to your Canon, but you would need the R1C1 which includes the commander module to make them fire, which increases the size and the price by $250. For that price, I'd stay with the conventional Canon choices.

Lenses

In this category, again, for dental use, Nikon comes out on top in terms of choices and versatility. As a side note, I never recommend using any "glass" (aka lens) other than what the manufacturer made. I have nothing against 3rd party lenses, but as dentists, we want as little muss and fuss when something goes wrong, and if my camera isn't working properly, I want to hand everything over to them and say "It's all your equipment. Fix it.".  We don't need the camera manufacturer blaming the lens and vice versa.

The old standby for Nikon was the Nikkor 105mm "micro" (only Nikkor uses the term "micro" instead of macro) and the new lens is beautiful, but it costs nearly $950 and is pretty heavy and wide. I'd suggest the 85mm lens which is way smaller, lighter and about $450 less!!! (See below)
dental photography
Nikkor 105mm vs 85mm "micro" lenses


The biggest complaint that most non-dental photographers have is that the lens is too light and feels flimsy, but I can tell you that lecturing all over the US every year and having to lug my "loaner" equipment for my courses, I have never encountered a problem with this lens and I can see no difference between it and the 105mm in terms of quality (see below).
dental photography
Nikkor 105 vs 85 on same patient (unretouched)

Unfortunately, Canon offers the standard 100mm lens which is of slightly lesser quality than the Nikon 105mm but you'll never know the difference. Canon does make a second 100mm lens for a price of about $1100 but we just don't need it for dentistry. The next smaller/lighter lens is the 60mm, but it does change where you have to stand when you shoot images for patients and may bring you a little closer to the patient than you want to be. Remember, you cannot use a lens from one manufacturer with another.

Cameras

Ok, here is the part you've been waiting for, right? By now, you know what you're locked into a flash and lens depending on the brand, so you have to choose. The price and features of both the Nikon and Canon are almost identical, regardless of which model you want. The only exception is the D90 by Nikon (if you can still find one). If one can still get the D90, which is no longer made, but is a great camera, you can get the lens, flash and body for less than $1900 and there is no comparable Canon setup at that price. If you can't get the D90, the next camera to get in the Nikon family is the D7000. There is no reason to go more expensive unless you like to waste money. It gives you nothing! Do not be tempted to go down to the D5100 either. It does not have commander mode for the R1, so to use the flash you must buy the R1C1 (like a Canon) and you just raised the price by $250.

Canon has some great cameras, but the best one right now is the 60D. It is more than enough camera to do anything you need. I would not suggest jumping up to the 70D when it comes out while the 60D is availale. Remember, we don't need many of the features that these cameras perform. All we need is a light, small camera body that can shoot aperture priority and take the lenses and flashes that we want. The Rebel T2i is a great camera and less expensive, lighter and smaller than a 60D. My only complaint is that the Rebel series (and the Nikon 5100) is and has always been a "consumer" camera. It's less expensive than "prosumer" cameras like the D90, D7000 and 60D which are made more rugged and are meant to last longer and take a bit more of a beating. The way I look at it, this is a commercial application, not a personal application, so why go with a consumer camera. If your budget absolutely doe NOT include a prosumer body, and you want Canon, then go with the Rebel series and maybe upgrade the body at some later date. The lens and flash will fit onto your future camera.

If you do not already own a dental camera but are considering buying one, I would encourage you to attend one of my courses where you'll get to try my loaner equipment before you buy, and at the same time, get personal instruction from me. If you can't make it to my course, at least consider my DVD for exceptional composition available HERE. Also remember that my specialized line of mirrors and retractors is available only through my website, and were developed by me after watching thousands of students use conventional mirror designs. I have been told that they make a huge difference and I would invite you to give them a shot. I offer "starter" sets of mirrors and retractors with and without the DVD, and they can be seen by clicking Here.

Well, I hope this helped. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REMEMBER: It's not about the camera.  Please see my previous post to understand why. In the end, you MUST get properly trained. Great images, used properly in the "digital co-diagnosed" process will help your communication go through the ceiling and help your case acceptance skyrocket, but it DOES NOT happen by accident.

Please e-mail me Here with any comments or feedback.

Best Wishes,
Glenn

25 comments:

  1. Which commander for D5100 I must buy that is compatible to R1C1 flash??

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  2. Good question.

    The R1C1, by definition is the R1 PLUS the proper commander module. The 5100 requires it. I have been getting a lot of questions about how to use it, so I may write about that next.

    I hope my answer helped.

    Best Wishes,
    Glenn

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  3. Hey Guys.
    I like your blogs because There is more useful contents available for us and I was searching such contents since long time , Today's i found it finally about Buy Dental Mirror products. thanks for sharing such useful information. Big thanks

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  4. Glenn, what a great resource you are providing for such a powerful (yet underused) tool in dentistry. My question is regarding the Nikkor 85mm micro lens. I notice Nikon has a number of lens in the 85mm available with different f stops. What do you recommend?

    Regards,

    Shane

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    Replies
    1. Shane, here is a link for the lens I like. I hope it helps and thanks for taking the time to learn!

      http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/2190/AF-S-DX-Micro-Nikkor-85mm-f%252F3.5G-ED-VR.html

      Best Wishes,
      Glenn

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  5. hi sir, i do have nikon D90 and 85 mm micro lens but i need the ISO and f and shuteer speed setting for intra and extra oral please help me

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    Replies
    1. I'm often asked the same question and unfortunately, there's no short answer for f-stop.
      I love 200 iso for all intramural shots and your camera will sync for shutter speed when you turn on your flash, but the idea of f-stops is so important that I actually made an an entire DVD related to lighting and depth of field to make it simple to understand. You can find it at kriegercontinuum.com.

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  6. I would really like to try Tamron 2.8 90mm, Would it be a good thing? - For Sony alpha77.
    Marius.

    http://www.tamron-usa.com/lenses/prod/90_vc_f004.asp#ad-image-2

    Thank you Glenn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd love to find out how you like the lens. I suspect that it will work adequately but you won't really know unless you compare it side by side with a Nikon 85mm.

      Best Wishes!

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  7. Havy: Glenn, thank you for this really informative blog. It is a great read for amateurs like me. I have a Nikon D5300 with 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. I intend to use the same lens for dental photography. I am currently scouting for a good ring flash costing < $400. Do you have any suggestions? Also, do you have any experience with the Sigma EM-140 DG flash? Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Havy, thanks for the kind words.

      So, if you've read the blog, you know that the 18-140 lens cannot be used for dentistry. It's not a macro lens, so you'll never be able to get up close occlusal and intraoral shots without being out of focus. So, you're going to have to spring for a lens. No way around it.

      If you're looking for a "good ring flash" there aren't a ton of options. You could go for a chinese made LED ring flash, but they're junk. So, for the money, the Sigma will work. It's huge and bulky, but it works OK. But remember, you're gonna have to buy a lens.

      You're a dentist, and simply need to buy the equipment you need to practice dentistry properly. Dental camera systems are expensive, but you must buy what you need. Used properly, you'll make back your investment 100 fold, so don't worry about it in the long term.

      Good luck,
      Glenn

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  8. Hi Glenn, I just purchased the R1C1 flash, for my Nikon 3200. Can you help mw out with the initial suggested settings for the camera and flash?

    Thanks,

    Raul Morales, DDS MSc, Orthodontist

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  9. Raul, kudos for buying a camera, but you didn't pay heed to my suggestions on this blog.

    I repeatedly tell people NOT to buy the R1C! because it is a different setup than the R1 which is done through the camera's commander module itself. What you ended up buying was unfortunately a consumer camera (D3200) with a bulky commander module that not only is prone to breaking off during daily use, but changes the entire simplicity of use of the 1/4 and full flash settings as I've shown on this blog.

    Worse yet, you've spent several hundred dollars more on the C1 unit, money that could have been used towards a 7100 which has the built in commander unit (so no need for the bulky C1) a bigger screen and is a far, far better all around camera (prosumer level) and would have cost you at most an extra $100 dollars over what you spent.

    As an orthodontist myself, I appreciate the fact that we're taking images all day long and the less pieces to break, the better off we are.

    I wish I could help you set it up, but the setup, though not extremely difficult, is different than what I showed on my blog. If I can find a good video to demonstrate it, I will post it.
    If it's not too late to return the 3200 and buy a 7100, please consider doing so.

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  10. HI Glenn,
    First of all I would like to thank you for providing all the dentists around the world with such great resources. I need help choosing a camera, I am starting my orthodontic residency soon. My program sent me a list of cameras to choose from. It's either Nikon 5200 or Rebel T5i. I was thinking about either getting a D7100 or Eos 70D. I asked most of the residents and they all are using Canon cameras. One of your post you mentioned that if anyone is planning to buy Rebel T5i they better go with 70D. It will be of great help if you can help me make this decision.
    Thanks a lot for you help.

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  11. Glenn, I got it!!! This is what I'm going to do: I'm buying the D7100 and taking the D3200 home, and the commander as well. Now, before I get the D7100, I have some questions, since I'm not entirely happy with the color balance of the photos. The teeth have a sort of yellowish tone, and the mucosa is very pink (your photos show a different tonality, and I understand it may be how the browsers display images). These are my setting on the D3200: Quality = Normal, White Balance = Auto, ISO = 200, Focus Mode = AF-S, AF Area Mode = Single Point, Metering = Spot Metering, Exposure compensation = +1.0, Flash Compensation = 0.0 When taking I/O photos, both SB-R200 flashes are at the sides (right and left), with the flashes inclined 2 clicks to the midline. One flash is set as A and the second one as B. When I take facial photos, I make the commander use A, and when taking I/O's, I have both flashes on.... Any suggestions on how to improve my photos?

    Thanks a lot...

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    Replies
    1. Raul, I'd start by setting your exposure compensation to 0. Everything else seems pretty good. As long as you're using a Nikkor lens, then I have to believe it's the camera. If you go to the 7100, I suspect you'll see a huge difference.

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  12. Hi Glenn, could R1 flash work well with Nikon D7100 and D750?

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    Replies
    1. The answer is Yes, but you'd be absolutely nuts to spend that kind of money on the D750 for dentistry. WAY too much.

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  13. Hello Dr. Krieger,

    We recently purchased a Nikon D7100 for our Orthodontic office and are trying to figure out how make our pictures brighter. Is there a certain setting we should have on or do we need to buy something extra.
    Thanks
    Erica

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    Replies
    1. Erica, kudos on getting a great setup. As an orthodontist myself, I can appreciate the hectic pace of an office, but it doesn't mean that we can't get awesome images. The problem is that things like lighting and using mirrors and retractors are trained skills. If you don't get the lips and cheeks perfectly out of the way you'll never have a way to get light onto the subject. They do not come naturally. One has to learn how to do certain things. Short of me being there to help you one on one, may I suggest my DVD series which will teach you how to properly setup the camera, retract for better images (and better flash exposure onto the area) and how to get awesome lighting every time. You can find it at my website www.kriegerorthodotics.com. All the best.

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  15. Hi Glenn, I'm currently using D40 with a Tamron 2.8 90mm. The macro lens works fine for me but somehow i fine the colour of my pictures are too red/orange( the red part looks too red, the white part looks too white). I tried adjusting the flash compensation and exposure but the images are too different from the real situation. I have no idea what causes that, could it be the camera body? I'm considering to get a flash unit too. Can you advise me on that please?

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    Replies
    1. Kai, there are a number of potential issues. The D40 is a consumer level camera and it's macro color isn't really the greatest. But, you might want to start by trying to white balance the camera. There are many resources out there to teach how to do that. You didn't mention the flash you're using, but I assume it's a macro flash.

      Start with white balance and make sure that your f-stops are right. Beyond that, it has to be either your camera or lens, neither of which are ones I'd strongly recommend.

      I hope that helped.

      All the best,
      Glenn

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  16. Hi Glenn, I'm currently using D40 with a Tamron 2.8 90mm. The macro lens works fine for me but somehow i fine the colour of my pictures are too red/orange( the red part looks too red, the white part looks too white). I tried adjusting the flash compensation and exposure but the images are too different from the real situation. I have no idea what causes that, could it be the camera body? I'm considering to get a flash unit too. Can you advise me on that please?
    Thanks!

    Regards,
    Kai Ling

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  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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