Photography - Equipment

REQUIREMENTS

We need photography kit that will produce images that are:

• High quality

• Undistorted

• Correctly illuminated

• Consistently reproducible

OPTIONS

• Mobile Phone

• Compact - point and shoot

• Bridge - compact camera dimensions but interchangeable lenses

• DSLR - optical viewfinder

• Mirrorless - digital viewfinder, offerS full ‘DSLR’ functions and can accept DSLR lenses

For dental photography, only a DSLR or Mirrorless camera meets our full requirements

COMPONENTS

BEST COMBINATION

LENS

• 1:1 Macro lens is required

• A bundled kit lens that may come with your camera body is not adequate

• Spending money on good quality glass is important

• The recommended focal length of the lens depends on the camera body you are using

• A mount adapter may be needed depending on which lens you choose.

  • The Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapter allows EF and EF-S mount lenses to be used on Canon EOS R cameras

  • The Nikon FTZ Mount Adapter enables the use of Nikon F mount lenses on a Z-mount mirrorless camera body

BODY

• APS-C crop sensor will be cheaper than a full frame sensor

• All major manufacturers are transitioning away from DSLR to mIrrorless cameras

• Camera bodies come with an array of different (often confusing) model numbers.

FLASH

• Ring flash is a more simple, compact setup

• Twin flash produces more natural looking artistic shots

• If the flash brand is different your camera body, ensure it is compatible with your camera and the firmware is updated

ACCESSORIES

Additional kit includes:

• Mirrors

• Retractors

• Contrasters

• Flash Diffusers

• Spare Batteries (for flash and camera body)

• Portrait lighting (for portrait photography)

• Extension Grip - to enable easier handling (optional)

WHICH MANUFACTURER / BRAND

• The differences mainly come down to lens ecosystem, flash compatibility, ergonomics, and workflow in a clinic.

• The main players are Canon, Nikon and Sony. They all deliver excellent image quality and there is not much between them. It is like comparing Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

• Canon have historically been the most widely supported with a variety of third party manufacturers offering a huge accessory ecosystem. Sony are the newest kid on the block, but are making inroads into dental photography.

• Ultimately, choose the system that feels most comfortable and aligns with your budget and preferences.

WHERE TO BUY

• If buying new, there are an array of online retailers, or support your local independent photography store.

• If buying second hand, ensure you buy from a reputable seller, ideally with a guarantee. MPB, Wex and Park Cameras are long-standing reputable sellers.

• If you go second hand, make sure the firmware of the flash you want is compatible with your camera body. I’d be happy going second hand with a lens, but less happy with the body and flash, just because they have a lot more electronics so more opportunities to go wrong.

OPTIONS FOR EVERY BUDGET

A good budget setup would be:

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro ~ £300 (USED)

Canon second hand DSLR body (USED) ~£400

Yongnou YN-14EX Macro Ring Flash ~ £115 (NEW)

You’ll then need a few accessories as per the slides, but you should be able to get a full setup for around £1k

WHICH SPECIFIC MODEL

FURTHER READING

https://www.instagram.com/dentist.camera