Dental Photography

[maan]

Hi all!

I'm a dental resident looking for the best settings regarding d60 or 10D using MR 14 EX ring flash and 100 Macro lens. Could anybody help me on this issue?

Thank you.

[rickyd]

for intraoral use try setting the aperture at F22 and the speed on manual at 125/sec. Let the flash do the rest on ettl.
For even better results put your flash on manual and experiment in the 1/8 to 1/32 range for best results Remember to set your display to show the histogram and shoot off the histogram!

[maan]

THANKS rickyd.

[mickelsoncosta]

Hi ! it's the same answer i did for a G2 owner and i guess may be valuable for you too !

I'm an orthodontist (G2 owner) and I've been taking good dental shots using aperture priority with f:8.0

you can see at:

http://pbase.com/mickelsoncosta/g2_intraoral_photos


In details, i use:

- the camera (sure)
- the MR 14 EX ring lite flash
- the tube LA DC 58 C
- the macrolite adapter - this assures that the ringlite stays adapted to the tube or the lenses you use and hold it - otherwise, if you hold the camera toward the floor, the flash will slip down (no problem with the 10D and a macro lens - the canon macros dont't need the ringlite adapter)
- the lenses I'm using are one Canon 250D plus one Hoya +4 (all of them are 58mm). I guess you can use two of the last one and will be OK ! I don't know if you are a general dentist and may want some photos of single dental units, if so you may purchase a +10 close-up lens too (let me know if this work out !!!), again, you don't need this if you have a 10D and a macro lens.

My photos look much better when i set the saturation at -1, and the intensity of the flash at -2/3 (output)

I always use the aperture priority mode and set the aperture at 8.0 in frontal and lateral photos. When i use mirrors, I set from 5.0 to 6.0

I prefer to take photos without the ligth of a reflector, usually they are very brilliant and, I'm not sure, but i think it influence the reading of the E-TTL flash.

Take your photos at max resolution (I guess it's a good idea), so you will have to purchase at least a 128 MB CF card.

I'm testing different ways to use the MR-14 (modifying the intensity of the two side and rotating the flash) when i have the results i tell you.

Good luck !!!

Mike

[Mark Benavides]

Good Morning!

I'm a genl DDS using the D30 with 100mm lens and the M-whatever ringflash.

My OUTSTANDING RESULTS are obtained by doing the following:
MANUAL MODE
ASA 100
1/60 to 1/125 shutter (irrelevant)
F32 (depth of field from centrals to 2nd molars when shooting directly into mouth!)
PUSH YOUR FLASH to +1 1/3 or else your teeth will look yellow. Do this on the FLASH as this overrides the camera settings (see flash manual).

Contact me privately and I'll post a powerpoint of a variety of settings and their results - you can make your own decision based on the photos.

Warmest Regards,
Mark Benavides
Ottawa, IL

[mickelsoncosta]

Hi Mark Benavides !

I have recently updated my galery with original size images of intraoral photos !

I'd like you to see and comment (anyone is wellcome too) my results !

Maybe I could see some of yours in the forum, since i'm thinking about upgrade from my G2 to a SLR, maybe the 10D !!!!

Thanks!

http://pbase.com/mickelsoncosta/g2_intraoral_photos

[Mark Benavides]

MickelsonCosta (sp),

I've uploaded a picture of an intraoral picture to

http://www.pbase.com/markbenavides/inbox


I took it this AM, showing general dentistry in Central Illinois (ie, a mouthful of rot from 'Doing the Dew.' Yes, he has spaces, facets etc, but I spent ~3hrs today simply restoring the large facial defects on 27-31.

Warmest Regards,
Mark
PS: Manual Mode 1/60 sec, F32 (note ALL teeth in focus, ie you can't do that at F8), flash pushed to +1 1/3 (MR-14EX), 100mm lens.

[mickelsoncosta]

Hi Mark !

Thanks for the example. Good depth of field... excellent colors (sometimes my photos seems a little caramel).

Some of yours expressions i could not understand (I'm from Brazil), excuse-me !

Anyway, I guess you've done a good work on restoring that teeth and have a lotta work to do yet !!!! Good Luck !!!

[Mark Benavides]

CM,

Buenos Dias, Bonjour (sorry, don't know Portuguese!),

"Do The Dew" = a reference to a commercial in "Los Estado Unidos" where kids are encouraged to drink a lot of pop, "Mountain Dew." This stuff with its low pH and high sugar content rots teeth.

I'm guessing your caramel color is from insufficient flash, in that the computer in the camera gets confused by all the whiteness from the teeth and under-exposes the picture.

I have posted a powerpoint on my website that shows a variety of settings on the D30, those recommended by a 'guru' regarding the camera, and a slew of pictures while I was experimenting. (The guru's comment: "I need to learn to use the camera better!").

Follow this link:
http://www.Benavides.org/_private/D30_SETUP.ppt

CAUTION: this is a 28Mb file - I highly recommend hispeed internet access!

Warmest Regards,
Mark Benavides
Ottawa, IL

PS: "Do The Dew" is my BEFORE picture. I hope he allows me to do an "AFTER."

[mickelsoncosta]

Hi Mark !

Thank you very much for the power point file ! It's a great tool for every dentist who want to get into the field of digital dental photography.

Thank you for the explanation about "american dental expressions" too. I guess I learned a little bit more about english language instead of photography stuffs only !!!

see you !!!

[Leighow]

ORTO-DENTISTS

Interesting shots to a guy who wore braces 60 years ago! One thing for sure, you cannot do a smaller apt than F8 with the G2 -- but the shots looked sharp to me. My only thoughts were:

1: An alteration of hues in PS should get rid of the yellow -- if alterations are legal!

2: Would it make any sense (is it worth the effort) to attach the G2 alongside the X-Ray head. If so, it could ber wired to a PC for full-screen shots and remote control of the G2 image (e.g. zoom)?

HOWIE