Dental photography - camera - macro lens - flash ?

[VincentCeramics]

Hello all

I will buy Nikon D90 and my question is... Is Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DG Macro a good lens ?

( 105mm macro lens from Nikon is f/2.8 - many people recommend it....and Sigma that i want to buy is f/3.5-6.3..so i think that's biggest difference so that's why i ask)

And..any suggestions on flesh? ...ring or dual flash?

thx...



---------- more info if someone is interested in what to buy.

I done few days of research and this is what i found...

Canon and Nikon cameras are best pick.. (most of the time Nikon D90 with Nikon Macro lens 105mm)


I was on one big congress and one dentist shown picture of his camera... he use:
CAMERA: Nikon D90
LENS: Nikon Macro 105mm
ARM: Photomed R1 Bracket
FLASH: Nikon wireless SB-R200
BOUNCER: Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer

 

[Jorge]

You will need a true macro lens, that is one that can make photos at scale 1:1 so that Sigma zoom is out of contest.
Canon calls them "Macro lens" and Nikon calls them "Micro lens"
Nikon 105mm is very good, if the max. aperture is 2.8 it will be easier four you to focuse (always manual focusing)
Flash can be ring type or twin type.
For intraoral shots ring type is easier to use, lighting can be better with twin type if used right (at least in Canon one, you must change then angle of the two little flashes when you change the magnificacion factor, that is when you change the subject distance)
Seach this forum for more info

 

[VincentCeramics]

Thank you for the answer Jorge!

I would like Nikon 105mm lens, but i don't see any in my country (on websites similar to ebay). Is there some alternative to that lens maybe ?

 

[Laurens]

Hello

I'm using a D60 with a Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Macro lens + Sigma EM-140 DG flash unit for a few years and I still like them. Maybe these are for sale in Croatia? They are not so expensive and easy to use.

 

[VincentCeramics]

There is one TAMRON 90 MM MACRO here... 510 USD...

Thank you for answer! (its f/2.8 ..i like that....!)


I hope to get more suggestion here...


...Jorge, do you maybe know about Sigma EX DG macro 105mm 2.8 ?

 

[Drizzt]

Buy a cheaper body , you don't need all thise features of D 90 . Actually buy the cheapest body you can . Use the money you will save and spend them on the lens and the flash . I agree that ring flash is easier for a new user . For twin flash I think you must use deflectors which is not easy every time . I use canon , a 1000 D and a 60 D with a 100 mm canon macro lens and canon mr 14 ring flash . Perfectly happy with this setup .

 

[Jorge]

...Jorge, do you maybe know about Sigma EX DG macro 105mm 2.8 ?

Any objetive that allows you to use manual focus and to set the magnification: 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, etc is good for intraoral macro photography.
Around 100 milimeters (90, 100, 105) were the standard for slides (full frame sensor)
Those objetives in a crop camera have a field of view equivalent to a 150 or 160mm so you have more working distance.
Search for AACD requirements as a point of departure for magnifications.
If your camera has (probably yes because of money) a crop sensor then when AACD says 1:2 you should dial 1:3 etc.
The important fact is to use always same subject size (so same magnification and same distance) so you can compare before and after shots.

 

[VincentCeramics]

Thank you all for replays!!

I bought D90 today without the lens and tomorrow ill get TAMRON 90 MM MACRO
And i still need to buy flash... i think ill go for ring , it will be ok for start... still don't know which one.

D90 was 490 USD
Lens is 490 USD too.

 

[Jorge]

... still don't know which one.

With flash you can play TTL or MANUAL
Choose one that allows both options

 

[Affinity]

Finally opened my wallet and got a nikkor 105mm VR micro lens.. beautiful lens, very solid, well-made. Any recommendation on flashs.. Im assuming the cheaper LCD style are just that.. cheap and probably not the type of light we need in dental. anyone know of an inexpensive ring flash that preserves the natural color?

 

[SlowWater]

Affinity,

What body do you have. I have the vr 105mm, but I use it with my FX D700. So If you have DX I would suggest you buy a good flash like R1C1. The distance in DX is not 105mm, but is arround 1.5x more.

The cheap version would be the sigma EM-140 DG Macro flash and has a good TTL.

Just to think about,

Regards,

 

[Affinity]

i have a cheaper body d40x.. thanks for the heads up on the sigma, ill look into it

 

[paulg100]

"...Jorge, do you maybe know about Sigma EX DG macro 105mm 2.8 ?"

thats the lens i use, theres plenty of pictures ive posted here so you can use em to get an idea.

If you look in photography magazines, sigma is on a roll these days. There lenses often get better marks than the official canon/nikon ones and there much better value for money.

 

[Crnmker]

I use a D 90 with a Sigma 70mm 1:2.8 DG Macro and my pictures are perfect. Its light weight and easy to shoot. B&H camera in New York is a big help.
Good luck

 

[SlowWater]

Hi,

I was asking because my surgeon wanted to buy a setup for macro and did not wanted to spent to much. So I have suggested him to buy D90 with Nikkor 70mm micro. With this setup on dx frame you have around 105mm and a sigma flash.
But when he was buying the setup at some store, they suggested him a different flash - metz. But this setup with this flash is not good. I have used the sigma EM-140 DG whit great results for years.
I have moved on just because I wanted to make more with the flash or lets say to have more options with it. This is hard to explain so I am posting a picture. This way I can command more the surface texture and also the internal craks.

I hope this helps my explanation



Regards,

 

[paulg100]

yeah the twin flashes are much better for capturing internal colours (less specular highlights than a ring flash) and tooth morphology (tooth volume),but ive always found ring flashes better for surface texture as the reflection brings that out better.

I only use the twin flash though as its to mush hassle to take multiple images and keep swapping flash units back and forth, its much better for taking shade images.

ill have a little play with your flash positions slowwater and see what difference it makes for surface texture, thanks for the tip.

 

[Affinity]

Are those wireless mounted on the ring? pretty cool! Thanks

 

[2thm8kr]

Are those wireless mounted on the ring? pretty cool! Thanks

Yes they are wireless. And individually adjustable through command mode.

 

[SlowWater]

I have bought the command mode, because my idea was to try to use it with 3 flashes. But I have bought the whole set and there were only two in the set. I have not bought the 3rd, because I have not found the need yet

So in fact you don't need the command mode for a setup with two flashes, because the camera itself can handle it (but I am not sure for a D40x, but on the D90 it works).
But for the third flash you need a command mode. It is also easier to setup because you have all the info on the back and the camera flash does not need to be poped up. Then you need to buy a black mask to cover the camera flash. I hope you understand what I mean.

If not, tell me and I can post some pictures

and like alrerady 2thm8kr posted, they work wireless. So you can play around even off the ring.

Regards,

 

[VincentCeramics]

Hey people.. I have Nikon d90 and TAMRON 90 MM MACRO

I wonder if I buy this ring flesh will that suit my needs. Is there really need to go for more expensive flashes?
Wold this flash give me headache or you think i could work with that?

Amazon.com: Meike FC-100 Macro Ring Flash/Light for Nikon: Camera & Photo