Dental photography

[rkm rdt]

Here is the ring flash detached and to the left.



This from above, I like this one.



From the left

 

[Travis]

Lol, a case pan. Looks like it works. Great idea....

 

[rkm rdt]

It was the only blue thing I could find with a back on it.

 

[JonB]

Good - now try shooting each of those with the flash as close to the casting as you can get it without letting it show in the frame and see if you like the results. From the same angles - just closer.

 

[Clear Precision Dental]

The blue backgound was so shiny and smooth. I was scrolling down, wandering what you used for a background. BAM... a lab pan!

I like it !!!

Now, my stupid question. How do you upload the big pictures? I only know how to attach the small photos.

 

[Clear Precision Dental]

I am sorry. I just saw the new post in the forum on how to upload photos. I need to read a little... quicker, and do a little homework. Thanks !!

 

[JonB]

Getting here late to the party. I've opened a thread in the General Discussion area to field these kinds of questions and everyone is welcome to participate and give their experience and knowledge.

First off - buy a good monitor - just not an LED version - they are next to.... no they are impossible to color correct with a calibration dongle.
I use an Apple Cinema Display most of the time. I've heard good things about Dell too.

While you aren't going to pick shades this way - at least you will have a stable place to start - if - you calibrate your monitors. No matter what they are (just not LED). I have a Monoco Optix XR but the newer Spyder Calibration units is very good and you can get them anywhere. All of your images will improve if you calibrate your monitor.

In all likelihood - your monitor is turned up way too bright. The calibration software will help you get that right too.

I have used Photoshop since version 2... not CS2 - version 2 ( a long time) I have CS5 loaded on my computer - its very expensive and even if all you buy is the Photoshop module - it's still too expensive for dental work.
Lightroom will do everything you need to do that Photoshop will do for a lot less money. I don't recommend Photoshop Elements or any other editing software... Maybe Apple Aperture is OK - but Lightroom is probably your best bet for the money. I've had Lightroom on my computer since it was in Beta.
Lightroom excels in cataloging and image management far more than PS. Plus if you shoot in RAW (and everyone should) - you edit in Lightroom exactly the same way you do in Photoshop - ACR. Buy Scott Kelby's 7 Point System for Lightroom - worth every cent!
For dental - all you need is the ability to crop, straighten, sharpen and make minor adjustments - including spot removal for all the sensor dust.

I also have an EZ box and its handy - they come in a variety of sizes. Any light source will do - you don't need to blow the bank - you do have to color balance for them though.
You need to get to know your camera and how to set a custom white balance - for the best possible color accuracy. One of the problems us dental folks have is understanding why the camera can't do better color and is unreliable for shades. A lot is user error - not knowing how to adjust for the current lighting conditions. Just setting the camera to the flash setting and hitting a tooth with the ring flash isn't enough - what is the rest of the room decor doing to the light? Is there a large window in the room? Are you shooting in the morning, afternoon or under a light bulb? With on the fly custom white balance in your camera - you will get it "right" there instead of trying to manipulate something in the computer.

Ok - now - please, instead of growing two threads - go here to post fresh questions and lets have some fun with whatever camera you are using.
http://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/f15/intra-oral-dental-photography-6909-new/

 

[Al.]

Great thread!
I just saw it and will read through it later.

My biggest struggle is getting the colors to come out the way I see them by eye when I take pics of cases in the lab.

 

[JonB]

Great thread!
I just saw it and will read through it later.

My biggest struggle is getting the colors to come out the way I see them by eye when I take pics of cases in the lab.

I hear ya - i think we all struggle with this. What do you do when you shoot? - tell us what your setup is, what light source, camera, etc...

That EZ Box that *** posted a pict of in the other thread is probably the best way to mitigate all the outside influences - but can be a bit cumbersome if you don't have space to leave it set up.

 

[rkm rdt]

Jon and Al,

Thanks again for this thread and the other picture threads.This is like taking music lessons from Lennon and McCartney!

 

[dmonwaxa]

Jon and Al,

Thanks again for this thread and the other picture threads.This is like taking music lessons from Lennon and McCartney!

Where's Ringo?

 

[dmonwaxa]

JonB, it might be a good idea if we merge this thread with your original. Lots of great info and it even brought out some new peeps. Great.

 

[rkm rdt]

Where's Ringo?

Not sure but this guy reminds me of Pete ( I'm the) Best.

 

[Al.]

Setting up your camera for a custom white balance is fairly easy and its necessary if you want accurate color. Every light source has a different color temperature. On your camera there are basic settings for AWB Average White Balance, Tungsten, Florescent, Sunlight and so on. There is also a "Custom" setting.
There are a couple ways to get a custom white balance - several more maybe - but I'll address two. 1) an Expodisc is a type of filter you hold in front of your lens and aim at the dominant light source and take a pict. Then you tell your camera to use that as the white balance image. Your camera will automatically set the white balance for all shots from then on. Every time the light changes - you have to take a new image and reset the white balance.
2) instead of popping for a $130.00 72mm filter - you can use the Chuck Gardner method of setting a custom white balance. Chuck recommends using an 18% gray card - I use a white one. The camera only really sees in black and white and does all kinds of gymnastics to get color out of the file. It actually tries to level everything to a middle gray - so a white card will work almost as easily as a gray one. So - get a nice clean white wash cloth and keep it in your bag. When you are ready to shoot, with or without flash - lay it out and take a pict. Make sure the cloth is fairly flat and fills the frame. Then just like before - tell the camera to use that image for all the shots you're going to shoot under that lighting condition. (you shoulda seen me at the art museum a while back when they had a car exhibit - Every new room, I'd find someone with a white shirt and I'd get in close and shoot their shoulder - then set the white balance. Worked like a charm since i forgot my wash cloth that day.)

The other option is to shoot one scene with a gray card in the frame - then use the Gray point tool in either photoshop or lightroom to set the gray point. This often will correct the worst color shifts when you took a great image with the wrong setting. You can batch process a lot of shots at once with this tool by applying the change to all of the ones that need it. We'll save that technique for another day though.

Thats really great information!

Im going to try that this week end.
I have one place in the lab that I always take pics of cases.

I usually change my wb from flash to cloudy, and see a bit of difference.
I didnt know there was a custom setting.

 

[Al.]

Not sure but this guy reminds me of Pete ( I'm the) Best.

Uh OH another snow ball fight coming.

Acually in person Mark is a pretty humble man.

 

[rkm rdt]

I wish there was a font for sarcasm.

 

[dmonwaxa]

I wish there was a font for sarcasm.

:canada:? ,,,,,, JK

how about these? :banplease::kiss:

 

[JonB]

One thing we do on the flight line at airshows late in the year when the sky is clear and the sun is backlighting the subject plane and not coming from the best angle (usually everything has a strong blue cast) is set the WB to "Shade" instead of "Sunny" - it warms up the pict nicely. This works for landscapes as well when the scene is a bit too cool on Sunny and too warm on Cloudy.
To further complicate the issue of White Balance - not only can you do custom white balances - but you can also shift the color sensitivity with a grid in your custom settings.
Its always good to experiment and push the limits - you just might find the combination that works best in your situation.

 

[rkm rdt]

Jon, I have my homework for the weekend,thanks.

"Its always good to experiment and push the limits - you just might find the combination that works best in your situation."
I think Tiger Woods ran that one by his wife once....once!

 

[JonB]

Sounds good to me!