Good camera for ortho residency and after

[playa2652]

Hi fellow orthodontists and ortho residents,

I am starting orthodontics residency soon and I needed suggestions on what camera is considered good for intraoral and extraoral photos for case presentation?

I was thinking of the Canon Rebel T3i but its like $900 and about $700 for a special deal going on right now.

My residency suggested the Pentax WG-4 16 MP compact digital camera, but idk if I would need something better or not. I want to save money if possible, b/c the tuition is as expensive as dental school right now, lol.

Anyways, any thoughts? Thanks guys

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[Bereno]

If you get the canon, you will need a lens to go with it - probably a 100mm macro ($400 used) or a 50mm macro since it is a crop body (80mm equivalent). Additionally, you will likely need an appropriate ring flash or double flash for lighting (add $500), so add in some $900 to that camera's price. Personally, I have a Canon 20d that I picked up for $180 with lens as well as a 100mm macro for $380 - comes out to $140 less than that T3i alone. Also, I would really press you to take a look at the images from my 10 year old, 8MP camera and try and distinguish it from the newer, 18MP T3i (assuming same lens and light). My point - feel free to save a few $$ and use an older model if you want an SLR. That said, if your residency suggested the Pentax, then they likely have a working knowledge using it, so I would probably go with that. Hope that helps 🙂

 

[UCSFx2017]

Here's how I bought my Canon 60D for a great deal. Canon has a somewhat secret trade-in loyalty program where you get 20% off any refurbished camera. All you have to do is send in any old Canon camera and then buy a certified refurbished Canon camera at a 20% discount. I didn't have a Canon camera to trade in at the time so I bought an old broken $10 Canon camera from eBay. I sent it to Canon and bought a 60D + 18-200 mm lens for around $800(?) with a 20% discount. You won't need a 60D for residency or private practice; a T3i is more than enough and is basically the same thing without the shutter speed and at a cheaper cost. The refurbished T3i body by itself is currently listed for $399. So you'd only pay $399 - $79 (20% discount) = $320. You really don't need to invest much money on the body. They come up with a new body almost every year and its value depreciates much faster than their lens. For example, a 50 mm lens f/1.8 ("nifty fifty") still costs only $100 which was what it was sold for back in the 80's. If you choose to buy their body + lens package, you might be able to sell the lens for more than what you paid for. Buy the best macro lens you can buy and invest in a ring light. For any given brand, the cheaper the macro lens, the shorter the working distance so you'll have to be inconveniently as up close to the patient as possible. The lens should cost you more than the body.

http://fstoppers.com/canon-photographers-biggest-secret-exposed

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras#

Canon's loyalty program phone number is (866)-443-8002 and you can ask what the current discount is.

 

[gryffindor]

I have a Pentax I bought in 2010 (the "Dine Digital Solution" camera). I thought it would be nice because I was working all over the place and it would be easy to carry around. Dine showed what I thought were nice pictures from this camera at the Greater NY Meeting and touted how easy it is to use it.

I hated it. I wound up buying a Canon T3 + macro lens + ring flash assembly from Clinipix and the photos are a billion times better. I didn't have the time and patience to build it myself so I bought it from one of the medical/dental camera places, but you can do it yourelf. This camera is one of the most important pieces of equipment in my office. If you buy a good assembly now, you will absolutely be able to use it in private practice. However, I love having crisp, clean photos. I have worked in offices that use a point and shoot for their photos and are ok with the inferior quality photos. At this stage of the game, I am still building referrals and I would hate to send a photo of a patient to an referral office that looks like it was taken with a cell phone.

These days I leave the macro lens and ring flash at the office and bring the body home to use the camera for my home pictures as well. Eventually I will buy a second camera for home, but for now it's fine.

I wouldn't buy the Pentax.

 

[Bereno]

Yeah, the CLP is pretty cool program is you want to buy something that is essentially new - refurbished. Its a great deal IMO. That said, I am still in the boat for older used gear though lol 🙂

If you want to see how an 10 year old canon body still performs today here is my flickr account. Remember, I only paid $560 for the 20d body, 18-55mm kit lens and a 100mm f2.8 macro lens. Food for thought!

 

[Ferneezy]

nice shots. what do you use for PP? gimp? PS?

 

[Bereno]

I use CS5. I tried GIMP once but could not get the hang of it, though I know a lot of people really like it.

 

[charlestweed]

Playa, I know you are very excited about your ortho residency that you are about to start in a few months. I too felt the same way several years ago. I think you should contact the ortho residents who are there before you to learn about the program’s camera requirement. Some programs are ok with a simple point and shoot camera. Other programs require a DSLR camera with macro lens and ring flash.

At my private practice, I use a simple point n shoot camera with a little “flower” button (macro function). Because it is simple to use and to set up, any of my staff member can use it. It’s harder to train every employee to use the DSLR camera. DSLR camera gives superb image quality if it is set up correctly. But if it is not set up correctly or the assistant doesn’t handle it correctly, the image quality it produces can be worse than what a simple point and shoot camera can do. Dslr camera + the lens+ ringflash is very heavy to hold with one hand....this may cause the assistant to incorrectly adjust the lens or retract the patient's cheek inadequately with her other hand.

I wouldn't use a point and shoot camera if I think it is bad. Having good photo quality is important. I routinely use the photos to impress my patients’ parents by showing them what their children’s teeth look like before the treatment. Then I show them clinically the dental improvements that I have made so far. It’s a great marketing tool.

 

[Ferneezy]

I use CS5. I tried GIMP once but could not get the hang of it, though I know a lot of people really like it.

same. i stumbled my way through gimp for months before i raged away from it. problem with CS is the pricing that comes along with adobe's monopoly.

 

[Bereno]

same. i stumbled my way through gimp for months before i raged away from it. problem with CS is the pricing that comes along with adobe's monopoly.

I hear you there, but I have a family member that gave me his copy of it since he was upgrading. 🙂

 

[wodehouse]

Does anyone have a list of part numbers for the 90mm Tamron lens, Canon T3 body, and ring flash? I'd like to compare prices on amazon.