Fixed Prosthetic Lab | LeBeau Dental Lab
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PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS


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The Goal

Now generally understood to mean digital photography - in "shade-matching" is to provide the dental lab with additional visual information for them to use in the making of high-quality prosthetics. On the surface, this sounds simple enough, but in practice it is the source of some confusion and frustration.

The Problem

  1. The Photographer is using the incorrect photography equipment.
  2. The photographer is using the photography equipment incorrectly. 
Solving for these "problems" will allow dentists, even those who are not familiar with digital cameras and techniques, to achieve a much higher level of accuracy and consistency.

The Solution

  1. Use a digital SLR camera -  The most common misperception is that an inexpensive"point-and-shoot" camera will be easier to use, and therefore less prone to error.
              A. Much easier to use (fully automatic & fully controllable)        
               B. Achieves a much higher level of color quality due to the larger and more sophisticated sensors. 
               C. Allows for greater image sharpness and when used with a macro-lense, creates superb "depth of field".

      2.   Use a twin light (or "point source") flash - instead of a traditional "ring flash". 
               A.  Ringflash - Is where the light source is directly on the lens axis, produces an obvious reflection on the central anteriors,                          which not only wipes out a lot of color information, but also minimizes the capture of surface texture and                                                  subtle opalescence.
              B. Traditional Flash - When the light sources are removed off-axis a few inches, greatly reduce these problems and can still                        be used for the full course of intraoral photography. Good cameras to use:
                    - Canon MT24 Twilight 
                     - Nikon R1 Speedlight
                     - Use a true macro lense - the higher the quality, the better. 
                     - Stay away from using "close-focus" zoom lenses, and although there are some excellent after-market lenses, generally                            sticking to the Cannon or Nikon macro lenses (100MM & 105MM) is a safe bet and good investment. 
   

Camera Settings

    1. Set the camera on manual (which will allow you to)
    2. Set the camera to a fast shutter speed (1/200th of a sec.)
    3. Set the aperture to f/32 (some macro lenses may only go            to f/22) - This is where you will obtain consistently                            maximum depth of field. 
    4. Set ISO to 100 
          A. The lowest ISO will give you the best color. 
          B. Higher ISO will increase the exposure sensitivity, but                       do so at the expense of color quality and "noise".
    5. Set the white balance to automatic (AWB on most                     cameras)
          A. Most other color pre-sets usually add color to                                  compensate for the variations from "daylight balance                      in the shooting environment.
         B. Flashes vary, and cameras can vary, so you lab                                 will generally have an easier time color-correcting 
              from the more neutral value of the AWB setting.    
         C. Trying to set a "custom-balance" can be tricky and                         create errors. Doing it incorrectly causes more 
              problems 
than not doing it at all.
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 6. Set the flash on it's TTL setting. 
 7. Make the flash do all the work. It will automatically and accurately adjust its output as you move closer or further away to frame      your shot. 
 8. Making micro-adjustments in the flash's output is easily done on the flash control unit; slight exposure adjustments can just as            easily be made on most cameras too, without changing the overall settings.   
 9. Auto-focus or manual-focus: it is up to you. I personally find it easier to set the lens to manually focus when I'm making intraoral      photos, but others find it just as easy to use auto-focus
10. Communicate closely with your lab! They may want you to place a gray-black-white tab in the shot along with the dental shade       tab. They may prefer working with raw files. 

The Bottom Line

The best shade-matching technique is a close working relationship with your dental lab. These thumb-nail guidelines should get you started in the right direction. We provide digital photography training to dentists all across the country, and we get more requests for help with shade-matching than anything else. Our goal, and it should be yours too, is to make this process simple and repeatable. Your lab will thank you.

Dave Hutt
Founding partner, DMD, Digital Dental Photography
Training / Workshops Coordinator
dhutt@dmddigitalphoto.com
503-449-0662
 
www.dmddigitalphoto.com
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Team
    • Current Escapades
    • Lab Tour
    • Publications
    • Testimonials
  • Services
    • Zirconia
    • E-Max
    • JKAD
    • Implants >
      • Screw Retained
    • Diagnostics/Provisionals
    • Metal Ceramics
  • Doc-Lab Communication
    • Prescription Form
    • Case Pre-Scheduling
    • Shade-Taking / Patient Photography
    • Photography Tips
    • Shipping Procedures
  • Courses
  • Client Showcase
    • Client Showcase Video
    • Client Showcase Photos
    • Case of the Quarter
  • Blog
  • Contact Us