Equipment Recommendations
Great Photography starts with the correct Equipment and setup with appropriate settings. This doesnt mean that you need the most expensive equipment, it just means that you need the Right Tools for the Job that you want to do. These equipment recommendations are either what I own, have owned or that I have personal experience with.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. After looking at this page, If you are still unsure about what you really need, please get in touch.
Dr Ian Cline, Founder www.photographyfordentists.com
WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED?
ESSENTIAL
Camera Body | Mirrorless or DSLR (Budget)
Macro Lens | 100mm
Flashgun | Ring or Twin
SD Card | 64GB - 256GB
Spare Camera Battery
USEFUL
Bag for transportation | Soft or Hard Case
GREAT PORTRAITS WANTED
Hotshoe Flash with Diffuser
Black Fabric Backdrop
Reflector | Silver/White
SCROLL DOWN FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON EVERYONE OF THESE
WHICH BRAND OF CAMERA SHOULD I BUY?
Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Sigma, Godox, Yongnuo. There are an increasing number of Manufacturers that produce Photographic equipment suitable for Dentists. I have experience with all of these Brands, and many options will work effectively. However, if you want kit that is simple to purchase and setup my current advice is to go for a Canon Camera Body, with a Canon lens, and either a Canon Flash or as a more affordable and high quality option a Godox Ringflash or Twinflash.
DIGITAL SLR or MIRRORLESS CAMERA BODY
The ideal is to go for a Mirrorless Camera, with full frame sensor, however if you are on a tight budget then go for a Cheap DSLR.
CAMERA BODY FOR DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
BUDGET OPTION | NORMALLY CHEAPER WITH KIT LENS
Canon EOS 2000D DSLR Camera (EF-S 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens)
£299
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EXCELLENT ENTRY LEVEL MIRRORLESS | RELEASED 2019
Canon EOS RP Digital Camera, Full Frame Sensor
£564.99
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IDEAL CAMERA BODY | THE ONE I OWN!
Canon EOS R8 (Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera)
£1299
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RF or EF?
Canon EF lenses are designed for DSLR Bodies. Canon RF lenses are designed for Mirrorless Cameras. If you already have a Canon EF lens and wish to fit it onto a Mirrorless you will require the adapter listed below.
LENS FOR DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
EF FITTING | DISCONTINUED LENS IN 2024 | GOOD FOR A BUDGET DSLR SETUP | CAN BE USED WITH MIRRORLESS IF ADAPTER USED
Sigma 258101 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens
£370 (USED)
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EF FITTING | DISCONTINUED LENS | GOOD FOR A BUDGET DSLR SETUP
Canon EF 100 mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
£380
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RF FITTING | HIGH QUALITY LENS FOR CANON MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
Canon RF 100mm F2.8L MACRO IS USM - Professional macro lens for Canon R system (Mirrorless such as R8)
£1164
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Canon 2971C005 Bayonet adapter EF-EOS R
£98
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RINGFLASH FOR DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Easy to use and all that is needed for the vast majority of clinicians. Consider a Twinflash for Anterior Work, especially if you want to teach with the images, post on Social Media etc.
MF-R76 C/N/S On-Camera TTL Macro Photography Ring Flash
£279
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TWINFLASH FOR DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
More of a learning curve with settings and setup. Not as easy to use because of size, especially if bracket system(recommended) used. This type of lighting with give a more polished look to your images.
Godox MF-T76 C TTL Macro Twin Flash for Canon Cameras
£221
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Godox MF12-K2 Flash Kit with 2PCS Macro Flash + XPROII-C Flash Trigger + MF-DB Bracket
£397
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FLASHGUN FOR PORTRAIT DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Much better lighting option for Portraits.
GODOX IT32 Camera Flash with X5C Flash Trigger for Canon Cameras,Modular Lighting System,Magnetic Hotshoe
£89
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MEMORY CARDS FOR DENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
The SD Card is the usual format for the vast majority of DSLR’s and Mirrorless Cameras. Do not buy cheap cards as they can be unreliable, causing you to lose data. You also need a card that is capable of rapid transfer for Photos and especially Video recording. The Sandisk Extreme Pro is a high quality SD card that I routinely use.
SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Memory Card
£29
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SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Memory Card
£40
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SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Memory Card
£77
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SD Card Reader, USB C to SD & micro SD Card
£3.99
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BACKDROPS/ REFLECTORS
Make your Portraits POP!
Plain Black 100% Cotton Fabric (150 cm x 100cm)
£7.00
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Light Reflector | Silver & White | Collapsible Light Reflector
£7.00
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BATTERIES
High quality batteries and spares are essential.
K&F CONCEPT 2 Pack LP-E17 with USB-C Port, Compatible with Canon EOS RP & R8
£32.99
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Panasonic Eneloop Pro AA, 500-charge cycle life, with very high power performance and low self-discharge, rechargeable battery
£18.99
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STORAGE BOXES
Protect your spare Batteries & SD Cards.
K&F CONCEPT Case for 2 Camera Batteries, 5 SD Cards, 6 Micro SD Cards
£7.99
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CAMERA BAGS
If you are transporting your expensive equipment on a regular basis it is essential to protect it. You have 2 main options. A soft, easy to carry solution such as the PGYTECH One go Lite, or a heavy duty wheelie solution such as a PELI Case 1510, which I have two of. If you do buy a PELI Case remember to order a padded insert at the same time.
PGYTECH OneGo Lite Camera Backpack 16L Lightweight Camera Bag
£84.96
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PELI 1510 Rugged Protective Trolley , Watertight & Dustproof
£273.51
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Peli 1515 Padded Divider Set, Compatible 1510
£119
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Peli 1510 TrekPak Divider Set
£84.96
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