INTRODUCTION
It is time for Dentistry Today’s annual dental digital photography update, and I have wonderful news! If you’ve purchased a digital dental camera outfit within the last 2 to 3 years, it’s NOT obsolete yet. You may be missing a few bells and whistles but, for the most part, the digital dental camera systems of today bear a close resemblance to the systems that I reviewed last year (and the year before that!) Nice, for a change, isn’t it? However, there are a few new models and added conveniences to be identified, and I will do so shortly. In addition, I’ve been exploring some new software packages that can actually turn your camera system into a return on investment item as opposed to remaining an expensive dust collector. We’ll take a peek under the hood at those packages as well. And finally, as an added bonus, I’ll offer some technique tips regarding the practical use of your camera system. This edition will feature some thoughts regarding your everyday shade-taking responsibilities and how to be more effective at this important task. There’s much to cover, so let’s dive in!
THE CAMERAS
When shopping for a new digital camera system, it’s clear today that the Internet is king. This is particularly true with respect to dental outfits, since Best Buy does not feature a “for dentists only” section in its camera department. PLEASE make no mistake; it is unwise to purchase a system from an off-the-shelf retailer unless you really know what you are doing. Dental camera outfits are best supplied by those companies and representatives who specialize in providing systems for dentistry, since the components are matched and set up according to our specific professional needs. In that vein, I will point you in the direction of the dental system Web sites like dinecorp.com, normancamera.com, dlcenters.com, or photomed.net, for example. With regard to Web site quality, whether you buy from PhotoMed or not, their Web site deserves an award for its ease of navigation and content. Multiple dental camera systems from the major players (Canon and Nikon) are presented and compared with one another in wonderful detail without any sales hype.
I’ll make no bones about it. While I own and use both Nikon and Canon systems, I remain a Canon groupie. I’ve just never been disappointed by Canon performance/innovation and have thus remained loyal to the brand. That being said, there are Canon-based outfits available to suit most any budget. For the total newbie, DSLR means digital single lens reflex camera. These cameras feature 3 main components: a camera body, lens, and flash unit. Conversely, point-and-shoot cameras are all-in-one solutions that are often modified by the addition of a macro lens attachment.
Because PhotoMed’s Web site is so thorough in its presentation of specs on camera systems, I will refrain from any detailed outline of which gizmo has what. Instead, I’ll act as a “matchmaker.” Your ultimate choice in a system should not be dictated by your level of expertise, but rather by what you are comfortable spending. More expensive systems are not harder to use. They simply offer higher end capabilities that often become appreciated by the owner as one’s level of expertise grows. Higher priced systems are generally accompanied by more megapixels, higher resolution, larger viewing screens, high-end image processing chips, and more “convenience buttons” on the outside of the camera as opposed to being buried within an internal menu system and added video capability (now in high definition [HD])! These features certainly add value, but the truth is, most dentists can do just fine with entry-level camera systems.
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