What is the difference between a Point-and-Shoot digital camera and an SLR
digital camera?
Why doesn't my point-and-shoot digital camera take dental closeup photographs?Why can't I use a ring
flash on my point-and-shoot digital camera?
What is the attachment on the front of the Epson,
Olympus and Canon cameras for?
What kind of software do I need?
What is the difference between Dye-Sublimation and Ink Jet printers?
How much resolution do I really need?
What is "Grey Market" camera equipment and
why should I avoid it?
What other types of tricks are deceptive camera dealers using?
What is the difference between a
Point-and-Shoot digital camera and an SLR digital camera?
A Point-and-Shoot digital camera is an all-in-one camera: the lens and flash are built in.
An SLR digital camera looks and
functions just like a 35mm camera body. You may interchange lenses and flashes with
compatible accessories.
Why doesn't my point-and-shoot
digital camera take dental closeup photographs?
The main issue is the camera's flash. The flash location is fixed on
all point-and-shoot digital cameras. It is impossible for a
flash that is located in a single position to properly illuminate all of the types of
photographs that are taken in a dental office.
One way to visualize this fact is to think of a 35mm dental camera that uses a point
flash. The point flash on a 35mm camera is designed to rotate around the end of the lens
so that you can direct the light from the flash properly for different views.
If you use the built-in flash on a point-and-shoot digtial camera, you may be able to
properly illuminate certain views, but
you will not be able to get consistent balanced illumination across the field for all
dental views.
Why can't I use a ring flash on my point-and-shoot digital camera?
Several companies are offering point-and-shoot digital cameras with ring flashes and
calling them digital dental cameras.
These cameras do not function well because the camera has no way of controlling the amount
of light the flash puts out.
Every time you take a photograph, the amount of light necessary for a proper exposure is
slightly different. The magnification,
distance to the subject, reflectivity of the subject and use of intraoral mirrors are all
going to influence the amount of light
needed. In order to get the proper amount of light to ensure a proper exposure, the camera
must be able to control the
flash output.
What is the attachment on the front of the Epson,
Olympus and Canon cameras for?
The patented PhotoMed flash atachment is designed to balance the light from the camera's
built-in flash and yield a perfectly
illuminated field, regardless of the type of view or subject. By using the built-in flash,
we can allow the camera to control the
exposure (the amount of light) and the attachment redirects the light from the flash and
balances it across the field.
What kind of software do I need?
This depends on what you want ot do with your images. Orthodontists need entirely
different software than dentists who
specialize in cosmetic procedures and perform cosmetic imaging.
The first step in choosing a software package is deciding what you would like to do with
your images. Write out a list of features you are looking for and visit the exhibit hall
of one of the larger dental meetings. You will find many companies
offering software and they should be able to demonstrate how their software will
accomplish your goals.
What is the difference between Dye-Sublimation and
Ink Jet printers?
The main differences are "photo realism" and archivability.
Ink Jet printers spray incredibly tiny drops of ink onto the surface of the paper. Some of
the better ones, when used with
the manufacturers photo paper, yield fairly nice photographic results.
Dye-Sublimation is a technology that uses a matched color ribbon (donor) and photo paper
(receiver). As the paper passes
through the printer, the ribbon is heated to a gas state. The gas permeates the photo
paper before returning to a solid state.
The result is an image that looks just like a 35mm print and is typically as archival as
35mm prints. Dye-sublimation printers
are typically faster than ink-jet printers for photographs.
How much resolution do I
really need?
The amount of resolution that you need depends entirely on what you plan to use the images
for. The resolution of a digital camera is usually stated in megapixels - the number of
millions of pixels that make up the image. This number effectively tells you three things:
1) how large the image file will be (for storage), 2) how large a print you can make and 3)
how far you can zoom in on an image (on your computer) while preserving perfect image
quality.
If you are an orthodontist that only wishes to layout the standard 8 photo template and
print it on an 8.5 x11 inch sheet of paper, you need very little resolution. The
individual images that you will print are only about 2x3 inches and do not require much
resolution. If, on the other hand, you wish to make large prints (8x10 or larger) or you
would like to be able to zoom in on a small part of an image and still maintain perfect
image quality, you will need resolution of 3.3 megapixels (or higher).
If you want to compare digital to film, use the megapixel resolution rating for the
digital camera and compare that to about
8.5 megapixels for a 35mm Kodachrome slide. That said, you must also understand that even
though film is much higher resolution, almost no one uses that much resolution. You could
make a 16x20 inch print from a slide, but most people
make 4x6 or 5x7 inch prints. A 3.3 megapixel camera can make a beautiful 8x10 inch print.
What this comes to is that the
current resolution levels in todays cameras are high enough to create prints and project
images to the degree that most people use film. Even though digital and film are not
equal, digital has reached the point where it is more than adequate to handle the needs of
most dentists.
What
is "Grey Market" camera equipment and why should I avoid it?
"Grey Market" equipment refers to cameras and accessories that have been
imported from other parts of the world and are not factory authorized to be sold in the
United States. These cameras do not carry US warranties and many manufacturers have taken
the position that they will not even repair Grey Market equipment. Camera stores that
offer Grey Market goods usually offer their "camera store warranty". This is not
an equivalent warranty. If there is a problem with the equipment, you are at their mercy
as to who they have repair the equipment or if they are even still in business. Always ask
if the equipment you are purchasing includes a factory US warranty or if it is Grey
Market.
What other types of tricks are deceptive camera
dealers using?
Besides Grey Market goods, there are other "games" that a few "bad
apples" are using to try to get your business:
1. A fantastic price is offered and you verify that the equipment has a US warranty. You
are then told that the item is out of stock and should be available in a week or so. In a
week, you get a call telling you that the equipment is in and the price has gone up in the
mean time - usually to the same price that everyone else is selling it for. This way, they
have locked you up and they figure that you will just stay with them since the price is
now the same as everywhere else.
2. The price sounds too good to be true. It may be because they have stripped out
accessories that the manufacturer includes so they can sell them to you separately. This
is often the case with the Fuji S1 Pro. The manufacturer includes a 1GB Microdrive, a 16MB
memory card and an AC adapter. Pulling these items out and selling them individually will
drop the price of the camera approximately $470. Always ask if the item includes
everything the manufacturer lists in their literature.
3. The worst game is the endless backorder. You order something and your credit card is
charged immediately. You are later informed that the item should be in stock in a few
days. This drags on and on until you finally insist that they refund your credit card.
What they are doing is using your money with no intent to every ship the item. Only deal
with companies that do not charge your credit card until the items you ordered are
shipping to you. Backorders do occur, but your money should not be tied up while you wait.
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