You may expect it year after year but hold your horses. If we weren’t sure until now, now we are, because Canon says it without any doubt: DLSRs are alive and they’re fine and you can work with them as a dental photographer.
Canon still accounts for a third of the entire camera market, with as many as 1.8 million digital SLRs being sold last year! And of course, Canon sells more than anyone else.
Why would anyone think that this is the end of the DSLR era? Well, there were no new models shown during the last CP+ event. But there’s an easy explanation to that.
“CP+ is a place to present new products, and that’s why you won’t see many DSLRs this year. All companies are of course focusing on hybrids. But SLRs still represent 30% of global sales. That means there’s always demand for this range – and most DSLRs sold globally are made by Canon.
“There is also a high volume of lenses that are still intended for the DSLR ecosystem. We do not envisage a sudden end to SLRs, nor an instant switch to hybrids. Sure, there will likely be a gradual decline, but the demand is still there. – says Go Tokura, general manager of Canon’s Imaging Division.
Interestingly, as we can see, Canon distinguishes three camera types at the moment: mirrorless, hybrid and DSLRs. And the latter is still hanging in there.
Are you a DSLR or mirrorless fan in your dental office?
The D750 was one of the most popular DSLRs and we are not surprised by it. But now, with the D780 already available, it is time to ask yourself: should I change my oldie?
Improved Autofocus in D780
Maybe it is not the key feature and not everyone likes using it, but if you do, you will see the difference.
In conventional DSLR mode, the D780 uses the same 51-point AF module as its predecessor but the AF system is informed by information from a 180,000-pixel metering sensor (the D750 has a 91,000-pixel sensor). This is only the first part of the improvement. The D780 received algorithms from those of the D5 professional sports camera, so its AF performance should be outstanding.
Moreover, the D780 has on-sensor phase detection, which provides the kind of distance information needed to quickly drive DSLR lenses. It also gains the AF tracking system from the Z-series cameras, including Face and Eye detection modes.
This detection will be a visible improvement for portraits, which seems really useful in everyday dental photography.
Sensor and JPEG engine
In dental photography, we are using mainly RAWs, but every once in a while there is no time for the postproduction and JPEGs are can be a salvation.
The sensor in the D780 is a newer design, either identical or closely related to the one in Nikon’s existing Z6 mirrorless camera. This means it has a BSI (backside-illuminated) design and, more significantly, dual-gain architecture.
This allows the camera to have a maximum dynamic range at base ISO with improved noise characteristics and better flashlight battery performance. What is more, these features will let the flashlight to work faster for portrait and intraoral photographs, when we are using the maximum aperture and we need more light.
We would expect the D780 to produce JPEGs with better sharpening, more pleasing colour and more sophisticated noise reduction compared to those from the D750.
The D780 should also offer a slight upgrade over the D750 for Raw shooters, but it won’t be crucial when deciding whether to upgrade.
The mirrorless AF in a DSLR
The D780’s live view interface is directly borrowed from the Z-series cameras. It will work slightly differently than the through-the-viewfinder system: AF tracking needs to be actively cancelled and always resets to the central position.
But if you’ve only shot with a DSLR before, you’re likely to be immediately impressed by how well the live view AF performs. Particularly for taking pictures of people, and we always pay special attention to these features in Dental Photo Master.
It looks like the D780 tries to combine the DSLR and mirrorless best features at the same time.
Build and Design
The Nikon D750 and D780 are largely similar in design, but there are a few changes you may want to be aware of. Here’s a comparison of the cameras’ rear layouts:
The biggest change is that the D780 adds a dedicated AF-On button, so you no longer need to assign the AE-L/AF-L button in order to enable back-button focusing. Other, smaller changes include shuffling the live view button up to the top, moving around the and info buttons, and moving the AE-L/AF-L button down a bit. Also, the negative magnification button which once doubled as an ISO control is now doubling as a metering control instead.
In the top view, the changes are minor. The only important change is that the metering button on the top has been replaced with an ISO button (a welcome change, in my opinion), and then shifted to the right.
Summary
The D780 shoot at 7fps rather than the D750’s 6.5fps
Switch to live view and electronic shutter mode and the D780 will deliver 8fps or 12fps if you’re willing to take the slight dynamic range penalty of dropping to 12-bit mode.
The optical viewfinders are the same: pentaprisms with 100% coverage and 0.7x magnification.
The D780 still has an in-body (screw drive) focus motor and AI tab, to allow its use with a broad range of older F-mount lenses. The D750 had both features, but notably, the FTZ mount adapter for the Z-mount cameras doesn’t.
The D780’s rear screen still tilts up and down on a rugged-feeling cradle as the D750’s did, but the dot-count has doubled and it’s now touch-sensitive, making the camera much more usable in live view mode. This seems more like a mirrorless lovers thing, but it is a good way to check what is the best way for you.
The video mode is one of the least important in our work, but it is worth to point that one of the clearest enhancements on the D780 is its video performance. This is immediately apparent from the fact it can shoot up to 4K/30p or 1080/120p, rather than the 1080/60p of the D750.
The most immediately apparent difference is the lack of internal flash. Nikon says the camera can be better weather-sealed if you don’t include a pop-up flash, but any dental photographer looking to use the D780 must be aware of the additional cost, as he will be forced to buy an additional transmitter.
The D780 uses the latest EN-EL15b battery. It looks like a slightly more angular version of the existing EN-EL15 batteries, the distinction being that the ‘b’ variant can be charged over the camera’s USB socket. The D780 can still use the older 15a and 15 batteries but without USB charging, and with significantly reduced battery life if used with the original EN-EL15 batteries not marked Li-Ion20.
Should I buy a D780?
If you are still a DSLR person, but thinking about changing it to a mirrorless camera in the future, the D780 is a good first step to take. Thanks to these features you can check how does the viewfinder less work looks like and if it satisfies you.
Working with a viewfinder and using the manual AF while taking the intraoral photographies is more precise. On the other hand, it requires a bigger physical exercise, so maybe it is worth to give a live view a chance and spare our spine? The D780 offers two possibilities: live view with a better AF straight from the mirrorless and a viewfinder taken from the DSLR.
But if you are a mirrorless fan and you can’t imagine working with a viewfinder, you should not take this even under consideration and go straight towards a cheaper mirrorless.
What should be the reasons to buy the D780? If you have a significant investment in F-mount lenses, your style of shooting demands an optical viewfinder, or simply if you prefer using an optical viewfinder, it might be a good choice.
Our Recommendation
As most of these comparisons, the choice between the Nikon D750 and D780 is all about price.
Personally, I still consider the D750 to be one of the best values in Nikon’s lineup, especially used, for dental photographers on a budget. The other benefits of the D780 are still quite good, and they may be enough to put the camera over the line for you. If your budget is limited, for a price difference of $800, I’d rather buy the D750 and a good lens.
The new DSLR from Nikon will be available by the end of January.
Nikon D780: Personalization possibilities
Nikon introduces a DSLR with features and benefits that were only available for its Z-Series before. It also inherits some features the company’s professional D5 and D810 models.
Therefore, Nikon is giving us a signal: the DSLR era is not over yet. Is it possible that mirrorless cameras, with all their possibilities, small sizes and capacities won’t take the market over? Time will show. At the moment, Nikon is saying: DSLR is still strong.
One of the most useful features in D780 is the possibility to personalize your camera. You can easily choose the U1 or U2 profile and set it up according to your needs. Each one can have its aperture and shutter settings – just to make working with the camera even more comfortable. This feature will be appreciated especially by dental photographers who are working with two permanent, best for their work camera settings: one for intraoral and one for portrait photographs. It is convenient to have them on a finger.
Nikon D780: Dental Photographers should be satisfied
What is more, the D780 offers a top (expanded) ISO of 204,800. This parameter can be crucial when it comes to portrait and intraoral photographs. Why? With ISO that high, photographs won’t lose their quality, with flash lamps working longer and faster. Moreover, in the opinion of many professional dental photographers it is better for patients not to be blinded by a strong flash. Lower ISO is, of course, also good to work with, but in dental photography one might consider the higher ISO level to keep things comfortable.
The camera has solid build quality and a tilting 3.2″ touchscreen display, USB Type C port (that can be used to charge the battery) and a pair of UHS-II SD card slots. Wireless options include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The D780 can take over 2200 photos on a single charge of its battery, which means 3 days of taking photographs without thinking about charging the battery.
Nikon D780’s key features:
full-frame CMOS sensor
Lens mount: Nikon F
Hybrid AF system automatically switches between focal-plane Phase-Detect AF and Contrast Detect AF
ISO 50 to ISO 51200 with improved noise reduction
4K UHD video with up to 30 fps / Full-HD video with up to 120 fps
Shutter speed from 1/8000s to 900s
12 fps continuous shooting in live view / 7 fps continuous shooting through the viewfinder
3.2″ 2.35m-dot tilting touchscreen
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Dual SD memory supporting UHS-II standard
What is the price of this novelty?
Nikon D780’s price starts at $2,299 (body only) at the official Nikon site and will be available on January 23rd.
Finally, the long-awaited Nikon Z7 is available and we could do some first tests.
The Nikon Z 7 is the company’s high-end full-frame mirrorless camera. It features a 45.7MP BSI-CMOS sensor, a hybrid AF system with 493 points and 90% coverage and 5-axis in-body image stabilization. The rugged body is similar in design to the D850 DSLR and is fully sealed against dust and moisture. It features a 3.68M-dot electronic viewfinder and tilting 3.2″, 2.1M-dot touchscreen LCD. An OLED panel on the top plate displays current shooting settings. Photos are stored on an XQD card.
Side by side the Nikon D850 and the Nikon Z7 look like “brother and sister”. The two cameras are very similar but still different. The Z7 has a smaller, lighter form factor and an electronic viewfinder (covering only 90%), while the D850 has a better battery life and an optical viewfinder (covering 100%). Another key difference between the two cameras is storage media – Nikon decided to go with a single XQD memory card slot on the Z7 instead of two memory card slots that we see on the Nikon D850. For video shooters, the Nikon Z7 is also a better option, thanks to 4:2:2 10-bit recording with N-Log, which is absent on the D850. Another feature difference is the number of autofocus points, which favors the Z7, although that doesn’t mean the Z7’s autofocus system is actually faster or more reliable (yet to be tested
Since the D850 currently sells for $3,300, and the Z7 sells for $3,400, the question is, which camera is the better choice for your photography? Well, it depends upon your needs.
Let’s get back to dental photography. The D850 and the Z7 offer many features and options you don’t really need in dental photography. Personally, I shoot always in DX mode. This gives you a better control of proportions, frame, and light. It also reduces the file size, keeping quality high.
Our first test shots show no really big difference between the two cameras. Images have been taken using manual mode – Nikon SB200 flashes mounted on an OWL bracket using the 105mm on the D850 and the 85mm DX on the Z7 – WB set to 5300 K – Image control set to Neutral.
After working with the Nikon Z7 for almost 2 months now, I find that the electronic viewfinder is a real relief at work, especially with the focus peaking displayed. Especially for eyeglass wearers, this is an improvement. In the digital workflow, the individually configurable Wifi data transfer has proven to be extremely useful. It is possible to define a specific folder on the computer for storing the images.
Key features:
Body type, rangefinder-style mirrorless
Max resolution, 8256 x 5504
Effective pixels 46 megapixels
Sensor size, full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm)
Sensor type, CMOS
ISO: Auto, 64-25600 (expands to 32-102400)
Lens mount, Nikon Z
Articulated LCD, tilting
Screen size, 3.2″
Screen dots, 2,100,000
Manual exposure mode, Yes
Max shutter speed, 1/8000 sec
Storage types, Single XQD card slot
Connectivity, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec)
Weight (inc. batteries), 675 g (1.49 lb / 23.81 oz)
Dimensions, 134 x 101 x 68 mm (5.28 x 3.98 x 2.68″)
Stay tuned for more updates to come … if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment.
The key features of Laowa 25 mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro include an advanced optical system, maximum magnification of 5:1, high resolution and excellent colouring of the photographs.
Impressive close-ups within reach
Photos: Alberto Ghizzi Panizza, Jie Ge, Gil Wizen
The optical system of Venus Optics Laowa 25 mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro ensures image magnification from 2.5 to 5x. It’s composed of 8 elements in 6 groups, and one of them is made of ultra low dispersion glass. The manufacturer emphasises that thanks to such a design we can enjoy an appropriate correction of chromatic aberration, as well as images characterised by high sharpness and high reproducibility of colours.
Apart from that, each element composing the system is covered with anti-reflection coatings, which should minimise light reflection and appearance of hot spots and flares within the frame. In addition, the overall contrast of photographs in challenging conditions will be improved. The depth of field is ensured by the 8-blade diaphragm with the range of f/2.8-f/16. The focal length of 25 mm, in turn, is responsible for the 10.3-degree angle of view.
Venus Optics Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro is sized 82 x 65 mm and weighs 400 g. Of course, it’s a fully manual macro glass, which offers an effective focusing capability ranging from 173 to 223.5 mm. The lens is already available for preorder with Nikon F, Canon EF, Sony FE and Pentax K mounts. It costs 399 dollars.
An interesting option is that you can buy an adapter for the Micro Four Thirds (M43) system, so also the users of small mirrorless cameras can tap the potential of this glass.
Key features:
Focal length: 25 mm
Open F value: F 2.8
Field of View: 10.3 degrees
Lens construction: 6 groups 8 pieces
Minimum aperture: F16
Maximum aperture: F 2.8
Minimum photographing distance: 173 mm to 223.5 mm
Working Distance: 40 mm – 45 mm
Shooting magnification: 2.5 times to 5 times
Number of diaphragm blades: 8
Weight: 400 g
Corresponding mount: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony FE
Nikon D850 is the next generation of the D800′ s line…
When Nikon introduced the D800 and D800E, it set a new benchmark for DSLR image quality and super high-resolution photography that approached medium format. Now, five years later, Nikon proudly introduces the next evolution in high-resolution DSLRs, a camera that allows photographers to capture fast action in 45.7 megapixels of brilliant resolution. With remarkable advancements across the board—sensor design, autofocus, dynamic range, sensitivity, Speedlight control, battery life, shutter and mirror drive mechanisms, Silent Photography in Live-View mode, focus shift capability and more—this is quite possibly the most impressive, well-rounded DSLR yet.
What has changed?
– Sensor type and resolution – now it’s impressive 45.7 megapixels
– The new high-resolution touchscreen as the monitor is added
– Autofocus, dynamic range, sensitivity (ISO), battery life
– The built-in flash has been removed
– The new feature like focus shift capability
This amazing camera has very interesting feature, which is implemented. It’s called “FOCUS SHIFT SHOOTING”. If you are deep in love with super macro photography and focus stack photography than it’s the right choice for you.
Watch this official Nikon’s tutorial Nikon D850 First Look – Stills and learn more:
Canon users were waiting for the new model from 6D series from the last few years. Now we can take a closer look at the results of the hard work of Canon’s engineers.
What you should know and what has changed?
completely new sensor with 26Mpix and ISO from 100 to 40.000
Dual Pixel AF in Live View means easier focusing during rolling video
More comfort thanks to the new fully-articulating touchscreen
Sealed body for the outdoor use
The EOS 6D Mark II hasn’t change ergonomically. When you compare it externally with the predecessor, it’s pretty hard to tell the differences. The main external change is in the addition of a 3″, fully articulating touchscreen LCD. There are more similarities between the models than there are differences. However inside the 6D Mark II is completely different and adopts some solutions from Canon 80D.
What is importat for dental photography? The camera body has the 2 Custom Shooting modes available C1 and C2. You can easily save your most commonly used settings like for intraoral shots or portraits and recall it when you take the shots. It’s easy solution for everyone who wants to stay away from constantly changing and playing between the camera settings.
Another important is fast autofocus mode, which can be the key feature for auto focusing enthusiasts.
The wireless functions, including NFC and Bluetooth are almost standard.
With this camera you can take beautiful portraits and striking intraoral pictures. For creative photographers it’s the model worth considering.
The camera body will be available from August 2017 and the estimated price is 1.999$ (body only).
Key features:
26.2 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS Sensor
Optical Viewfinder with a 45-point All Cross-type AF System1
Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Phase-detection & Full HD 60p
DIGIC 7 Image Processor, ISO 100-40000
Vari-angle Touch Screen, 3.0-inch LCD
Built-in Wi-Fi®2, NFC3, Bluetooth®4 and GPS technology
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