If you’re looking for a dental photography lens to make your portrait and intraoral photos even better, it’s time to take some new players under consideration. Warning: you might be shocked!
For the longest time, Canon, Nikon and Sony were the kings of lenses and we, dental photographers, couldn’t imagine working in our dental offices without them. But things change! In the last few years Sigma and Tamron have not only released some seriously shout-worthy lenses, but they’re often a lot more affordable than first-party equivalents.
And while Canon stays on top of the sales rank, the second and third place are pretty surprising.
From the latest Japanese data there is just 3.3% separating the top 5 market shareholders in the interchangeable lens market, with Canon in first place (17.1%), Sigma in second (16%), Tamron coming in third (15.1%) followed by Sony in fourth (14.2%) and finally Nikon in fifth (13.8%).
The results show that the interchangeable lens market is booming, that the popular manufacturers aren’t as powerful as they used to be and that a famous name doesn’t mean an obvious success.
And, what’s more, cameras with interchangeable lenses are gaining in popularity and this is living proof of the fact that smartphones aren’t enough. Especially in dental digital photography.
If you’re using the Olympus system in your dental photography practice, this one’s for you!
The Micro 4/3 macro lens users finally can choose the long-focus lens.
The lens offers the highest ever magnification which will be helpful especially in intraoral photography. Shooting a single tooth won’t be an issue! What’s more, the lens allows creativity and it’s not so usual with other, regular macro lenses. We’re pretty sure you’ll be happy with it if macro photography is your hobby in general, apart from the dental photography industry.
The automatic stacking system lets the lens work smoothly with all the OM system cameras. Sharp pictures are guaranteed! The 2x macro combined with the Micro 4/3 gives the 4x magnification for the 35 mm format and when we’re talking stabilization, we mean perfection. You won’t need a tripod for intraoral photography and we know how big a difference it makes. Leaving a tripod at the dental office door means easier work and less inconveniences.
Now, let’s move on to the technical data.
The 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO is an autofocus lens that delivers up to 2x macro (or 4x with a 2x teleconverter). Its stabilization system is compatible with the Sync IS system, allowing it to work in conjunction with in-body stabilization of Olympus/OM System cameras.
The lens is constructed from 18 elements, arranged in 13 groups. Its design has two focus groups that act in conjunction, allowing very close focus when the focus limit switch is in the ‘Macro’ position. The lens also has a focus ring that can be snapped back to reveal a focus distance scale and (on Olympus or OM System cameras) engage manual focus.
Of course, its macro possibilities are only one of many features and it will cope with a dental portrait and creating a dental portfolio as well.
KEY FEATURES
High resolution macro lens
Exceptional Magnification–Delivers 4x equivalent shooting when paired with the MC-20 2x teleconverter
Autofocus without limits–High speed, high precision AF
High performance 5-axis image stabilization
Built to enable split-second macro shooting capabilities
IP534 splash proof and dustproof performance
Freezeproof down to 14°F
Fluorine coating
Weight: approx. 453 g5 (lens only)
The OM System 90mm F3.5 macro IS pro’s price tag is $1,499.99.
Laowa PeriProbe Lens: Can it be used in Dental Photography?
Venus Optics has just unveiled a new unique macro lens: the Laowa 24mm T14 2x PeriProbe. With the same features as the previous Laowa probe lens, it also provides a surprise: a 90-degree rotating periscope tip at the end!
Thanks to its long, narrow tube, the PeriProbe can reach deep inside tiny holes or can be helpful in dental intraoral photography. Its periscope can “dive” into the mouth with a 360-degree rotation while keeping the majority of the camera out of the way. Can you imagine that?
The PeriProbe lens comes with a 1/2-20-inch thread towards the end for attaching magic arms and extra lighting in order to illuminate tiny objects in the macro range.
The Venus Optics Laowa 24mm T14 2x PeriProbe lens is already available and it costs $2,299.
Is this the future of dental intraoral photography? It sure looks interesting, but will it be possible to use in our dental photography industry? As we all know, intraoral photography can be tricky with its narrow photo object!
In our opinion, the lens can be an interesting addition to your dental photography kit.
Venus Optics has just announced the Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2x Ultra Macro APO. It is claimed to be the smallest 2x macro for any full-frame camera.
It works with Nikon Z, Canon RF, Sony E and Leica M mounts.
Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2x Ultra Macro APO details:
specially designed for Full Frame mirrorless cameras
the most compact 2x macro lens on the market
259 grams (9.12 ounces), 3.18-inches long by 2.08-inches wide
the APO design allows the lens to produce photos with minimal chromatic aberration
made to cast aside the normal bulky and heavy macro lenses that are available without sacrificing image quality
the lens can focus from infinity to 2x magnification and features a minimum focusing distance of 6.31-inches
a seven-bladed aperture diaphragm, an angle of view of 28.55-degrees, and a front filter thread size of 46mm
This light lens is perfect for light mirrorless cameras used in dental digital photography, especially if you’re not a fan of heavy equipment. What’s more, with its 2x magnification will be comfortable to use in various dental photography circumstances. We’re pretty sure it will prove itself in many situations, e.g. preparing your dental portfolio or extracting very small details, so important in our practice.
Check out some photos made with the new lens:
The Venus Optics Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2x Ultra Macro APO is available for $499.
We’ve got some news for dental photographers who are planning to buy Canon DSLR lens: you might need to hurry up!
Rumors say, five popular lenses have been marked as “no longer available” at some retailers including popular optics like the 85mm f/1.2L USM II and the 70-200mm f/4L IS USM II. Luckily for us, working in dental photography industry, only the 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM will be withdrawn.
The company reportedly started discontinuing lenses in February with the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM. That list has been growing at a surprising pace, with the 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM, 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM II, 85mm f/1.2L USM II, and 200mm f/2L I USM all joining inside the last two months.
Some of the lenses are still available, but only until they’re in stock. And will it influence us, dental photographers? We will keep you posted!
Photography Fundamentals: our dental photography course is dedicated to everyone who starts an adventure with Dental Photography or Photography in general.
What lenses are the best for Intraoral Photography?
These are some of the topics explored in our dental digital photography course:
The Lens: how is it built? Elements, types and construction
Focal Length: the most important parameter
Macro Lenses: dedicated for dental photography
Marking at the top of a lens: what do they mean?
Threads of a lens: what do they do?
Focus distance window: the mechanism
Focusing distance range selection switch: how to use in practice?
Shutter release button: pressing it half-way or all the way down: differences
We’re pretty sure you would like to watch it now and don’t hesitate any longer!
Have you ever wondered what causes those mysterious spots that appear in your photos? For photographers, particularly those who use interchangeable lens cameras, this is a common problem. But there’s a way to solve it.
These mysterious spots are caused by dust or dirt on your sensor, which is completely normal and virtually unavoidable. To combat this problem, most camera makers have included a sensor cleaning function in newer camera models. However, sometimes this handy little feature just isn’t enough, which is why cleaning the camera sensor is a chore that every photographer has to deal with every so often.
What is Sensor Dust?
The term “sensor dust” is used to describe the particles or elements that enter a camera and stick to its sensor. This usually happens when the camera user exposes the sensor by removing the body cap or switching lenses. Camera sensors are dust magnets, prone to dust. If you’re not careful enough, you’ll inevitably have to clean your camera’s sensor quite often.
How Does Dust Get into Camera Sensor in Mirrorless and DSLR cameras?
It’s rather easy to sustain sensor dust on a mirrorless camera, such as Sony Alpha A7 III, Nikon Z7, or Canon EOS R as the sensor becomes exposed during any lens changes. With regular DSLR cameras, the mirror provides some form of protection, though you can still end up getting dust on the sensor. However, one of the main causes of dust is actually the camera itself, which explains why photographers who rarely change their lenses still struggle with dust getting on the sensor.
Apart from getting dust and other dirt from the surrounding environment blown onto your sensor during lens changes, there are two other significant ways that dust may be generated:
Every time that you take a photo, the shutter fires. When it does, the friction between the components of the shutter can create dust.
The other way that dust is generated is during the moments that you attach or remove the plastic body cap. When you do so, friction between the metal mounts and the plastic cap may generate dust. This is also true for when you change your lens.
Let’s summarise some facts:
Dirty optics and dirty sensors can and will affect your image quality.
There are correct methods and tools to clean lens and filter optics.
There are incorrect methods and tools to clean lens and filter optics.
There’s a great deal of information available on the topic of lens cleaning—some of it conflicting.
So, let’s try to keep things simple, and find the best and safest way to get your lenses and sensors clean so that you can spend more time making photographs, and less time on cleaning.
So what will you learn while watching our lesson?
What equipment should you use to clean your camera and lens successfully?
A blower and a loupe are necessary?
Cleaning by yourself or leaving it to professionals?
Cleaning your flash and lens: steps
How to use a liquid and a cloth while cleaning the surface of your lens?
Cleaning your camera: steps
Cleaning your sensor: how to take care of this fragile part?
We’re pretty sure you would like to watch it now and don’t hesitate any longer!
Venus Optics has announced that the 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro lens, originally announced in 2018, is now available for Canon EF with a stepless aperture ring and finally on Pentax K. The news comes months after giving the lens the Nikon Z and Canon RF’s mounts.
This announcement makes for two different versions of the optic available for Canon EF.
Laowa says that the 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO in Pentax-K mount is assembled with the automatic aperture coupling lever, which allows aperture control via the body of the camera. You can either use the manual aperture ring or park the focusing ring at the “A” symbol and adjust the aperture via the camera. Exif data would be stored in the metadata as well.
Venus Optics had previously launched an EF version of the lens with automatic aperture control via the camera, but this iteration brings a stepless aperture ring for users. “Stepless aperture control is one of the most advantageous and essential features for videography. It allows a smooth transition between each aperture level,” Venus writes in the press release.
Venus Optics has now officially announced their new Laowa 50mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens designed specifically for the Micro Four Thirds system. And, as says the manufacturer, this is the first lens in the MFT system with the 2:1 zoom. Now, is it one good reason to stay in the smaller matrix’ world?
We know that a lot of us, dental photographers, are fans of the MFT system and we totally understand it. This Laowa lens with record 2x magnification ratio and focal length can be used as a portrait lens as well, as it can focus to infinity.
Laowa 2x Macro Lens for MFT: Specs
Construction consists of 14 elements isn 10 groups, with three consisting of extra low dispersion glass. Aperture is controlled by the camera body with all lens data being recorded as EXIF information. An apochromatic optical design apparently eliminates both lateral chromatic aberration and longitudinal CA.
It is also compact, weighing in at 8.5oz (240g) and a length of 3.1” 979mm). Focus is internal so there is no change in length during operation.
Remember: this is a manual-focus lens, which is usually more useful in dental photography. And, as we can read in various opinions, the working distance is about 44.45mm from the tip of the lens.
Pros
Wide focusing range from 2x to infinity
Small size and lightweight
Decent working distance
Great image quality
Aperture coupling
Cons
No autofocus
Lower resolution compared to full-frame setups
The lens is priced at US$399 excluding taxes with shipping starting at the end of August.
What is the Micro Four Thirds System?
The size of the sensor is significantly smaller than for most DSLRs. This implies that lenses, especially telephoto lenses, can also be smaller. The crop factor here is around 2x, so a 300mm telephoto lens becomes an ultra 600mm.
This four-thirds system is used exclusively by Olympus and Panasonic, with a sensor size of 17.3 mm x 13 mm. The sensor’s area is about 30–40% smaller than APS-C sensors used in most other DSLRs.
The name comes from the sensors’ aspect ratio of 4:3, where APS-C would be 3:2. They chose this number as it better reflects the printing size of 8×10 better than the 3:2 ratio does.
Venus Optics has just announced that its lens will be available for mirrorless!
Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens is one of the most popular and, at the same time, one of the best and most affordable macro lenses on the market.
And guess what: it is now available for Nikon’s Z and Canon’s EOS R full-frame mirrorless cameras!
The 2x Ultra Macro was recently named the “Best DSLR Macro Lens” at the TIPA awards, and that only confirms its value. It’s no longer limited for Sony mirrorless shooters; Canon RF and Nikon Z owners can take advantage as well.
We really like announcing this kind of news for dental photographers: the more good equipment, the better.
The Technical Image Press Association has announced the winners of the 2020 TIPA World Awards. The competition honors each year the best cameras, lenses, and other products that have made an impact on the photography industry.
The winners in each of the 40 categories were voted on by representatives from TIPA member industry magazines from around the world. The votes were collected by an online system due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
TIPA Awards 2020
We’ve chosen for you the best equipment for Dental Photography. If you’re shopping right now, this recommendation is worth to take under consideration.
In a tweet published on March 10, Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki shared a bit of information that hints at what products we should most be expecting to see from Sigma in the foreseeable future.
In response to a question from a Twitter user the CEO wrote: “Most new products in the future will be the DN series designed exclusively for mirrorless cameras,” reads the machine-translated tweet. “The DG DN series for full-size mirrorless, which is frequently requested, will be the center, but we believe that we need to expand the DC DN for APS-C (+ MFT), which is currently popular.”
Sigma Corporation is – as the company describes itself – “the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world,” producing over 50 lenses for a variety of camera systems and brands.
This is bad news for DSLR photographers but also a little confirmation of the fact that mirrorless cameras might be the future of photography.
Mitakon 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens new & better version available
This construction will stir the blood of extreme Macro lovers!
When Mitakon has released its 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens at the end of 2019, many photographers – with us among them – were excited to hear that the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1x-5x lens will have a solid competitor. What a disappointment it was when it came out that the lens performs really badly! And we don’t mean it was our opinion. It was the opinion of the whole world of photography, and, finally the producer itself.
Zhong Yi Optics, the manufacturer of the lens, says:
We have identified the issue and believe [it’s] coming from a miscalculation of numerical aperture and in turn leads to additional unused light rays reflected into the lens, creating much softer images. We have yesterday built [an] improved prototype and also compared against the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 lens. The result is much more comparable. Although it is hard to compare apple-to-apple due to the different numerical aperture (instead of physical aperture) we have with different working distances. But we can conclude is that the performance is so much better than the existing lens.
Mitakon 85mm 1x-5x Macro Lens after changes – is it worth considering?
The new 1x-5x Super Macro lens incorporates 12 elements in 8 groups structure which delivers impressive resolution from corners to corners. The chromatic aberration is also controlled to the minimum (APO design). Weighing merely 1.65 lbs (750g) and 6.7cm long, it is a perfect companion for, e.g., indoor lab shooting.
The producer promises outstanding sharpness starting with the minimum aperture value, and any user will be content with a convenient working distance (23 cm from the front lens at 1:1 magnification and 9.5 cm at 5:1). The aperture is based on 9 blades and it can be closed up to f/32, which can provide an impressive depth of field.
We need to give credit for admitting to such mistake and really fast reaction. This means that Mitakon gives us the new version only a month later. Is it really better than the original one?
Well, it is better than its original version, that is for sure. It can never achieve Canon’s features, but its price – $499, while Canon comes at around $1000 – is encouraging. It provides 1x-5x Super Macro, which will be extremely useful in everyday dental photography.
If you’re willing to sacrifice some of the details in exchange for a better price, this lens – in its new version – is worth reconsidering.
Sample pictures
How does it cope in practice? Here we are presenting some of the example photographs from the manufacturer (not in the full resolution, unfortunately)
Specifications:
Focal Length: 25mm (5X) – 85mm (1X)
Aperture: Maximum: f/2.8, Minimum: f/32
Camera Mount Type: Canon EF/ Nikon F/ Sony A/ Pentax K/ Sony E/ M43/ Fuji X/ EOS-M
Format Compatibility: 35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor/ APS-C
Magnification: 1x – 5x
Minimum Working Distance: 272mm (1X) – 100mm (5X)
Optical Design: 12 Elements in 8 Groups
Diaphragm Blades: 9
Autofocus: No
Filter Thread: 58mm
Dimensions (DxL): Approx. 2.64 x 4.8″
(67 x 122 mm)
Weight (Collar included): 1.65 lbs (750 g)
Pricing & Availability:
Zhongyi Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1-5X Super Macro Lens is now available to ship and purchase at ZY Optics authorized resellers, like BH Photo Video, and at manufacturer’s official website. The MSRP without tax is $499 US.
If you want to know more about macro lenses, visit our training online!
After delivering two very interesting wide-angle lenses, Irix is releasing a tele-macro model, which may be one of the most perfect designs intended for dental photography.
The Irix 150 mm f /2.8 lens should meet the requirements of even the choosiest users dealing with macro photography. The manufacturer has announced that the lens contains premium optics inside a very robust sealed enclosure. With the focal length of 150 mm and the magnification ratio of 1:1, Irix 150 mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 lens offers exceptionally convenient work. The higher focal length allows you to move away from the subject, so casting a shadow is no longer a problem, and using external lamps has never been more comfortable.
Zero distortion and easy focusing
The optical system is composed of 12 elements in 9 groups, with three of them made of extra-low-dispersion glass and four others of high refractive index glass. The manufacturer promises that the effect achieved by such a design is unnoticeable distortion of 0.1%. We also get an internal focusing system, thanks to which the glass does not change its size during the focusing. What’s more, the 11-blade diaphragm is supposed to give a pleasant bokeh and to make the diffraction appear much later than in other designs when it is closed down to higher values (up to f/32).
The glass will let you focus already at the distance of 34.5 cm, while the wide rubber ring with the rotation angle of 270 degrees should guarantee high precision and improve your work culture. Another useful option available is the possibility to lock the focus ring.
Robust sealed structure
Apart from that, we get a new version of the Dragonfly finish, which combines the advantages of Firefly and Blackstone lenses. As a result, the whole is relatively light and handy (87 x 135 mm, 840 g) but is still robust – the aluminium frame was enclosed inside an outer structure made of aluminium-magnesium alloys and composite elements. There are also sealings in 5 key places (front element, focus lock ring, focus ring and bayonet mount), thanks to which you’ll be able to work in any conditions. You can screw filters with the diameter of 77 mm on the front element.
In addition, the lens is equipped with a processor, which lets you control the lens aperture from the camera level, and with an AE module, which enables semi-automatic modes (PASM). Owing to this solution you’ll get a confirmation of focus from the camera level and record full EXIF data. The set includes a lens with a deep sun hood, a tripod collar according to the Arca Swiss standard and a rigid case for safe transport and storage.
Price and availability
For the time being, the manufacturer has not disclosed the exact date and the price at which the new lens will be launched. The glass will be available in versions with Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax K mounts.
So we’re waiting for a really interesting piece here.
Key features:
Focal length: 150mm
Format: 35mm “full frame”
Mount: Nikon F, Canon EF, Pentax K
Max aperture: f/2.8
Min aperture: f/32
Field of view: 16° (diagonal)
Minimum focus distance: 34.5cm
Focus: Manual
Focus throw: 270°
Magnification: 1:1
Aperture blades: 11
Optics: 12 elements in 9 groups
Filter thread: 77mm
Dimensions: 87 x 135mm (without lens hood or tripod collar)
Weight: 840g
More information about the lenses by this manufacturer can be found under irixlens.com
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ut we believe that we need to expand the DC DN for APS-C (+ MFT), which is currently popular.”
