{ "[歯科向け]リングフラッシュ MF18で撮る『上半身記録写真』": "[For Dental] 'Upper Body Clinical Photography' with the Ring Flash MF18" }
Here, we will explain the equipment and settings required for taking "upper body record photos" using the "AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR" intraoral photography lens and the "Ring Flash MF18" strobe.
【Equipment Used】
Camera DSLR/mirrorless camera with a hot shoe (e.g., Nikon D5600, D7500, D500, or any camera currently used for intraoral photography)
Lens AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/3.5G ED VR
Tripod Any tripod compatible with the aforementioned camera
Lighting Equipment Nissin Digital MF18 for Nikon
【Basic Settings】
Basic Setup
[Shooting Distance]
Distance from subject to camera: 1.8m
[Camera Settings]
ISO Sensitivity: 400
Aperture: F11
Shutter Speed: 1/160–1/200
White Balance: Direct Sunlight
[Other Conditions/Environment]
Distance from subject to background: 90cm
Ambient light: Standard LED lighting
Tips
① Aperture
Use a smaller aperture to minimize the impact of ambient light. (Be careful: if the aperture is too small, the strobe output may not be sufficient.)
② White Balance
If the color tone is inconsistent, we recommend using the "Preset Manual" setting for a custom balance.
Below is a photo taken with these settings.
The advantage of using the Ring Flash MF18 is that it allows you to easily capture photos with even lighting on both sides when shooting in portrait orientation.
Portrait Orientation with a Clip-on Strobe
When using an on-camera strobe, shadows appear due to factors such as the shape of the subject's mouth, shooting distance, and the offset between the strobe's flash axis and the lens's optical axis. For example, if you shoot in portrait orientation with the strobe on the left side, a shadow will appear directly to the right of the subject.
Landscape Orientation with a Clip-on Strobe
To take photos with even light on both sides of the face using an on-camera strobe, you must shoot in landscape orientation (horizontal photos). If using the same focal length, this requires a greater shooting distance (this can be resolved by switching to a prime or zoom lens with a shorter focal length than 85mm). However, in this case, a shadow will appear directly below.
A shadow appears directly below.
【Points to Keep in Mind】
1. Framing (Angle of View)
The 85mm macro lens used for intraoral photography has a relatively narrow angle of view for portraiture. Therefore, shooting at a distance of 1.8m will result in an upper-body shot from the chest up. To capture an area below the chest, you must stand approximately 3m away.
2. Camera Height
The height of the tripod-mounted camera should be aligned with the height of the subject's mouth.
3. Maintaining the Subject's Posture
To help the subject maintain their posture, we recommend providing a high chair. Please choose one that has a footrest and no backrest.
4. Ambient Light (Room Brightness)
Standard LED or fluorescent room lighting is fine for shooting. However, if shooting near a window where sunlight enters, the lighting on the subject may become uneven, or backlight may cause the photo to appear blurry; therefore, use curtains or blinds to block out sunlight.
5. Unexpected Reflections
In the following cases, try changing the shooting location or covering reflective surfaces with black cloth or boards.
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Reflections from walls, mirrors, glass, etc.
If there are highly reflective objects like walls, mirrors, or glass directly in the path of the strobe, unexpected reflections may prevent the light hitting the subject from being even.
- Color casts from colored walls, ceilings, or houseplants
If there are colored surfaces (other than white, black, or gray) like colored walls or houseplants near (or beside) the camera or subject, light reflecting off them can alter the color tones.
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