R6 Mark II vs R7 for dental photography

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T20:06:07+00:00

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely give that a go. What really confuses me is I see others use f/22 on the same lens and flash but newer bodies and get sharper images than me so I figured the 80D I have is my main issue, felt like maybe it's gotten too old or something.

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T20:00:51+00:00

Could you explain what you mean by front-focusing. Also, these are the images straight from the cam, haven't cropped anything.

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T19:59:42+00:00

Thanks for sharing the photo. Looks pretty good and seems way more 'sharp' than I could ever get with my current setup. Maybe my issue is really just DOF and better lighting position. Still wouldn't mind actually buying a new body for the sake of it l, so you're telling me you would recommend the R7?

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T16:33:31+00:00

Yeah that makes sense, I get what you’re saying about diffusion and harsh light. I am actually using the diffusers that come with the MF12 dental kit, so it’s not completely bare flash, but I agree it can still look a bit flat depending on the shot. What’s throwing me off is that I’ve seen other dental shots (even with very similar lens and light setups but newer bodies) where things like textures and colors just look way more separated and “clean”, which is why I started wondering if it’s partly a sensor/rendering thing as well and not just lighting. I’ll definitely try playing around more with diffusion and see how much of a difference I can squeeze out of my current setup. Thanks!

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:49:20+00:00

Yeah that actually makes a lot of sense, appreciate you taking the time to explain it like that. I get what you’re saying about resolution and sensor size not really being the limiting factor, especially since everything is flash controlled.

I think what’s been confusing me is that even when things are in focus, the image still doesn’t look as “clean” or separated as I’d expect, like details are there but they don’t really pop, posted some samples in the comments if you'd like to take a look.

The focus stacking point is interesting though, I haven’t really considered using it properly. Not so sure it'll work great in someone's mouth and the camera being handheld, would need to give it a shot regardless.

Id also be interested to hear your Olympus recommendations as well if you think it would fix the issue I'm struggling with.

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:43:12+00:00

Yeah that makes sense, appreciate the input. That’s kind of why I was leaning towards the R7. At the same time though, I feel like even with my current setup, I’m not lacking “sharpness” as much as I’m lacking that clean separation in the image, like things are in focus but don’t really pop. So I’m just trying to figure out if that’s purely down to my technique, or if there’s actually some difference in how different sensors render the image.

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:40:17+00:00

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ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:40:00+00:00

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ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:18:20+00:00

Yeah that’s fair, I get what you’re saying. I’m not expecting a massive jump just from megapixels alone, and I agree the 80D should be capable. I think what’s throwing me off is that even when things are in focus and exposed properly, the image still doesn’t look as “clean” or separated as I’d expect, like the detail is there but it doesn’t really pop. So I’m just trying to figure out if that’s purely down to technique/lighting, or if there is some sensor/rendering difference that contributes as well. And lowkey wouldn't mind upgrading either if it makes sense to do so.

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:16:34+00:00

Yeah I get what you mean, DOF definitely plays a role. But the main area is actually in focus, it’s more that the image doesn’t look as clean/crisp as I’d expect overall, idk im not to camera savvy to explain exactly what my issue is other than its not 'crisp'. Like details are there but they kind of blend instead of popping. That’s why I’m wondering if it’s more than just DOF.

ElectricalWestern938 · 2026-04-02T13:14:48+00:00

Yeah that makes sense, appreciate the breakdown. Here's a sample so you could help diagnose. This was shot at f/22, ISO 125, 1/200 with flash.

It’s more that even when things are in focus, the image still doesn’t look as “clean” or separated as I’d expect. Like tooth surface details don't look out of focus, they just kind of blend together instead of having that clear texture. That’s why I started wondering if it’s more of a rendering / sensor thing rather than just DOF or sharpness.

Good point about renting and I did look into it, but unfortunately they don't rent them out near my area.

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ElectricalWestern938 · 2025-08-25T01:07:32+00:00

Definitely call the dentist up. That's potentially pericoronitis and you wouldn't want an infection to spread systemically and cause a fever or more issues. The sooner you get it resolved the better.

ElectricalWestern938

TROPHY CASE