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Hi all,

I'm looking to purchase a camera for photography for my work. I want to get the best camera and lens combo I can afford.

What I'll be mainly using it for is work and this is dental intra-oral photography (macro) with full face portrait shots, I'll likely be using it sometimes for personal/leisure use too. I'm looking to get a Cannon 5D mk II (I'm hoping the price has come down seeing as the mk III has been released). The lens I am looking at is a 100mm macro http://www.canon.co....f2.8_Macro_USM/

If you think I should consider other options at this price point I'm open to suggestions.

Alongside this I will need a ring flash. Any recommendations? The three I could find that a lot of people use are:

http://www.canon.co....g_lite_MR-14EX/

http://www.canon.co....n_lite_MT-24EX/

http://www.sigmaphot...-dg-macro-flash

I'll be buying this in the UK. So I was wondering about any buying recommendations on where to get it from. It's a sizable investment so I'm looking for good aftercare if anything goes wrong as well as good prices!

Thanks.

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I'd look into Warehouse Express (or Wex Photographic as they are now known) - http://www.wexphotographic.com/

Have bought lens and accessories from there for a while - great range, good prices.

Canon also have a cashback deal on at the moment (mail in rebate type of thing) which is quite decent too.

Only applies to certain lenses and bodies though.

For example your lens from there is ?422 (http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-canon-ef-100mm-f2-8-usm-macro-lens/p12862)

They have stopped selling the 5D Mark II camera though.

at that price point you could also consider Canon 6d, Nikon d600. Both Nikon and Canon have good macro glass.

You plan on shooting mostly macro?

Yeah mostly macro and face shots for work. But I'll likely start shooting stuff on holiday and so forth when I get to grips with stuff for work.

I'd look into Warehouse Express (or Wex Photographic as they are now known) - http://www.wexphotographic.com/

Have bought lens and accessories from there for a while - great range, good prices.

Canon also have a cashback deal on at the moment (mail in rebate type of thing) which is quite decent too.

Only applies to certain lenses and bodies though.

For example your lens from there is ?422 (http://www.wexphotog...cro-lens/p12862)

They have stopped selling the 5D Mark II camera though.

Thanks for the heads up about the site. That's a good price for the lens! Not everywhere is stocking the mark 2 now.

Well i'm biased for nikon, but it seems the macro equivalent of nikon is

?

629.00.

Again, any reason why you're not considering the 6d?

(lol @ crazy fonts due to copypasta)

Well i'm biased for nikon, but it seems the macro equivalent of nikon is

?

629.00.

Again, any reason why you're not considering the 6d?

(lol @ crazy fonts due to copypasta)

I was confused reading your post. Took me a while to work out that the crazy fonts are actually part of your post! I looked at the 6d. I'm not too bothered by the GPS or the wifi. Actually the wifi could be useful as I would be uploading the photos to patients records and if I could do that on the fly that would be useful but I'm not sure how quick it would be. Is there any standout reason you would recommend the 6d over the 5d?

And I'm not sure that the 6d allows custom settings to be saved or not.

There is another lens

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Now I hear a lot of people say that the lens will make a huge difference in image quailty (second to the person taking the photos and I'm hoping I'll only get better!) Is it worth me forking out for this lens or stick with the previous one?

Also is there much difference between using the ring flash or a twin flash?

Sorry about the font, too lazy to fix after copy/pasting ruined it. Well to be honest it's just better sensor and new technologies, better autofocus, etc..

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/(appareil1)/836%7C0/(brand)/Canon/(appareil2)/483%7C0/(brand2)/Canon

For some reason the above link won't work, just go to dxomark camera compare and check out the main differences between the 6d and 5d mark II. edit: it does if you copy/paste the link rather than click on it.

And yes, photography dSLR wise is all about the glass! Glass first, body second!

Never used macro flashes to be honest, but I can see ( same logic as regular flashes) that two lights coming from a different source, gives a better fill rate then just a single. But then again, remember, Flashes ( strobes ) is all about light shaping more than quantity. Also, ring flashes also have twin tubes inside (eg same lamp on each side of the ring).

Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX

Two flash tubes that can be fired as one or independently with full ratio control

EM-140 DG Macro Flash

Dual flash tubes can be switched on or off

based on my experience with nikon, when it comes to speedlights and if you're newcomer to lights (like me) it's best to stay same brand.

Hi all,

I'm looking to purchase a camera for photography for my work. I want to get the best camera and lens combo I can afford.

What I'll be mainly using it for is work and this is dental intra-oral photography (macro) with full face portrait shots, I'll likely be using it sometimes for personal/leisure use too. I'm looking to get a Cannon 5D mk II (I'm hoping the price has come down seeing as the mk III has been released). The lens I am looking at is a 100mm macro http://www.canon.co....f2.8_Macro_USM/

If you think I should consider other options at this price point I'm open to suggestions.

Alongside this I will need a ring flash. Any recommendations? The three I could find that a lot of people use are:

http://www.canon.co....g_lite_MR-14EX/

http://www.canon.co....n_lite_MT-24EX/

http://www.sigmaphot...-dg-macro-flash

I'll be buying this in the UK. So I was wondering about any buying recommendations on where to get it from. It's a sizable investment so I'm looking for good aftercare if anything goes wrong as well as good prices!

Thanks.

As a 5D MarkII owner, I'd say spring for the MarkII. reason being, it is a full frame sensor and if you ever decide to sell your work, you can have them blown up to 60x40 respectively. With the recent release of the 5 D MarkIII, the price of the 5D MarkII is alot more reasonable.

As a 5D MarkII owner, I'd say spring for the MarkII. reason being, it is a full frame sensor and if you ever decide to sell your work, you can have treason being, it is a full frame sensor and if you ever decide to sell your work, you can have them blown up to 60x40 respectively.

The thing is the 6d also has a full frame sensor.

The thing is the 6d also has a full frame sensor.

Yup,

Like I said, check out the specifications, the 6d is comparable to the MK III and not MK II

http://www.dxomark.c.../(brand3)/Canon

Finally managed to get dxo to hot link :p

the 6d excels in almost everything, dynamic range, noise sensitivity, SNR, etc. No need for me to tell you, just check out the dxo links and then the tab for specs and measurements.

the 6d excels in almost everything, dynamic range, noise sensitivity, SNR, etc. No need for me to tell you, just check out the dxo links and then the tab for specs and measurements.

The 6d is looking a hot proposition. I'm thinking I may go for this with the macro lens and the canon ring flash. Hefty but a good buy i think.

Any advice on where to buy from. Want to avoid grey imports!

The 6d is looking a hot proposition. I'm thinking I may go for this with the macro lens and the canon ring flash. Hefty but a good buy i think.

Any advice on where to buy from. Want to avoid grey imports!

Sorry mate, not from the uk, last I heard jessops closed?

Maybe amazon uk?

Do you really need a 5DMKII/6D for pictures of people's mouths? It just seems overkill for a subject matter that will 1.) be brightly light (especially with a ring flash) and 2.) not moving. Most entry level DSLRs will work just fine for that at under 1000 pounds.

Definitely go with high quality glass, though.

Do you really need a 5DMKII/6D for pictures of people's mouths? It just seems overkill for a subject matter that will 1.) be brightly light (especially with a ring flash) and 2.) not moving. Most entry level DSLRs will work just fine for that at under 1000 pounds.

Definitely go with high quality glass, though.

Well he did say personal/leisure use as well?

Do you really need a 5DMKII/6D for pictures of people's mouths? It just seems overkill for a subject matter that will 1.) be brightly light (especially with a ring flash) and 2.) not moving. Most entry level DSLRs will work just fine for that at under 1000 pounds.

Definitely go with high quality glass, though.

Yes I will be using it for leisure too. But with regards to the mouth I've seen pictures taken with full frame high level DSLRs and lower end ones with the same glass and there are differences in quality. I'd be using these pictures not just as legal records but will likely use them in promotional books and case presentations too. The one thing I was told and I agree with you here is the glass is important. I think I've chosen a pretty good lens and then I want to get the best camera I can afford alongside it hence looking at the 6d now.

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