The Canon display of th camera When taking full-face photos of your patients (full face smile, the eyes and retracted teeth apart pre-op, the eyes and retracted teeth apart provisionals, the facebow shot) the lab you work with needs to have a horizontal reference. For the purposes of this exercise I'll be using the Canon EOS 60-D, which has a built-in horizontal reference.

In order to make sure your photos are level to the horizon you must enable Live View Shooting and turn on the Electronic Level.

Enabling Live View Shooting:

  1. Turn on your camera and your flash (this may not work if your flash is not on).
  2. Push the MENU button once; it is located on the back of the camera to the right of the LCD monitor.
  3. Dial forward using the main dial found just behind the shutter button or the multi-controller just outside the Set button on the back of the camera. Go to the fourth red tool bar shown on the top of the LCD monitor.
  4. The first option will be Live View shoot. Push the Set button and choose Enable.

Turning on the Electronic Level:

  1. Dial forward to the third gold-colored tool bar. Go to INFO. Button display options and push the Set button. You will see the Electronic Level option choose it and push the Set button. A check mark will appear next to Electronic level.
  2. Push the Menu button twice to exit.

Now you're ready to shoot. These settings will be saved and can be used each time by following these instructions.

  • Turn on your camera and flash.
  • Push the Live View button next to the view-finder.
  • Push your shutter button half way.
  • You should now see a live view of your patient with the horizontal indicator.
  • Take your photo when the green line appears on the level.
  • Tell your lab that the camera was level to the horizon and they can correct for any head tilt.

Robert A. Gallegos DDS, FAGD, www.middleburgsmiles.com


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Comments

Commenter's Profile Image Jock Stevick
April 20th, 2012
Good points! This may be the most important info we can give a technician. One other trick is, if you do not have this feature built into your camera, is placing a horizontal reference (i.e. tape) on your background.