Study compares smartphones and DSLRs for dental photography

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Wed. 11. November 2026

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CHENGDU, China: Although previous studies have supported the use of smartphones in dental photography, many have focused on individual aspects of performance rather than colour accuracy, dimensional accuracy and image quality together. In a recent study, researchers compared the performance of smartphones and digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras using a standardised workflow incorporating colour calibration and controlled magnification. The findings may help dentists make informed decisions about the use of different devices in clinical photography.

Dr Songhang Li, a researcher at Sichuan University, emphasised that smartphones should be evaluated for several aspects of photographic performance to determine their potential for clinical dental photography. (Image: Dr Songhang Li)

The study involved 25 participants and five imaging devices: three DSLR cameras and two smartphones—Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra. Each device was used to capture nine standardised extra-oral and intra-oral views per participant. Both smartphones were used at a 4× zoom setting, selected to reduce the distortion associated with close-range smartphone photography. The resulting photographs were evaluated for colour accuracy, dimensional accuracy and image quality.

One of the most notable findings concerned colour reproduction. The researchers used a neutral grey card included in the intra-oral photographs as a reference for correcting colour deviations caused by lighting conditions. This significantly improved the colour accuracy of the smartphone photographs. After this calibration, the smartphone images performed better in the study’s colour accuracy assessment than the DSLR images. However, the authors cautioned that this finding does not establish better reproduction of natural tooth shades.

Dimensional accuracy varied between devices. Photographs captured with the iPhone produced arch width measurements similar to those obtained with the DSLR cameras. By contrast, the S24 Ultra significantly under-estimated arch width. Nevertheless, the Samsung photographs received the most favourable scores in the study’s computer-based assessment of image quality.

“Understanding the strengths and limitations of different devices can help clinicians select appropriate photographic tools for specific purposes,” senior author Dr Songhang Li, a researcher in the Department of Oral Implantology at Sichuan University’s West China Hospital of Stomatology, told Dental Tribune International.

The findings suggest that strong performance in one aspect of dental photography does not necessarily translate into comparable performance in others. Dr Li emphasised that evaluating smartphones for clinical use requires consideration of multiple parameters rather than image appearance or a single performance measure.

The researchers concluded that smartphones could offer a potentially reliable option for routine clinical documentation when used with a standardised photographic protocol. Such a protocol should incorporate appropriate magnification, professional dental lighting and grey-card colour calibration to improve consistency and accuracy.

However, the researchers noted that smartphones cannot universally replace DSLR cameras and that DSLR cameras retain advantages, particularly in clinically demanding aesthetic cases. “The aim is not necessarily to replace professional cameras with smartphones, but to make dental photography more convenient and accessible while maintaining the level of accuracy required for each clinical task,” Dr Li explained.

The researchers also highlighted the need for studies involving a wider range of smartphone models and more diverse patient populations, as well as validation of device-specific photographic protocols. Such work could help determine which devices and settings meet the requirements of particular clinical applications.

The study, titled “Comparison of accuracy and reliability between smartphone and digital single-lens reflex camera in clinical dental photography: An in vivo study”, was published online on 16 July 2026 in Clinical Oral Investigations.