Tips on next step Camera rigg for a macro lover

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Thanks for all good ideas and response! seems like for my budget the TG-7 would be the best choice. So will be looking for a camera, housing, tray + some sort of strobe. Cheers!
 
Thanks for all good ideas and response! seems like for my budget the TG-7 would be the best choice. So will be looking for a camera, housing, tray + some sort of strobe. Cheers!
Whatever you get, have fun & enjoy it.
Check out the link in my earlier post.
 
I'd look for a used Olympus EM1-mk2 with the 60mm macro. M4/3 cameras make excellent macro rigs.
Or a new Olympus E-M10 IV (~$500) plus the AOI housing (~$1k). Used 60 mm macro lens, macro port, and strobes would get you to $2k pretty easily.

I came very close to buying the TG--I've seen amazing macro photos and video with them. At the end I was swayed that the full manual controls plus interchangeable lenses of the M43 Olympus was more extendable, but the M43 approach is definitely more money.
 
Not recommending this due to lack of familiarity and a friend just got one and he is having vacuum issues. But FWIW:


A dive buddy told the dive buddy who purchased the above something along the lines of one could purchase five TGs for the price of a Nauticam NAXXXX. And my response to him when relayed this opinion, yeah, and you would still have five Yugos and not the Porsche that you wanted ;).

I am sorry, I am being mean to the little TG. If and when OM Systems gives us a TG-Pro with a one inch sensor, full manual controls with actual f-stops and a 3:1 zoom (something like 24-75) I will jump out of my skin and have an out of body experience trying to grab one!

Hey, OM, if you really wanted to have something better than a phone please give the world a TG-Pro.
That's the rig I purchased. I'm impressed so far, but have yet to get it wet, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
 
A lot depends on what you want to do with the photos. For looking at them on your phone, the TG will work but in a year you will be selling it and getting a micro 4/3 system. The Backscatter AOI is a great start with a 60 macro lens and a small strobe (AOI or BS). It will be more like $3K but if you dive 100 x year over three years you will be at like $3/dive and you will have much (way more much) better pics.
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I think for a little bit more money you can get a great all around (older) Sony 6500 with housing and single strobe. Several guys in my group an a6XXX setup for years with the seafrog housing (300 dollars) and with a decent strobe you could be into the whole thing for about 1500.

I have the setup with a nauticam housing (which I lucked into on this site) but I've seen several setups on ebay for about 2k.

The plus of getting this setup is that its going to get a camera that allows a lot more growth and can be used topside as well. Its great UW for a bunch of different applications. I use the small 30mm macro along with the kit lens (which both fit the same port!) with a wet macro lense for great macro fun

I normally throw a nice 35mm into my bag as well and have an awesome topside setup to go around the local area with.
 
I own a 6500 in a sea frogs (actually it's for sale) and I find for macro a M4/3 has better lens choice and higher sync speeds.
The 6500 is perhaps better in ambient light but that's not really macro.
 
The other plus for micro 4/3 is wildlife photography. Remarkably nice long lenses that cost less than your car.
Bill
 

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I find for macro a M4/3 has better lens choice and higher sync speeds.

M4/3 most definitely has more and better choices in lenses for macro and other genres at all price points, in addition to the weight and size advantages.
 

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