Have TG-6, should I switch from DSLR and dive it?

[hedonist222]

Hi, good shots but I must say I have seen similar and better from good TG6 photographers.
I read an article 40 years ago, the interviewer had an Oly half frame film camera and whilst he was interviewing a very old French famous photographer, the old guy asked if he could try the camera out and immediately just shot off the whole film. The interviewer said they were all excellent photographs and there were no obvious subjects.

The two photographs were to illustrate clarity (pixel density) and depth of field (blurred back and foreground). I intentionally uploaded a raw dslr photograph. To make the comparison even more obvious.

When you say you've seen similar and better, I'm fairly certain that you mean subjectively and artistically.
I'm certain there are a million better photographers than me, but it is impossible to achieve this clarity and depth of field on the tg6 compared to a full frame dslr.

 

[Nemrod]

The TG6 in a housing performs well above price point and especially for macro and super macro. The camera has some severe limitations, aperture/shutter selection and no manual control and the tiny sensor. But it does support RAW and for casual uses the TG6 can take amazing photos. Plus they do good video, for those into that, I am not. Several of my usual dive buddies use the TG6 so I am familiar with their capabilities. The TG6 does not have the dynamic range for example of my Sony A6400. But the Sony is not a good macro snappy camera and the TG6 is grand at it. You will want the air lens and twin strobes and video lights (if video is your thing) which bulks the camera rig up to the point it is not much more compact than my Sony Nauticam (actually, my Nauticam A6400 compacts up more). I am waiting on a TG7 or TG Pro and I may jump.

 

[Searcaigh]

I use a TG6 in a Nauticam housing. My main reason for purchasing this camera with the Nauticam housing (rated to 100m) was for taking shots and video whilst on tech dives as it was a lot simpler and less unwieldy than my Sea and Sea DSLR housings. To that effect I'm happy, but for my serious macro I still shoot with a DSLR.

 

[David Haas]

Olympus TG-6 (not sure if OM Systems will really debut a TG-7) is a stellar macro and especially SUPER macro camera right out of the box.

Backscatter has some great tutorials how to get the best in those shooting scenarios and several top prize winners (some up against all manner of big $$$ cameras) have been captured with a TG-6.

The smaller housing using just the built in flash can get into places you'll never get a 1-2 strobe larger set up into. Right now basically shooting at two main aperture settings isn't really limiting.

As to AF speed and wide angle shooting it can produce nice pics but the the smaller sensor starts to show detail differences compared to 1" sensor compacts like Canon G7X II /III and Sony RX100 V / VA / VII and VII. Each of those brands has pluses and minuses.....

The other big advantage in addition to physical size for travel and diving is COST.

You could buy TWO TG-6 and Olympus (really AOI housings) for less than any starter large system (!!!!!!)

Add one small strobe and a lightweight little tray (or mount a strobe on the COLD SHOE) and you're still swimming around much easier.

I have dived with one Inon S2000 strobe with their Shoe Base II in my Fantasea housing's COLD SHOE. I can turn the single flash a bit left, right, up and down.

For compact cameras especially I think people buy way too much strobe(s) and don't work on technique.

Search my name for recent shots in our local Ohio quarry shot with my wide AIR LENS and ONE little Inon S2000 strobe as an example.

Just one old guy's thoughts!

David Haas