I know this camera can do better ... advice?

[davehicks]

Do not delay in buying a strobe - before your next trip. The Backscatter + Snoot is excellent. I bought the combo at a great sale price in April last year for $350 or so. I've been using bigger strobes for years, Ikelite 161s & Inon 330's. When I shoot macro I now carry the Backscatter + Snoot along with one of the Inon's.

Using a snoot does take a bit of practice. However, the Backscatter Snoot setup is accurate and easier to use than any other i've tried. The spotting light is 100% spot on and makes it pretty simple to aim. I use it on most of my Macro shots now, with the Inon providing some fill light.

As for your photo, I think you've heard the right feedback. You usually want to have at least a 1/100th of second shutter for macro shots, and this can be difficult without a strobe. Also make sure you are providing a very stable platform when you take a shot or you'll get significant blur and loss of focus.

Some of my friends shoot the TG6 and get some incredible photos that would compare favorably to any DSLR setup. It's a great little camera.

 

[Kimela]

I bought the combo at a great sale price in April last year for $300 or so. I've been using bigger strobes for years, Ikelite 161s & Inon 330's. When I shoot macro I now carry the Backscatter + Snoot along with one of the Inon's.

If you were going to choose between the Backscatter mini + snoot or the INON200, which would you choose. I don't want to spring for both. It looks like the INON has some nice features too. Thanks.

 

[davehicks]

They are both pretty similar in power, but I think you'll have more flexibility with the Backscatter if you get the snoot too. As I mentioned they have had some periodic sales for that combo as low at $350. Looks like they are back to retail pricing now of $400 for just the strobe. If you have some time before your trip keep an eye out for another sale and snap up the Backscatter & Snoot.

 

[tursiops]

@Kimela You've gotten some good generic advice in this thread, but some of it is not applicable to the TG6, unfortunately.
The TG6 can be frustrating, for two main reasons: (1) it has no adjustable shutter speeds, so the advice to use a higher shutter speed is difficult to implement....the camera chooses the shutter speed based on how much light it has and what the f-stop and ISO are ("aperture priority"); and (2) it really only has two f-stops (f/2.0 and f/2.8 unzoomed) and achieves an "f/8" setting by inserting a 3x Neutral Density filter, which means you have to just take whatever depth-of-field the camera gives you. Nothing much to play with. the Good news, is the camera has a small sensor, so a small focal-length lens, so you get a lot more depth-of-field at (say) f/2.8 than you would with a larger-sensor camera, like a DSLR. The Bad news that goes with that is it means you can't go to a very high ISO without getting a lot of noise in the image. Keep your ISO at 400 max, 100 or 200 is better.

The TG6 is pretty good for macro, however, and if that is all you want to do, have at it.
What you want to do is use the brightest light you can -- a strobe is better -- and keep the f/stop at one of its two lowest settings...otherside you are just throwing light away with the neutral density filter. Here are Backscatter's suggestions: https://www.backscatter.com/images/...6/Olympus_TG-6_Settings_Guide_Photo_Light.pdf

Have fun!

 

[Blackcrusader]

Fish that dart around like clowns and blennies can need patience and time. For blennies I find bubble noise or movement by the diver can cause them to hide more than lights. I am using a TG6 with Big Blue VL4200 video lights.

You can get good shots from over 2m away and zoom in. For Macro and Super Macro getting a critter that darts in and out is more difficult. Also if you rush your shot the camera is simply not in focus you need to wait for the green square. So what I do it get my camera to focus on a point when the fish comes to that point I can take the shot as camera already focused and you can lock the focus in. So you have to be in position first and be motionless, no bubbles, wait for the fish to come to you. Not easy and takes time to learn.

TG6 ISO 200 1/250 sec. f/3.2 5.79mm

 

[Blackcrusader]

Sometimes I want to not be so close but had to wait for this clown to dart out for the shot.

TG6 ISO 100 1/125 sec. f/3.5 6.37mm

 

[tursiops]

This is a technique called "compose and wait for the fish to enter the frame."
I find it works better with a strobe than with a video light.....so the bright light does not scare the subject(s) away.

 

[Blackcrusader]

This is a technique called "compose and wait for the fish to enter the frame."
I find it works better with a strobe than with a video light.....so the bright light does not scare the subject(s) away.

Yes there are times when a strobe would better. On the other hand I'm pretty happy with my video lights. I just take photos for memories of dive vacations so I want good photos but understand the limitations of what I can get.

I think Kimela should practice more on the "compose and wait" and her shots will have better focus.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Another thought is that I rarely have the opportunity to set up so my camera is fairly still. I'm usually shooting in current, so even when I try really hard I'm a little bit in motion. (Or maybe that's just me offering excuses?!)

It is hard to be perfectly still without a tripod.

I have my own DIY tray with two handles. It also has a flat bottom so it can be set down if needed. So excuses... let's examine them lol Firstly you rush to shoot so the camera is not focused, in your rush you create movement which may also scare off what you want to film. You do not wait for the green square or learn to lock in the focal distance on the TG6.

You need to learn to move like a corpse. Some people call me the fat corpse due to my movements on dives or lack off. I've had people pull on me thinking unresponsive diver no bubble trail no movement the diver died oh my god he was only taking a photo.
So one thing is you will need to learn to move with the motion of the water. Sometimes the water is moving you closer then away from the subject. That's when my arms become like a humming bird head and they stay in a fixed position while the rest of me moves with the rocking motion of the water. In some cases you may want to do a fin pivot so you can angle your body and knees away from the bottom and be slightly over head of the critter or other thing you want to video or photo.

If something is on a reef wall you may want to get into that vertical position. Buoyancy control, fins controlling your direction and stillness of hands you will learn with time. The water is my magic carpet ride so move and flow with the water.
Camera's and macro demand you learn and improve these things. Some things you can plan for a lot of what I get are also opportunity shots I see a creature I want to get then spend the time preparing for that shot. If you rush it the shot is not good.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Hopefully you can see this photo I took today with my TG5 with an Inon strobe. Shows what the camera is capable of. A sea dragon head: