Olympus Pen E-PL10 2x better than TG-6?

[Fishhy]

Looking to get a compact/mirrorless camera mostly for macro. I plan to keep using my DJI Osmo for the wide angle.

So basically I'm looking for a well-rounded camera but with biased towards macro.
My research has pointed me towards the TD6 or the Olympus E-PL 9/10.
I can start out with a TG6 in a sea frogs housing with vacuum housing and air lens (seafrog version since backscatter air lens won't fit) for around 1k.
On the other hand the Olympus e-pl9 with kit lens and diopter with AIO housing is going to run me closer to 1600-1900.
To start out I would use my existing video lights and tray so I didn't factor that in. But I would like to get a strobe in the future.

Is a mirrorless micro 4:3 16MP vs the TG6's smaller sensor and 12mp really worth the 600-900 difference (not including an air lens)?

My main subject would be macro and probably more on the video macro side.
Thanks for the advice!

 

[Barmaglot]

E-PL10 with kit lens (assuming 14-42mm) won't do macro, its maximum magnification is 0.23x. If you want to shoot macro with an interchangeable-lens camera, you need a macro lens - on the M43 mount, you have a choice of 30mm, 45mm, or 60mm. Technically, you can use the 14-42mm with close-up wet lenses, but this is more difficult than a true macro lens, as you have to place the subject in a fairly small distance window, or the lens won't focus - for example, per Nauticam port chart, the working distance range for 14-42mm with CMC-1 wet lens is 41-76mm (max magnification 0.8x), and with CMC-2 it's 63-130mm (max magnification 0.6x). A macro lens will go from 1x magnification to infinity, so you can acquire a subject, focus on them, then move in and out for proper composition.

TG6 will do macro out of the box, and with its smaller sensor, you'll get more depth of field in your shots (it does not need as much optical magnification to achieve the same framing), but not as much detail. If you print your shots, you might want the larger sensor, but if it's all online, TG6 is perfectly adequate. You don't need wet lenses for TG6 to shoot macro; the Backscatter Air Lens and other solutions are strictly for wide angle - when shooting macro, they'll simply get in the way, reduce your available magnification, and eventually get scratched up as they get bumped into things. If you want to mount something on the TG6 port threads, look at ring lights such as WF058 Underwater Flashlight Ring Light 3000 for scuba gear-Weefine

 

[BoltSnap]

E-PL10 with kit lens (assuming 14-42mm) won't do macro, its maximum magnification is 0.23x. If you want to shoot macro with an interchangeable-lens camera, you need a macro lens - on the M43 mount, you have a choice of 30mm, 45mm, or 60mm. Technically, you can use the 14-42mm with close-up wet lenses, but this is more difficult than a true macro lens, as you have to place the subject in a fairly small distance window, or the lens won't focus - for example, per Nauticam port chart, the working distance range for 14-42mm with CMC-1 wet lens is 41-76mm (max magnification 0.8x), and with CMC-2 it's 63-130mm (max magnification 0.6x). A macro lens will go from 1x magnification to infinity, so you can acquire a subject, focus on them, then move in and out for proper composition.

I don't get your point, he buys the E-PL10 with the 60mm lens (or the other macro lens).

Also, you mean the Pani 45mm macro lens not OLY.

TG6 will do macro out of the box, and with its smaller sensor, you'll get more depth of field in your shots (it does not need as much optical magnification to achieve the same framing), but not as much detail. If you print your shots, you might want the larger sensor, but if it's all online, TG6 is perfectly adequate. You don't need wet lenses for TG6 to shoot macro; the Backscatter Air Lens and other solutions are strictly for wide angle - when shooting macro, they'll simply get in the way, reduce your available magnification, and eventually get scratched up as they get bumped into things. If you want to mount something on the TG6 port threads, look at ring lights such as

You aren't giving him the full story about the TG and its lack of full manual control. It also has no where the quality and options the E-PL10 has. The E-PL10 is well worth the extra $$.

 

[Dann-Oh]

I don't get your point, he buys the E-PL10 with the 60mm lens (or the other macro lens).

Also, you mean the Pani 45mm macro lens not OLY.

Notice Barmaglot didnt mention get the Oly30, Oly45, Oly 60 did he? He did however say on m43 mount you can choose the 30, 45, or 60mm lens. What Barmaglot was trying to articulate is that Macro is generally accepted to have images that are a 1:1 ratio (real life size vs size on sensor). Using the 14-42 kit lens with a wet lens still does not give you a true macro image since the best you can get is 0.8x magnification compared to a true macro lens that gives you 1.0x magnification.

You aren't giving him the full story about the TG and its lack of full manual control. It also has no where the quality and options the E-PL10 has. The E-PL10 is well worth the extra $$.

Yes correct, the TG6 does not have a full-manual mode. The physical size of the EPL10 with kit lens in the AOI housing is nearly identical to the physical size of the TG-6 the Olympus housing (Fun Fact: the Olympus housing is actually made by AOI).

I have seen a lot of really really great photos captured by both the TG6 and the EPL10. So the decision is really up to the OP. But do keep in mind, if you start with the TG6, you can transfer the wet lenses and the strobes over to what ever camera you decide to get after you out grow the tg6, if you ever out grow it.

 

[missionmtb]

I was in the same spot as you, ended up with a Canon G7X mkIII and +6 macro and ring light. Works great, focus stacking, manual controls etc etc. Put it in an Ike.

 

[WS007]

Looking to get a compact/mirrorless camera mostly for macro. I plan to keep using my DJI Osmo for the wide angle.

So basically I'm looking for a well-rounded camera but with biased towards macro.
My research has pointed me towards the TD6 or the Olympus E-PL 9/10.
I can start out with a TG6 in a sea frogs housing with vacuum housing and air lens (seafrog version since backscatter air lens won't fit) for around 1k.
On the other hand the Olympus e-pl9 with kit lens and diopter with AIO housing is going to run me closer to 1600-1900.
To start out I would use my existing video lights and tray so I didn't factor that in. But I would like to get a strobe in the future.

Is a mirrorless micro 4:3 16MP vs the TG6's smaller sensor and 12mp really worth the 600-900 difference (not including an air lens)?

My main subject would be macro and probably more on the video macro side.
Thanks for the advice!

I would say that a MFT system camera is more than 2x as good as a TG-6 in IQ and photographic possibilities (but with the approriate domes and lenses will be more than 2x as expensive, accordingly)...

Besides this you should consider that, as a rule of thumb, not only the money you spend is proportional to the quality, but you will have to carry around the proportional amount of luggage and will have to drag a setup in proportional size through the water...

As missionmtb says there is the class of compact cameras inbetween the TG series and MFT cameras and they also should be considered...

=> In the end only you can decide what is appropriate for you and makes you happy (do not forget it is a hobby - therefore it is nonsense to make a "cost use bill"). I believe it would be a good idea to start with a TG camera (maybe even a used one of generation 5 or 4) and after a while you will know very well what fits you best...

Wolfgang

 

[Fishhy]

Spent more than I wanted to, but went the E-PL10 route. We'll see I guess. I don't have a 60mm yet. Trying to find one "cheap". I see the 7artitians ones out there for like half price, but it looks like those might be manual focus. So guess I'll need to save up for a strobe and glass.

I'm thinking a D200 since i'm looking to get to only one now (use my video lights), and the MF-2s don't seem powerful enough to do any wide angles.

 

[Hoag]

Spent more than I wanted to, but went the E-PL10 route. We'll see I guess. I don't have a 60mm yet. Trying to find one "cheap". I see the 7artitians ones out there for like half price, but it looks like those might be manual focus. So guess I'll need to save up for a strobe and glass.

I'm thinking a D200 since i'm looking to get to only one now (use my video lights), and the MF-2s don't seem powerful enough to do any wide angles.

If you are looking for a relatively low cost option to shoot macro with the E-PL10/AOI Housing, consider a wet lens. It will be a very good (although likely not perfect) way to shoot macro while not running up the cost too badly.

As far as strobes, if you are looking for a single strobe, I have a Sea & Sea YS-03 in the Classifieds section that I currently have listed at $250 or best reasonable offer. If that catches your eye, make me an offer and I am sure we can reach some sort of an agreement.

 

[Fishhy]

From what I have found, the 12.5 diopter most are using with the kit lens is about the same price as a used dedicated 60mm macro.
I haven't decided which way to go, though I'm leaning towards the 60mm and mounting my Osmo on the cold shoe for wide angle for the same dive. I don't think the led trigger on the octo case does ttl very well, so I think I need a strobe with manual.

 

[Dann-Oh]

From what I have found, the 12.5 diopter most are using with the kit lens is about the same price as a used dedicated 60mm macro.
I haven't decided which way to go, though I'm leaning towards the 60mm and mounting my Osmo on the cold shoe for wide angle for the same dive. I don't think the led trigger on the octo case does ttl very well, so I think I need a strobe with manual.

I use both dual Backscatter MF1 and dual Inon Z330 strobes with my EPL10 and octo housing. I use both strobes in manual and it's not bad at all.

For TTL, I believe you will need a camera and strobe with electrical connections. The octo housing only has optical so I don't think you can use TTL.

I've also heard TTL is not reliable underwater but I've never used TTL.