Tips on getting started with TG-6 please?

[FishCity]

Hi. After our last trip I noticed all the expedition staff were using TG-6's and loved them. So I Amazoned one.
My situation is that I haven't a lot of experience with digital cameras, or any cameras much lately.
I had originally thought to go to a workshop to get going but those are all cancelled due to covid.
I downloaded the 400 page instruction manual. Probably a mistake lol.
No travel for a while but I figure if I get decent with it on land it's a start. We are on stay at home here but get to walk outside. I can take pictures then.
Any tips to get started?
Thanks so much.

 

[tursiops]

Lots of threads on here and on WetPixel Do a little search.
Also, Olympus TG-5 and TG-6 Underwater Settings.

 

[FishCity]

Thank you.

 

[Peter Bomberg]

Olympus TG-6 Best Underwater Camera Settings - Underwater Photography - Backscatter is another good resource

 

[Blackcrusader]

I have a Go Pro Hero 4 I used for years. I got the TG6 last year. Lots to learn and you can practice macro on land as well as underwater. Many factors come into play, do you have strobes or video lights. What visibility you have on the dive, depth, etc.

This is my diving platform. It's DIY and glides through the water like a wing and can also be set down to take video. You can have saved settings and I have them setup for my macro photo's. Yes those user manuals take time do read as do looking at you tube videos. If you see other divers with TG cameras I'm sure they would give some tips as well.

TG6 and PT 059 housing, two Big Blue VL4200P video lights... Go pro in dry housing port. DIY platform.

 

[FishCity]

Ok, on to the manual! Plus I will check out YouTube. That's how I learned how to change car radio presets
Thanks, folks.

 

[scubadada]

Olympus TG-6 Best Underwater Camera Settings - Underwater Photography - Backscatter is another good resource

Parts 3-7 have been "coming soon" for a long time

 

[tursiops]

Plus I will check out YouTube.

There is more bad/incorrect/misleading/harmful information on YouTube than there is quality information, about almost anything. It is much worse than wikipedia, because there is no review/curating mechanism. Be very very careful.

 

[Peter Bomberg]

So my very uninformed opinion based on my experience, there are 3 or more separate things that combined make up underwater photography.

1) know your camera so adjusting it can be done quickly and without looking away from your subject (as once you loose sight of it it can be hard to find again), that you can and should practice on land (an easy one is to walk a dog or in an area with small animals and swap from wide angle to macro). If you have strobe arms you can change their positions too (just leave the strobes at home). I found knowing how to turn on and off the flash, change the custom white balance, set auto white balance, etc are perfect dry land excersizes.

2) know what setting produces the results you want underwater (ie lighting, white balance, strobe power and placement, etc.), this one is really hard to practice (I have not found a way yet)

3) be observant as often marine life is more a question of luck (timing) than anything else, but you can practice by observing your surroundings (many people walk right by things and did not even know they were there). Again count the number of squirrels when you go for a walk, which direction and how fast (so you know where to aim the camera as chasing it will only give you a fish tail and where is the sun coming from so you have a chance of taking the pic, if there is wind what is the pattern so you know when to snap the pic, etc... This you can practice

ohh and combining them is something I cant give advice on as I am still learning that

 

[FishCity]

Good advices. I will try birds and squirrels.