Torn between TG6 & E-PL10

[Akimbo]

I don’t do much macro shooting and I prefer to use a wide angle lens.

I am very happy with my Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm on a Micro 4/3rds body and a Nauticam dome. IMO, you can't get the same image quality on a fixed lens camera... short of a Superwide Hasselblad film camera.

 

[Navymarkv]

I don’t do much macro shooting and I prefer to use a wide angle lens. But the price point and convenience of the TG6 is really appealing. I feel like buying the EPL10 would lead to me skimping on strobes and accessories.

My other concern, would this be too much camera for someone relatively new to the hobby? The point and shoot aspect of the TG6 is also really appealing but the concept of learning my equipment and growing as a photographer is nice too.

Has anyone else gone through this predicament already?

Do you travel dive or are you near the water. I have full frame,dx , m 4/3 and the tg6. Travelling with heavy gear is a pain and stupid unless you’re getting paid.the epl10 gives you no ttl option when you’re starting out. The tg6 is super nice to travel with and actually does just fine with wide angle. I’ve got 16x20’s on my wall from this setup. Start with the tg and get two good strobes. When you get comfy taking pics you can upgrade and still use your strobes. Same with a good wet lens. Camera gear is getting smaller and better for UW. HAVE FUN!

 

[Blackcrusader]

I am very lucky. My wife bought me a TG6 with PT059 housing and a kit with extra charger and battery, 64GB Sandisk card, two tripods, cleaning gear, silicon gel, hard case and soft case and some other things for US$500.

I went from Go Pro Hero 4 Black so it was a learning curve with the TG6 and new video lights.

 

[Hoag]

Do you travel dive or are you near the water. I have full frame,dx , m 4/3 and the tg6. Travelling with heavy gear is a pain and stupid unless you’re getting paid.the epl10 gives you no ttl option when you’re starting out. The tg6 is super nice to travel with and actually does just fine with wide angle. I’ve got 16x20’s on my wall from this setup. Start with the tg and get two good strobes. When you get comfy taking pics you can upgrade and still use your strobes. Same with a good wet lens. Camera gear is getting smaller and better for UW. HAVE FUN!

Funny that you would say that "Travelling with heavy gear is a pain and stupid unless you’re getting paid."

I respectfully disagree with this statement.

You live near some of the most beautiful and picturesque scenery in North America if not the world. Even as an amateur photographer, cameras such as an E-PL10 or to an even greater extent, a TG6 will not give you the versatility to truly capture the magnificence of Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Or the Rockies near Canmore, Banff or Jasper. Will you get a picture with a TG6? Of course, but a full frame camera with an exceptional lens will do a much better job all other things being equal (the same person taking the picture).

There are advantages to going small, and for my underwater setup, I have a Sony A6000 with the 10-18mm f/4 and the Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 lenses. I use a Nauticam Housing and the same dome port works with both lenses. I can fit my entire underwater kit int carry-on including my 2 Inon strobes.

When I go on a photo trip, however, in addition to my A6000 & its two lenses (which serve primarily as back ups), I will bring a Sony A7Riii, a 12mm f/5.6 lens, a 20mm f/2.8 lens (primarily for astrophotography, a Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 lens, a 16-35mm f/4 lens, a 24-105mm f/4 lens, and a 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 G Master lens. I also bring a tripod and various lighting options. This gives me the ability to shoot everything from expansive scenic vistas to the Milky Way to Birds of Prey in flight to aviation. I am just an amateur, and I am not getting paid. Having the gear is not a pain, and can promise you that I am not stupid.

 

[tursiops]

Funny that you would say that "Travelling with heavy gear is a pain and stupid unless you’re getting paid."

I respectfully disagree with this statement.

You live near some of the most beautiful and picturesque scenery in North America if not the world. Even as an amateur photographer, cameras such as an E-PL10 or to an even greater extent, a TG6 will not give you the versatility to truly capture the magnificence of Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Or the Rockies near Canmore, Banff or Jasper. Will you get a picture with a TG6? Of course, but a full frame camera with an exceptional lens will do a much better job all other things being equal (the same person taking the picture).

There are advantages to going small, and for my underwater setup, I have a Sony A6000 with the 10-18mm f/4 and the Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 lenses. I use a Nauticam Housing and the same dome port works with both lenses. I can fit my entire underwater kit int carry-on including my 2 Inon strobes.

When I go on a photo trip, however, in addition to my A6000 & its two lenses (which serve primarily as back ups), I will bring a Sony A7Riii, a 12mm f/5.6 lens, a 20mm f/2.8 lens (primarily for astrophotography, a Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 lens, a 16-35mm f/4 lens, a 24-105mm f/4 lens, and a 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 G Master lens. I also bring a tripod and various lighting options. This gives me the ability to shoot everything from expansive scenic vistas to the Milky Way to Birds of Prey in flight to aviation. I am just an amateur, and I am not getting paid. Having the gear is not a pain, and can promise you that I am not stupid.

I agree with you a little bit.....but you are raving a lot about non-underwater photography.....and the issue here is underwater.

 

[Hoag]

I agree with you a little bit.....but you are raving a lot about non-underwater photography.....and the issue here is underwater.

Actually, my point of contention was the comment that "Travelling with heavy gear is a pain and stupid unless you’re getting paid."

It is dependent on the situation. When I dive, my photo gear is fairly compact and minimalistic. When I travel to a destination specifically on a photo trip, I bring what I think I may need. With or without payment, I don't think that makes me stupid or that is a stupid practice.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I travel with around 20kg of dive gear that goes checked baggage and my camera and other gear hand carry weighs just under 7kg.
Never been an issue as many airlines you pay like US$10 extra when you book for excess allowance. Or just fly business class as I am apt to do sometimes.

 

[Skeptic14]

Do you travel dive or are you near the water. I have full frame,dx , m 4/3 and the tg6. Travelling with heavy gear is a pain and stupid unless you’re getting paid.the epl10 gives you no ttl option when you’re starting out. The tg6 is super nice to travel with and actually does just fine with wide angle. I’ve got 16x20’s on my wall from this setup. Start with the tg and get two good strobes. When you get comfy taking pics you can upgrade and still use your strobes. Same with a good wet lens. Camera gear is getting smaller and better for UW. HAVE FUN!

Once you add dual strobes, a WAL, good arms and floats, a lanyard and all the batteries, chargers, cables and backup accessories you might want in a pinch, the camera and housing size are a small portion of what you're packing.

Further, for UW photography I'd say it's probably much more common to be packing your own reg, computer, mask, wetsuit and maybe BC than renting those items and the relative footprint of the camera and housing compared with the rest of the gear your packing continues to shrink.