Equipment predicament

[thequintessentialman]

Can anyone suggest a "point & shoot" type camera with decent manual controls? Looking for a compact that at least has aperture priority with a decent pixel count and speed else I'd just use a cell phone. Considering getting into underwater photography but not quite yet ready to commit my Nikon DSLR rig. I'm so frustrated looking at marking ads...

[Sanford]

Try Backscatter.com for some ideas.

[thequintessentialman]

I've been looking around Backscatter and Ikelite I've also been talking to the dive community but wanted to hit up the brain trust in the photog community to see what ideas they had. The dive community seems a little enamored with the Olympus TG-6. TG-6 has some really good feature but it seems a little lacking in some important ones. Granted, asking in here about a P&S camera is like asking a gourmet chef about tuna helper but thought I'd try... sometimes we I surprised.

[Niels - NHSN]

There isn't really much P&S out there any more that beats a smartphone, that is why the bottom fell out of the P&S market some years ago now.

Some phones allows to shoot raw, and Apps will give you the controls you want.

 

I am not a diver, but did a one time dive on a vacation 3 years ago (just 10m under water). I wanted to take photos and ended up with an underwater hard dive-case and my old iPhone 5s. It worked fine, but a more modern model will do vastly better.

[JDMvW]

NHSN +1

[ajkocu]

I'd be curious what is being used now for UW photography. In the '70s and '80s I started out with an SLR in an Ikelite housing and external flash in a housing. It worked well. Then I bought a Nikonos and UW strobe and that was a big step up although not the best for macro photography. Imagine, though, trying to change a roll of film on a rolling boat in "subdued" light with salt water dripping from your hair. I wish they had digital film back then! If I were doing that now, I'd really consider a compact DSLR or mirrorless. I had the 15mm lens which let me get close to the subject, if the subject was willing. This sting ray was in San Salvador, The Bahamas. Nikonos 15mm and UW strobe. I think a DSLR or mirrorless using live view and a wide angle lens would be great and an external flash. But, as Sanford suggested, see what people are using now.

[Edwin Barkdoll]

I've used the Olympus tg-3, tg-4 and most recently the tg-6, primarily for macro and/or underwater use. They all have excelled at both, far surpassing any rig I have put on my iPhone, most recently the iPhone 11 pro.

Additional benefits of the TG series are the ability to add on external water-sealed flash (with a case), shoot RAW.

I have not used the TG much for landscape, etc as my iPhone exceeds the TG in those departments.

[Edwin Barkdoll]

Here's a brittle star under water with on-camera flash and a recently emerged tachinid fly (about 3/8" or 5mm long) taken with the Olympus TG-6

 

[AlanKlein]

Nice shots Edwin. I like the eyelashes on the fly.

[AlanKlein]

Try this out for reviews of waterproof cameras. While they recommend the TG6, they review about six other cameras that might fit your needs.

Best waterproof cameras of 2021

[Edwin Barkdoll]

Nice shots Edwin. I like the eyelashes on the fly.

 

Yes, I think they should be called “fleyelashes”

[paddler4]

Great shot of the fly. I had no idea that camera is capable of macro like this.

[Edwin Barkdoll]

Great shot of the fly. I had no idea that camera is capable of macro like this.

Thanks, it’s very impressive for a “point and shoot” when the lighting is good and the camera is stable. I probably could not have gotten this shot with my DSLR for a variety of reasons.

[Ricochetrider]

take a look at this one from Panasonic/Lumix; I believe it will fit your agenda?

 

 

DC-LX100M2

[thequintessentialman]

Edwin Barkdoll: that starfish pic may have just sold me on the TG-6. I had some concerns over its ability to control DOF but you pulled it off nicely.

 

What were you using (or recommend) for lighting? I've seen TG-6 rigs from twin 4200 lumen to twin 15000 lumen. For the present I'm leaning towards continuous lighting.

[Edwin Barkdoll]

Edwin Barkdoll: that starfish pic may have just sold me on the TG-6. I had some concerns over its ability to control DOF but you pulled it off nicely.

 

What were you using (or recommend) for lighting? I've seen TG-6 rigs from twin 4200 lumen to twin 15000 lumen. For the present I'm leaning towards continuous lighting.

 

It was either twin Lume Cubes mounted on a home made bracket or ambient light as it was in shallow water, sorry I can’t recall those details. I like the continuous light in general though underwater - helps focusing and, of course, exposure - I’ve shot a fair amount underwater at night using the lume cubes on the bracket.

In terms of depth of field the TG-6 will do in camera focus stacking or will shoot a series that you can focus stack using software of your choice. I usually shoot a series and focus stack eith Helicon focus. I can’t recall if the brittle star was stacked but I suspect it wasn’t simply because they are often too mobile for stacking.

[Edwin Barkdoll]

Edwin Barkdoll: that starfish pic may have just sold me on the TG-6. I had some concerns over its ability to control DOF but you pulled it off nicely.

 

What were you using (or recommend) for lighting? I've seen TG-6 rigs from twin 4200 lumen to twin 15000 lumen. For the present I'm leaning towards continuous lighting.

 

This is an early setup with a TG-3 and Pre- Lume Cube lights and a cable release for remote triggering. Worked pretty well.

 

[Glenn McCreery]

 

I use an Olympus TG-4 for snorkeling, kayaking and skiing, where I need a rugged, waterproof and pocket able camera. The TG-4 works great. If I drown it or drop it on a sharp rock, as I did with my previous Pentax WG-3, I will replace it with a TG-6. Here is a photo of a green sea turtle taken with the TG-4 in Hawaii.

 

Back when I scuba dived in the seventies and eighties, I used a Nikonos II. As ajkocu describes, changing the film was a pain. With the Nikonos I, II, and III, the procedure was to first rinse the camera in fresh water, then remove the lens, then pry the inner camera body from the aluminum outer shell with attached levers, change the film, and then reassemble the camera. This often limited me to taking one 36 exposure roll of film per day.

Edited March 24, 2022 by Glenn McCreery

[ajkocu]

[ATTACH=full]1421453[/ATTACH]

 

I use an Olympus TG-4 for snorkeling, kayaking and skiing, where I need a rugged, waterproof and pocket able camera. The TG-4 works great. If I drown it or drop it on a sharp rock, as I did with my previous Pentax WG-3, I will replace it with a TG-6. Here is a photo of a green sea turtle taken with the TG-4 in Hawaii.

 

Back when I scuba dived in the seventies and eighties, I used a Nikonos II. As ajkocu describes, changing the film was a pain. With the Nikonos I, II, and III, the procedure was to first rinse the camera in fresh water, then remove the lens, then pry the inner camera body from the aluminum outer shell with attached levers, change the film, and then reassemble the camera. This often limited me to taking one 36 exposure roll of film per day.

That was a procedure, huh? I had the lVa

[ATTACH=full]1421453[/ATTACH]

 

I use an Olympus TG-4 for snorkeling, kayaking and skiing, where I need a rugged, waterproof and pocket able camera. The TG-4 works great. If I drown it or drop it on a sharp rock, as I did with my previous Pentax WG-3, I will replace it with a TG-6. Here is a photo of a green sea turtle taken with the TG-4 in Hawaii.

 

Back when I scuba dived in the seventies and eighties, I used a Nikonos II. As ajkocu describes, changing the film was a pain. With the Nikonos I, II, and III, the procedure was to first rinse the camera in fresh water, then remove the lens, then pry the inner camera body from the aluminum outer shell with attached levers, change the film, and then reassemble the camera. This often limited me to taking one 36 exposure roll of film per day.

What a procedure that was! I didn't realize it was that complicated with those versions of the Nikonos. I had the lV-A which had a back that opened similar to the typical SLR.

[AlanKlein]

[ATTACH=full]1421453[/ATTACH]

 

I use an Olympus TG-4 for snorkeling, kayaking and skiing, where I need a rugged, waterproof and pocket able camera. The TG-4 works great. If I drown it or drop it on a sharp rock, as I did with my previous Pentax WG-3, I will replace it with a TG-6. Here is a photo of a green sea turtle taken with the TG-4 in Hawaii.

 

Back when I scuba dived in the seventies and eighties, I used a Nikonos II. As ajkocu describes, changing the film was a pain. With the Nikonos I, II, and III, the procedure was to first rinse the camera in fresh water, then remove the lens, then pry the inner camera body from the aluminum outer shell with attached levers, change the film, and then reassemble the camera. This often limited me to taking one 36 exposure roll of film per day.

Nice shot. I had a IVa with the swing back. That makes it simpler to replace the film. Still have it with a couple of complete o ring sets. Unfortunately, I haven't scuba dived in years.

Flickr Search

[glen_h]

I am not sure about "decent manual controls", but I have had some underwater fun

with a GoPro. I had it out snorkeling in Hawaii last summer. It only had two

buttons, and so most features have to be automatic.

 

I have two I got used, and have had way more fun with them than they cost.

 

[Gary Naka]

I suggest the dive forums.

 

Personally, I think it will either be

1) a waterproof P&S like an Olympus TG, or

2) you will be limited by what cameras the dive case/housing that you can find, are made for.

[thequintessentialman]

I suggest the dive forums.

 

Personally, I think it will either be

1) a waterproof P&S like an Olympus TG, or

2) you will be limited by what cameras the dive case/housing that you can find, are made for.

 

Actually, I've been engaged in conversations on the dive forums and I'm in discussions with friends (and friends of friends) that are noted scuba photogs, I just wanted to access the brain trust here on photo.net. There is a serious crowd in the UW phto community, Up until the advent of Digital cameras Nikon had the Nikons series that was pretty much the gold standard. Now we put our favorite camera in a housing. The consensus in the community regarding housings though is not if it floods but when.

 

In hind sight, I'm thinking I asked the wrong question. What I'm after is a good function vs price camera that produces a quality photo and allows some manual control. This can be P&S, dslr, or other. I went to a recent underwater photography club meeting (some friends I was talking to about UW cameras invited me) and a good majority of members seemed to have the TG-6 unless they had a higher end DSLR. It's starting to look like I'm at the point I should get the TG-6 rig and see where it goes. If it's too frustrating, i'll get a housing for my D800 and go from there. By thie it's probably be time to upgrade the D800 anyway.

[Glenn McCreery]

That was a procedure, huh? I had the lVa

 

What a procedure that was! I didn't realize it was that complicated with those versions of the Nikonos. I had the lV-A which had a back that opened similar to the typical SLR.

 

I still own my Nikonos II. I had not used it for snorkeling since a 2006 trip to Hawaii. I used it until perhaps a year later for kayaking before switching yo a series of digital point-and-shoot 'waterproof' (several of which drowned) cameras. I found that there were still a couple of shots remaining on a roll of Kodak Gold 200 print film. So, I Just exposed those remaining frames and disassembled the camera to remove the film. It will be interesting to get the film developed and see what is on that roll. It took more effort to disassemble the camera than I remember in the past, due to sticky O-rings. Here are the three sections of the camera; the lens (35mm f:2.8 Nikor, with rubber lens cap), the outer case (with levers for prying out the body once the lens is removed), and the body with the exposed roll of film in place (after rewinding, of course). The camera is designed for one handed operation. Pushing the lever on top of the body with your right thumb first exposes the film and then snaps out so that the next stroke of the lever winds the film, a clever and functional design that leaves your left hand free.. All controls are manual, and focus is by scale - there is no rangefinder. But, it takes great photos if you get exposure and focus correct, above water as well as below.

Edited March 27, 2022 by Glenn McCreery

[AlanKlein]

Actually, I've been engaged in conversations on the dive forums and I'm in discussions with friends (and friends of friends) that are noted scuba photogs, I just wanted to access the brain trust here on photo.net. There is a serious crowd in the UW phto community, Up until the advent of Digital cameras Nikon had the Nikons series that was pretty much the gold standard. Now we put our favorite camera in a housing. The consensus in the community regarding housings though is not if it floods but when.

 

In hind sight, I'm thinking I asked the wrong question. What I'm after is a good function vs price camera that produces a quality photo and allows some manual control. This can be P&S, dslr, or other. I went to a recent underwater photography club meeting (some friends I was talking to about UW cameras invited me) and a good majority of members seemed to have the TG-6 unless they had a higher end DSLR. It's starting to look like I'm at the point I should get the TG-6 rig and see where it goes. If it's too frustrating, i'll get a housing for my D800 and go from there. By thie it's probably be time to upgrade the D800 anyway.

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck.