Camera Upgrade Questions: TG-6 to ?

[Guitarcrazy]

Wow Scuba with Mitch, are you always this helpful? I am sorry if asking for opinions on camera upgrade options somehow ruined your day. Point me to your masterclass on underwater photography and I'll sign up.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

Nice photo Readydiverone. I dove with another photographer a few years ago using the RX100 and he had nothing but praise for the camera. I like the small size and larger sensor and MP count. I just wonder if I will regret not moving to a changeable lens body. Thanks for the input.

 

[SCUBAwithMitch]

Not at all. Most people freely spend their time in an attempt to help others. On occasion, people reject that help. It is what it is. If you think spending a bunch of money to fix a skills problem is the solution, I'm only sorry I don't have a bunch of very expensive equipment to sell you. Good luck in your search and I hope you find the resolution you are seeking.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

I wish you had nice gear to sell also. I bought my TG-6 rig from a SB member, along with many other nice pieces of kit. I look forward to reading your trip report on Bonaire and seeing your photos.

 

[Ardy]

I am late to this thread but I will chuck my 2c worth in.
I dive with a 16mb EM5 mk2 and I'm happy with it for what I use it for, mainly macro. I have an EM1 mk2 20mp and the difference between the two is amazing, the EM1 shots can be cropped with more detail and it has other assets I use for bird photography ie pro capture.
I suspect the difference between my EM5 2 and the EM5 3 would be a similar step up and the one review I read points to that. Given my time again I would have gone with the EM5 mk3 as it is similar to the EM1 mk2 and I prefer that camera over my EM5 mk2.
Not sure if this helps but anyhow I would go with the EM5 mk3 and 9-18 WA and a 12-50 cheapie for general and some macro.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

I like Olympus, and I was considering the EM-5 MK111. Another member noted that the EM-1 MK iii comes with a smaller housing than the EM-5 weirdly enough. I am still wanting to keep a smallish form factor so that is a consideration. Thanks

 

[Ardy]

Interesting as the housing for the Em1 mk2 is larger than the EM5 mk2 but it's not a lot of difference, see if you can get a look and feel prior to putting your money down.
Size is always going to be smaller with Oly, although I have not checked other suppliers for a couple of years. It is not just the size it is the lenses that work well with the camera and the money is a consideration for me. All the pro's seem to use Nik/Can + Sony but I have seen their rigs and I don't want to haul one of those around as I did that for 20 years prior to digital and the $$$'s to have fun is too much.
I'm a diver who takes photos and that is what has kept me diving for the last 45 of 50 years diving. As soon as I got into macro/muck diving in about 2000 it is fascinating to me.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I just can't get them large enough to print, hence the need for a better sensor.

My photos would definitely improve if I had better skill, no question.

I print some of my photos from my TG6 to a 60cm by 30cm or other sizes and they come out fine. Sorry for misreading your post.
You admitted that your real issue is not the camera but your skills. I was on a dive trip in Bali with a diver who had a nice camera lenses strobes the whole nine yards. He spent several thousand pounds on his gear. After a dive he was looking at his photo's compared to mine and was flabbergasted that my TG6 was getting better photos. He gave me his photo's as I bad brought my laptop along.
Here are some of his. 99% of his photo's were like this. But never mind they looked fine on his camera screen. No one is trying to belittle you for wanting a better camera than a TG6. But all the best camera's in the world wont help when the user skill set is lacking.
The photos you posted from your TG6 are not very clear. This is because they are not in focus. That is not an error from the TG6

 

[Guitarcrazy]

Huh? Again, I asked for suggestions on which cameras people tried after moving from the TG. This thread has gone 4 pages and I think there were only 3 posters who actually gave information about other camera systems. And, I don't know what you are talking about when you say the photos are out of focus. Which photos are out of focus? The flamingo tongue is certainly not OOF. The blennie is crisp, the shark is clear, I have no idea what you are talking about. The problem with the photos is I can't print larger than a 5" x 7" size without it becoming grainy and losing detail. OOF is certainly not a problem that I or the camera have been having. It appears this thread has exceeded its useful life. Thanks to those that provided information.

 

[Barmaglot]

If you're just looking for high res for large prints, I would look at a used full-frame DSLR rig from a few generations back. Canon 5DIV, Nikon D800, that kind of thing. You can get one kinda sorta without breaking the bank, although traveling with it will be a major pain, especially if you get a rectilinear wide-angle lens and the corresponding huge dome. Older mirrorless like Sony A7R II are somewhat compromised in comparison; they didn't really mature until the most recent generation or maybe the one before.