Let's chat about DSLR vs Point and Shoot - looking for some wisdom / experience

[tarponchik]

Well I was a bit away from the Mantis and did not want to over illuminate the sand and rubble in front so zoomed in. I also perhaps used the exposure dial to get this affect. As I have written I just take shots for my vacation memories and a lot of them I do not do any editing they are what they are. I do shoot in both RAW and Jpeg so if a jpeg is good enough I use it.

How about this one?

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This one is certainly better.

 

[Blackcrusader]

This one is certainly better.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder hehehehe Hope this isn't too dark for you. After all morays do tend to hide away in dark cavities

 

[Blackcrusader]

I'll keep this in mind. I like the idea of being able to go after the tiny stuff. How would this contrast to a TG-6 setup?

In one of the backscatter videos they said the TG-6 has to basically be on the subject for Macro and that with the 60mm lens you can be a couple inches from it . 22mm to 70mm is just under 1 inch to around 2.75" It's not irrelevant, it's precisely the point. I think camera batteries are too small to begin with. So anything you can do to get the load off them will pay dividends.

OK for the TG6 there are shots from not so close to close then macro then what I call the super macro. Now for super macro you dont have to be right on it you use the zoom to max if you can. Sometimes you cannot get close due to corals. It's great on super macro if the subject matter is not moving around. I also take video in super macro as well.

The first photo just a lion fish around 1.5m meters away swimming slowly so got a decent shot and some editing. Second and third photo show close and macro shot with my camera tray just touching the corals using 100% Super Macro the hermit crabs eyes. Clowns move around a lot so I focus on the sea anemone and take photos when the clown fish dart into focus. With the TG6 you can lock the focus and then be patient.

The sea horse is Macro but not super macro as I wanted the body not just the head or eyes and a super macro of a sea horse head. Not easy to get really close as they do move.

Last photo is super macro of a shrimp. I can get closer but I like to have a bit more background in my composition.

 

[Blackcrusader]

One thing you cannot do with a go pro is set my tray down super close then use macro to make a video.
Being this close the go pro is out of focus.. So if you like to also take video as I do then you need a camera like the TG6

 

[Blackcrusader]

Sometimes I take shots as I did with this one from around 3m away from the coral wall. Sometimes other divers wonder why I like to take pictures of the reefs walls. This wall has such pretty colours but even then I zoomed into get a bit closer.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

Thanks. Some of these photos are from my first efforts on the TG6. So I was learning to adjust the lighting from my big blue VL4200P video lights as well as using the exposure dial to darken the photos. I think my best photo for macro is this one of a sea moth. I had my lights down to 10% power, I focused on the eye of the sea moth, and as it was moving took a few shots and later a video.

It's fair to say the TG6 is far more capable than some of the users of it lol. Below is the first time of getting shots of mantis with my TG6 and they are over exposed. A wee bit too strong on the video light perhaps. I do like my darker photo though.

By the way I have just downloaded the free editing software from Olympus. The mantis shot I only took in jpeg as it was my second day of using the TG6. So I adjusted the exposure and contrast using the Olympus editing software. I don't adjust colours but did change the white balance slightly.

Software Download | OM Workspace | OM Digital Solutions

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I struggle with getting precise focus with macro on my TG-5. I also have not been able to get the two strobes to light correctly when I am a few centimeters from my subject. I was thinking I may need a ring light for those instances?

 

[nanohawk]

Does anyone shoot any of the Canon mirrorless stuff? They have a couple cameras that are in the range of the Olympus PEN and M series. In particular the M6 is interesting and there is PDAF and lots more sensor. It's not that much more investment compared to the PEN series. 20mp vs 30.4mp.

I realize we've been talking alot about olympus, but this is a canon group.... lol.

 

[tursiops]

In particular the M6 is interesting

Is there an u/w housing for it?

 

[nanohawk]

Is there an u/w housing for it?

Yes, Ikelite makes a housing and ports for it.

 

[nanohawk]

I found a video of someone's stills... there is a little bit of video at the end. M6 Mk1. I'd be looking at the M6 MkII if I went there.... still useful reference.