Hello all,
I am looking for a decent underwater camera and find the internet reviews a big steaming pile of dung which all directly contradict each other. Last year I used the Panasonic FT5 which somehow I managed to lose this year?????? The camera will be used for photo's in and out of water. Taking pictures of clients and their catches in various scenarios. The Panasonic that I had was a good camera but I found that the LCD display let it down quite badly and I frequently found my self taking multiple shots of the same image to ensure that at least one photo turned out ok. The thing was that once the memory card was plugged into my laptop most of them were ok. I have see the Olympus TG4. Has anybody used it? Is it any good? Do I buy another Panasonic? Do any of you have any other suggestions?
I have had a Pentax and a Panasonic and I have to say I was / am not exactly overawed by either of them. I think the extra glass needed to seal them and make them waterproof probably cuts out too much of the available light. The Panasonic is better than the Pentax, so if you were happy enough with your own Panasonic it might be better to stick with that make.
Would scuba diving web sites be a good spot to search for comments and reviews ?
Quote from: Bobfly on August 05, 2015, 11:26:59 PM
Would scuba diving web sites be a good spot to search for comments and reviews ?
A good idea in principal but I think scuba divers use special dedicated cameras and not the type that I am looking at. I am looking at tough, rugged outdoor cameras that are waterproof to a relatively shallow depth only.
A lot of scuba divers use a waterproof case with a standard slr inside it, my grandson recently had some underwater pictures taken of him, a bit like the Nirvana album cover, that camera was a Nikon in a special case.
At least two folk I was with last week on Harris are sea canoists who use hand held cameras down the side of their boats so I will ask them what they use.
Quote from: admin on August 05, 2015, 08:51:11 PM
I have had a Pentax and a Panasonic and I have to say I was / am not exactly overawed by either of them. I think the extra glass needed to seal them and make them waterproof probably cuts out too much of the available light.
i'm sure you're right here Fred. my FT3 takes superb photos in good daylight and with light on the subject. put a bit of shade/gloom into the equation and it's a different matter; distinctly grainy. it's better when on a tripod and timed shutter release than hand-held, but that's not an option most of the time with what we're doing. it's a shame, because the lens is very high quality as I understand?
ultimately it's the difference between bomb-proof, worry free point-&-pray and a dedicated, larger format camera. the Panasonic is arguably still the best option for a non-photographer. bit of an issue if your clients are expecting publication standard photos, though.
Quote from: corsican dave on August 06, 2015, 10:53:52 AM
put a bit of shade/gloom into the equation and it's a different matter; distinctly grainy.
Exactly what I experience Dave. Very poor quality. I guess it must be ramping the ISO up to get the correct exposure. I think my FT25 goes up to 1600 ISO, this is bound to produce grainy images
I am torn between the Olympus Tough TG-4 and the Panasonic Lumix FT-5 as I said I previously had the Lumix but managed to lose it as I frequently do with reels, sunglasses, lines and a whole shitload of other stuff
Hold off a spell, I have asked one guy who I do know has taken lots of really good photos of the sea bed and other stuff over the side of a canoe and asked another who does similar. Maybe they use a particular type of case or maybe a particular camera but Martin's stuff is excellent.
Quote from: Bobfly on August 06, 2015, 11:50:06 PM
Hold off a spell, I have asked one guy who I do know has taken lots of really good photos of the sea bed and other stuff over the side of a canoe and asked another who does similar. Maybe they use a particular type of case or maybe a particular camera but Martin's stuff is excellent.
Thank you very much. I will wait and see what you come back with before I buy something :)
A mate of mine does this sort of stuff at a very high level- his kit can be found here- http://www.nudibranch.org/Scottish%20Nudibranchs/sn-photography.html (http://www.nudibranch.org/Scottish%20Nudibranchs/sn-photography.html)
Bit above what you need (and above budget) but the site he runs shows you what can be done.
Quote from: Inchlaggan on August 07, 2015, 01:14:22 PM
A mate of mine does this sort of stuff at a very high level- his kit can be found here- http://www.nudibranch.org/Scottish%20Nudibranchs/sn-photography.html (http://www.nudibranch.org/Scottish%20Nudibranchs/sn-photography.html)
Bit above what you need (and above budget) but the site he runs shows you what can be done.
I'm sure that the set up on the page link that you have very kindly posted works extremely well. I was however looking for something that I could stuff in the front pocket of my waders.
Ten days gone by and no answer from either of the sea canoe people I sent an email to. My apologies, I thought they would have had some comment to make. Lazy tossers !
Hope you have not given up on this. Got a reply with apologies today on this one. He had forgotten about it having been on holiday. He uses the Olympus Tough as his waterproof camera and he knows of five others who have done well with it. He also uses an Olympus Stylus TG380 which he reckons is "pretty bombproof". Hope this helps.
Thank you for seeing this one through for me. I really do appreciate your efforts. I almost bought the Panasonic a couple of days ago but now feel I will go with the Olympus.
Ordered an Olympus Tough TG4 yesterday from Amazon. It will be delivered today. Once I work out how to drive it I will report on its hopefully extensive and my most definite highly limited abilities :shock:
Fingers crossed it will do well for your needs. That is six people who rated it so it should do what you want it to !!