Looking for the "perfect" camera (for my needs)

[robert3985]

Could we use a photography board here?  Tips/reviews/technique discussion/critique...

 

I'd contribute...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Missaberoad]

Id be interested aswell... 

[nscaleSPF2]

Could we use a photography board here?  Tips/reviews/technique discussion/critique...

 

A category for "best of" would be good, too.

[peteski]

Could we use a photography board here?  Tips/reviews/technique discussion/critique...

 

1. Neah, not enough traffic on the subject.
2. Neah, nobody would use it -  everybody would still post all the messages in N/Z scale board.

 

But seriously, I would like that (not that this comes as a surprise). 

[dnhouston]

I'd be interested.  I could use all the tips I can get 

[Cajonpassfan]

!!!THE PERFECT CAMERA WHICH FITS OTTO'S GIVENS AND DRUTHERS LIST!!!

After reading the link in Tom Mann's post, it is apparent that the focus stacking feature for the OM-D E-M1 is achieved through a firmware update.

Upon closer inspection, the author who is commenting on that firmware update says he has used the focus stacking features in lesser Olympus cameras - referring to the Olympus Tough TG-3 and TG-4 cameras.  I googled "Olympus tough tg-4 review" and went to DPReview's highly respected site and got this: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympus-tough-tg-4-review



The Olympus Tough TG-4 has an excellent zoom lens, with the ability to add both a fisheye or extended telephoto to it, has built-in focus stacking and a super macro mode which is called "microscope mode", is shock resistant, water-resistant to 50 feet and you can run over it with your car and it keeps on clickin'.  Additionally, it will shoot RAW files for the very best photo quality and photo manipulation possibilities.  It's also small enough to slip in a pocket.

Bad news is that it doesn't appear to have a manual mode, but it does allow aperture priority shooting but with a choice of only three apertures.

Unknowns include whether "microscope" mode works at any focal length, meaning at both wide and telephoto focal lengths.  It also incorporates an LED ring flash, which could be invaluable for fill lighting on model railroad subjects..but, I don't know for sure.

Additional plus points is that his camera earns a "Gold Award" at DPReviews and is demonstrably superior in photo quality compared to its direct competitors.

Its MSRP is less than 400 bucks and, it also has a distinctly tank-like macho look!

Sounds like a winner to me...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Gee, Bob, thanks for the recommendation! I take it taking it underwater is gravy, because I don't recall that being one of my prerequisites But how is the depth of field for miniature photography?
I've been following Tom Mann's musings as well, and it seems he found a camera for his needs Cool, but pricey!!
Maybe I need more than one camera, but I already own several and one of my (perhaps unstated) objectives was a desire to simplify my life at this stage; how is multiple cameras going to do that?
Still, nice to have these choices. When I was a teen growing up behind the iron curtain, I was dreaming of some day owning a camera, any camera....
Otto K.

[robert3985]

Gee, Bob, thanks for the recommendation! I take it taking it underwater is gravy, because I don't recall that being one of my prerequisites But how is the depth of field for miniature photography?
I've been following Tom Mann's musings as well, and it seems he found a camera for his needs Cool, but pricey!!
Maybe I need more than one camera, but I already own several and one of my (perhaps unstated) objectives was a desire to simplify my life at this stage; how is multiple cameras going to do that?
Still, nice to have these choices. When I was a teen growing up behind the iron curtain, I was dreaming of some day owning a camera, any camera....
Otto K.

Hey Otto...it's got special super-macro shooting modes, including built-in focus stacking, so it's about the best depth of field in-camera you can get, with the exception of the one Tom is looking at.  All that other shtuff...the water, dust, and shock proofness are just extras...which would make it ideal for hiking, trips, family outings and slipping in your pocket...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Cajonpassfan]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] ]Bob, thanks for your research, it is appreciated. You got me interested enough to read some of the consumer reviews, and some are excellent and others not so much which I expected. People have different needs and expectations...and attitudes.
What bothers me is that there seems to be an implication that this is a great or good camera for a "tough" submersible. Kind of like saying its a nice layout, for N scale... In other words, the implication is that "tough" cams are almost s good as "compacts", but not quite. Is this true? Since I do not need a tough cam (though it would be nice for hiking)and definitely don't need a submersible, this makes me wonder whether its the right choice for me. It would be nice to try out some model photography first....
Otto K.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[nscaleSPF2]

Would someone please buy one of these and report back with the results?

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympus-tough-tg-4-review

It's only $379.  That's the only way we are going to know for sure.

[peteski]

Wasn't the big deal about this camera the fact that it can do focus-stacking (after a firmware update) and the value for the money?  It is just that this one happens to be submersible.

[robert3985]

Wasn't the big deal about this camera the fact that it can do focus-stacking (after a firmware update) and the value for the money?  It is just that this one happens to be submersible.

Nope, this one was designed with focus stacking as part of its hardware and firmware.  It's the Olympus OM-D EM1 Mark II, their flagship Digital SLR (using the term "SLR" loosely since the camera has an electronic viewfinder) which, if you bought it when it first came out, did NOT have focus stacking, which was included in the latest firmware update.  If you buy a new one, with the current firmware version, it will have focus stacking.

After reading about it, it appears to be a quite advanced professional-level camera, with faster than anything else out there as far as both mechanical and electronic shutter actuation speed...including both the Nikon and Canon $6,000+ top-of-the-line camera bodies.

Also a very nice compact sized DSLR, but not TOO compact, a tough magnesium body, 200,000 release shutter life and excellent weather sealing along with a fully articulated touch sensitive screen.

I'm wouldn't be concerned about the 4/3rds sensor unless I was taking commercial landscapes and celebrity portraiture or wanting ultra-wide angle shots since the crop factor is 2.  This means that a 30mm 4/3rd lens is the equivalent of a 60mm lens for a full-frame camera.  I am also not concerned about its longevity, or Olympus's corporate integrity.  The lens selection is good enough and the quality of both the Zuiko lenses and the Zeiss lenses available make the available glass excellent in quality with a very good variety.

Costs a lot more than the Olympus Tough TG-4, but it's exponentially superior in all aspects other than ultimate ruggedness and pocketability.  Photo quality and versatility are going to be pro quality, as opposed to Point & Shoot quality.

I haven't found a full review of this camera yet, but I suspect it will rate a Gold Award at DPreview if they get around to doing a full review.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

 

[Cajonpassfan]

I'd contribute...

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

I bet!
Otto K.

[Cajonpassfan]

Would someone please buy one of these and report back with the results?

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympus-tough-tg-4-review

It's only $379.  That's the only way we are going to know for sure.

Lol. This is actually funny, sort of. So I went to our local Best Buy that sells these for $379.99 today and had my hands on one. Came close to buying one, for the cause Nice feel, seems solidly made, good size. The (kid) camera specialist comes over very friendly like and asks if I have any questions. I say I have a lot of questions, the first one of which is if he has any answers. He assures me he does. So I tell him I'm particularly interested in this camera because of its in-camera image or focus stacking feature. He has no clue what I'm talking about. I give him hints, no luck. Okay, next? Lol.

I played around with the camera for a while and checked out its menus, seem straightforward enough. But, it seems (and I don't have access to the 100 page manual) that the auto "stacking" feature works only in the "microscope" macro mode, so it's only good for bugs and insects, and maybe close ups of Tom Mann's switcher? I'm sure my HO friends would find that reference to insects amusing... It's supposed to focus as close as 1cm (!) but I'm just not sure how it would handle DOF from say 3" to 3' or more, which is what I want for layout photography. So no dice today. The other thing that turned me off is the GPS and upload/download capability which apparently only work with Android devices (I have none). So between that and its submersibility, I'd be paying for features I can't use, and what I do need doesn't seem to be there, so I'm going to let someone else take this plunge. I'll keep looking...

Thanks for everyone's input. If I'm wrong about the stacking limitations, I'll reconsider. I would be cool to have it done in-camera, automatically.
Otto K.

[nscaleSPF2]

Lol. This is actually funny, sort of.

I'm sorry, Otto.  Sometimes I just can't help myself.

But if you don't think that the Olympus TG-4 is the right one for you, maybe you can wait for the other Olympus camera that Robert mentioned, the OM-D EM1 MarkII.  It will be available in December, just in time for Christmas.  This little baby will set you back about $3,000 or so, with a lens.  I checked, and my piggybank can't support this.  Maybe yours can?

Seriously, though, I can't imagine that this camera will be that popular.  Most people with that kind of money (outside of model railroad enthusiasts) will opt for a camera with a larger sensor, which will give them enlargements that have a higher degree of resolution.

Anyway, thanks for your efforts to expand the Railwire knowledge base.

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[tom mann]

I just noticed that today.  At $2000 for body only for a 4/3s sensor, it doesn't make financial sense.  There are some specifications that make it look good on paper, but there are too many drawbacks and for 2k there are a lot of other great options. 

I think the OM-D EM-10 2 would be a great modeling camera.  Given some extra camera cash, I would get it for the focus-stacking and 40mp high rez sensor shift images.