UKH

Hi All, 

I am after some ideas for a potential new camera. 

I am guessing there is nothing that matches 100% what I am after, so happy to hear any ideas or compromises that could work.

I use my photography for work as a climbing instructor and coach. But also I work with some outdoor brands doing reviews, blog posts, content and have an online guidebook which all need images. 

This is the latest thing I did with Fatmap and fall-line - https://issuu.com/fall-line-skiing/docs/ski_touring_guide 90% of the images in there are mine.

The last camera's I had are an Olympus TG3 (broke it in the end), TG5 (lost on the mountain) I thought both did the job ok. I now have a TG6 and think it's crap. It struggles with focus especially if the subject is moving, the images is grainy and cropping an image really reduces the quality. I know as a tough camera there are limits but I think the TG5 was way better. 

I am looking for something 

• On the smaller side - I want it to take photos when out ski and climbing for real, not for photo shoots.
• I don't need changeable lenses - I wouldn't carry them 90% of the time. But happy to have something with that option if I a can get away with one lenses (smaller the better).
• Fast AF and shoot rate.
• Shoots well in auto mode or minimum controls - I want minimal faff on the hill, prefer to do editing when at home. So needs to be big enough file to have editing options. 
• As tough as can be - It will get used and abused, chucked around a bit on trips. 
• good battery life in the cold.

In terms of price, I don't really want to buy a new camera but the TG6 is not really working,* so I am open but cheaper is better. I don't think I know enough about cameras to buy second hand?

Cheers Rob

*if anyone thinks the TG6 issues could be user error I am happy to listen to any advice on that as well. 

In reply to ecrinscollective:

I think that if the image quality from your TG6 is that poor compared with a TG5 then it may well be faulty.

In reply to Robert Durran:

I did think that and emailed Olympus (OM), they didn't express any interest. Just said sorry you are disappointed and thank you for your feed back.

I was given the camera by someone who ended up with two (long story). Its like new but I don't have any paperwork etc to try and start a claim. 

Hence thinking about getting a new one.

In reply to Robert Durran: agreed. I swapped a TG5 for  TG6 and the image quality is a lot better with the TG6. Having said that it falls a long way short of a decent compact. I love my TG6 for sea kayaking but for anything else my ancient Canon G15 compact takes much better pictures. I would get the best modern compact that your budget allows, don’t be swayed by unnecessarily excessive zoom range if you don’t need it. A wide lens aperture and large sensor are more important.     

In reply to ecrinscollective:

The only camera I know to offer some serious water resistance and be compact and good quality would be the Olympus OMD EM5 (and perhaps other Oly OMDs). They're tough, very water resitant and very good quality and you can get fairly compact lenses depending on what you want out of them. With the Olympus M. Zuiko 14-42mm it makes a very compact point and shot with DSLR quality and robust enough for cragging (even winter stuff!).

I've been tempted by the TG6 but your feedback doesn't sound great. 

Tim

p.s. looks like some original TG6 had issues https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4414330

In reply to timparkin:

Hi Tim, 

Thanks for the comment,

I did look at the OM 5 which is the new version of the em5 (I think), while searching the Olympus site for a contact. It looks like a good option, I did see a review where that said it was just a rebranded EM5 and missing a lot of the up to date features, but compared to any TG it must still be way better for photos. I loved the look of the OM 1 but a bit outside my price range. 

For the TG 6. I am open to the fact that I may have one with an issue, maybe it's one of the earlier ones. But don't really see an options to getting it sorted. 

Cheers Rob

In reply to ecrinscollective:

Missing? I thought it largely was a rebrand but the OM version has modest tweaks with some added features - eg improved stabilisation, pro capture? I haven’t kept up to date with changes though so may have got that wrong.

Anyway, thoughts based on details in your opening post, there are still secondhand TG5s about (even a claimed to be new one on eBay) if that camera really suited you in the past, or if you are thinking of a larger body like the OM 5/EM5, secondhand EM models would be still attractive.

I have EM1 versions, and a TG5 (started Olly stuff back with TG3), and been happy with them all for what I do. I think there will always be some good capable equipment available if the latest features are not really necessary.

Can’t comment on other makes as I’ve stuck with Olympus and now OM Systems. There should be a repair procedure though in place via OM Systems now (I have recollection of reading this as there was a initial problem with UK repairs) though the cost may well exceed what you can justify depending on the actual faults with your TG6.

In reply to Climbing Pieman:

Sorry I didn't write that very well. The review said when the EM5 came out it was good, but not really cutting edge compare to what others were offering. As the OM5 is a rebrand with a few tweaks its still a little of the pace of other brands? I think they where saying they could have add some of the OM1 tech in to make it more on par or better than what other brands offer at that price point.

The problem with review iOS you can end up down the rabbit hole and still not see which camera is right for you. I will check out some second hand options for the EM5

cheers