Olympus TG-4, a compact camera that has a system

[Panama Hat & Camera]

In general, only DSLR and mirrorless cameras are system cameras with many accessories as lenses and flashes.
Although being a compact camera, the Olympus TG-4 has a little system, with some accessories.

The camera:
The Olympus TG-4 is a waterproof camera that is resistant to sand, cold and accidental dropping. Beyond this, it has GPS and wifi built-in, a bright f/2 25-100mm FFE lens, 16 megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, aperture-priority shooting mode, RAW file support and 1080p Full HD movies. The Olympus TG-4 has some capacity of taking macro fotos. More information can be obtained at http://www.photographyblog.com/revie...us_tg_4_review and https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/oly...gh-tg-4-review.
The Olympus TG-4 was recently substituted by the TG-5, that can record 4K videos at 30fps or Full HD movies at up to 120fps for slow-motion playback. Please see http://www.photographyblog.com/revie...us_tg_5_review

The system:
The following accessories are available:
TCON-T01 Tele Converter - increases the optical zoom from 4x to 7x;
FCON-T01 Fisheye Converter - captures 19mm FFE ultra-wide panoramic shots;
CLA-T01 - Adapter and Lens Cap;
FD-1 - Flash diffuser;
LG-1 - LED Light Guide;
Float Strap
Tough System Case
My Olympus TG-4 is my companion when I'm riding a bike because it is very strong (almost dropping proof).
Cheers,
Antonio.

[xpatUSA]

In general, only DSLR and mirrorless cameras are system cameras with many accessories as lenses and flashes.

I own two systems - Sigma and micro-four-thirds.

Each has it's place in my armory.

Pardon the mention of "Sigma" ...

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I own two systems - Sigma and micro-four-thirds.

Each has it's place in my armory.

Pardon the mention of "Sigma" ...

Ted, I didn't understand your observation. Please, which model of Sigma camera do you have? It is a mirrorless camera, isn't?
For example, the Sigma sd Quattro is a mirrorless camera.
Antonio.

[xpatUSA]

Originally Posted by xpatUSA
I own two systems - Sigma and micro-four-thirds.

Ted, I didn't understand your observation. Please, which model of Sigma camera do you have? It is a mirrorless camera, isn't?
For example, the Sigma sd Quattro is a mirrorless camera.
Antonio.

Hello Antionio, please click on the link at the bottom of my posts to bring up my gear list.

"Sigma" referred to:

Sigma SD14 DSLR with the UV/IR blocking filter removed for full-spectrum and IR photography. To go with that, I have a number of lens-mounting filters. Very easy with Sigma DSLRs - the filter just pops out with your thumbnail.

Sigma SD15 DSLR for normal visible light shooting.

I have a selection of lenses for use with either of those cameras.

I have a Sigma DP2 Merrill compact camera which is mirrorless.

Also two Panasonic mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras.

Not sure how to divide the above into "systems" so please ignore my previous post.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Hello Antionio, please click on the link at the bottom of my posts to bring up my gear list.

"Sigma" referred to:

Sigma SD14 DSLR with the UV/IR blocking filter removed for full-spectrum and IR photography. To go with that, I have a number of lens-mounting filters. Very easy with Sigma DSLRs - the filter just pops out with your thumbnail.

Sigma SD15 DSLR for normal visible light shooting.

I have a selection of lenses for use with either of those cameras.

I have a Sigma DP2 Merrill compact camera which is mirrorless.

Also two Panasonic mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras.

Not sure how to divide the above into "systems" so please ignore my previous post.

Ted,
Thank you for your explanation. I tried to see your gearlist using my smartphone but I was not successful (but now I can see the list with my notebook). Congratulations! You have very good cameras.
This division between compact and system cameras I took from the book "Digital Photography Complete Course" (Dorling Kindersley).
Antonio.

[Antonio Correia]

António, it is curious you mentioned Olympus, now that two years ago I moved to m43 all the way from Canon DSLRs
My back did not like the heavy burden, you know...

Good that you have posted about this camera. Obrigado !

[Panama Hat & Camera]

António, it is curious you mentioned Olympus, now that two years ago I moved to m43 all the way from Canon DSLRs
My back did not like the heavy burden, you know...

Good that you have posted about this camera. Obrigado !

António, from 1980 to 2000, I took photos with my Olympus gear (a OM-2 SRL camera and four Zuiko lenses) and, because that, I have a certain respect and admiration for the Olympus, but it was not the reason of my thread.
Before buying my TG-4, I read many reviews on this and other waterproof cameras. I decided to buy a TG-4 because it was the only one that had RAW file support, aperture-priority shooting mode and some capacity of taking close-up and macro fotos. Subsequently, I found on sites of BH and Adorama that the Olympus TG cameras had some accessories that formed a small system for this type of cameras and I decided to buy the camera and the system.
I posted this thread because I never found before an article or a review about the system of Olympus TG cameras.
Thank you very much for reading and comenting my thread.
Best regards.
Antônio.

[Shadowman]

I lost my Olympus EPL-1 and was considering a new replacement, looked at the TG-4 but leaning towards the EPL-8 or 9. Interesting that the 9 is marketed as targeting the smart phone user, however sometimes I think these marketing blurbs are written by tech mag editors and not a quote coming from the manufacturer.
http://www.photographyblog.com/revie...l9_review/news

[Antonio Correia]

Even Oly EPL-9 at entry level looks to me a pretty good camera for example. Often, The issue is in the lens you use.
Obviously the camera is also important...

The PAN-F is very nice for example and also very attractive. Or the way around

Oly takes care of it's business promoting workshops worldwide and presenting nice beautiful sites.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I lost my Olympus EPL-1 and was considering a new replacement, looked at the TG-4 but leaning towards the EPL-8 or 9. Interesting that the 9 is marketed as targeting the smart phone user, however sometimes I think these marketing blurbs are written by tech mag editors and not a quote coming from the manufacturer.
http://www.photographyblog.com/revie...l9_review/news

John,
The Olympus E-PL8 and E-PL9 cameras are mirrorless Micro Four Thirds cameras that seem to be very good (and able to capture very high quality images).
The Olympus TG-4 is a compact camera that definitely do not have the same image quality of E-PL8 and E-PL9 cameras, but that is a very resistant camera (like other waterproof cameras) that is able to go everywhere with the photographer (in severe weather and agressive environment, the limitation will be the human been, not the camera). For example: taking external photos during a deluge, or even under a waterfall, is not a problem for a waterproof camera (but can be to the photographer).
I thank you for seeing and making coments on this thread.
Cheers,
Antonio.

[Antonio Correia]

I would not go for these EPLs Only 3 axis of stabilization !
5 is better ! Olympus PEN F

[Panama Hat & Camera]

I would not go for these EPLs Only 3 axis of stabilization !
5 is better ! Olympus PEN F

What beautiful camera!
The 5 axis of stabilization allow how many stops of slower shutter speed?

[Antonio Correia]

As far as I remember 4 or 5 stops !
I am now using a 5 Mark II (5 axes) with great pleasure !

[rpcrowe]

I have always respected the Olympus brand. In fact, my first digital camera was an Olympus 5050Z, which I guess would now be considered a bridge camera. Despite its limitations of fiie size, it produced very nice results. In fact, I have a 16 x 20 inch print, done with this camera, hanging on my living room wall.

The little camera had several innovations, including dual card slots, video capability and audio recording capability that could be linked to the images I shot (I wish that my 7D2 or 6D2 had this capability).

Olympus was also the innovator of the reduction in SLR size. At a time when the Nikon F and Canon SLR cameras became quite large, Olympus offered the OM-1 and OM-2 SLR cameras which were fully capable 35mm cameras at a significant reduction in size with semi and full automatic shooting. Noticing the success of the OM-1 and OM-2, other companies began offering smaller SLR cameras. Pentax was one of the first to join the parade in offering a small SLR cameras: the ME (fully automatic) and the MX (fully manual).

One of the problems with the Olympus line of DSLR cameras was that there was a dearth of lenses available. Pentax with their K mount seemed to attract more third party lens offerings. I used a wonderful Vivitar Series One 90mm f/2.5 Macro lens for my Pentax SLR camera.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Olympus OM-1 and OM-2 cameras were pioneers in many innovations If there was a digital version of the Olympus OM-2n camera, surely I would like buying one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_OM-2

[Panama Hat & Camera]

The Olympus TG-4 camera has a 1/2.3"sensor (6.17 x 4.55mm)
This photo was taken with a Olympus TG-4 distant only 10mm from the subject (a milimeters graduated ruler, in this case). This camera has a macrophotography capacity, but the distance is too small for taking photos of living animals.

[Manfred M]

(5 axes)

That is little more than marketing hype. A single sensor can only move in three dimensions, regardless of the reference coordinate; x, y, z and yaw, pitch and roll all work out to the same thing. When I look at the Olympus information on their 5-axis system, they are effectively double counting by applying Cartesian, Polar and Cylindrical coordinate systems as if they represent different degrees of freedom.

If a combination of sensor image stabilization (3 degrees of freedom) and in-lens (2 degrees of freedom) as is found in some Panasonic mFT cameras and lenses, this would be "true" 5-axis stabilization. This is marketed as "Dual-IS".

[xpatUSA]

That is little more than marketing hype. A single sensor can only move in three dimensions, regardless of the reference coordinate; x, y, z and yaw, pitch and roll all work out to the same thing. When I look at the Olympus information on their 5-axis system, they are effectively double counting by applying Cartesian, Polar and Cylindrical coordinate systems as if they represent different dimensions.

Yes, as I understand it, there is translation (along three axes) and there is rotation (about three axes), giving a total of six degrees of motion, 3 linear and 3 angular. Not convinced that translation and rotation "work out to the same thing", though.

See https://wiki.marin.nl/index.php/Coordinate_systems

Of course Marketing has to say "5-axis" when there can only be three axes and so the confusion commences.

Just sayin'.

[Antonio Correia]

@ Antônio
I think you may find what you want in ebay...

@ Manfred and Ted

Thank you both for pointing out to something in which a had never thought before.
You are absolutely right. I was being - who isn't in one way or another - taken by marketing strategies which Olympus does well.

But tell me guys, when they say that PEN F have only 3 axes and 1 Mark II (as well as other models) have 5 axis where do you think the difference is ? What changes from the announced 3 axis to the supposed 5 axis ?

Thanks !

Cheers !

[xpatUSA]

@ Antônio
I think you may find what you want in ebay...

@ Manfred and Ted

Thank you both for pointing out to something in which a had never thought before.
You are absolutely right. I was being - who isn't in one way or another - taken by marketing strategies which Olympus does well.

But tell me guys, when they say that PEN F have only 3 axes and 1 Mark II (as well as other models) have 5 axis where do you think the difference is ? What changes from the announced 3 axis to the supposed 5 axis ?

Thanks !

Cheers !

You are welcome, Antonio.

My response was a general one with reference to spatial motion, specifically addressing Manfred's statement: "x, y, z and yaw, pitch and roll all work out to the same thing".

I know nothing of Olympus cameras, so Manfred can probably answer your question better than I.

My guess is that the missing "axis" is roll (a rotation about z) such a motion being the least likely or having the least amplitude of the six ... and, with a little thought, being probably the hardest to implement.