Olympus Tough

[jeremyks]

Anybody using the Olympus Tough TG-2 camera for digiscoping? If so what adapter are you using?

 

[luke moffat]

Been using TG-1 which is the same as the TG-2 except a few internal upgrades for 2 years now....best camera I've used for my uses. If you get the right adapters to go from a Tines up, then a step down to the TLA adapter made for the TG-2 you can mount right up to just about any one of the spotters on Tines up list.

They work well and I've videoed and took pics of bears, wolves, moose, caribou, dall sheep, and mountain goats with it through my Zeiss 85mm Diascope with no complaints....just wish it came with a remote for "hero pics" so I didn't have to do timer shots so much......maybe in the TG-3 model? We can only hope.

 

[jeremyks]

You got a link to the adapters you are talking about? I currently have a tines up canon setup that quit working due to too much sand in the lens and thinking this camera will be a lot tougher.

 

[Stid2677]

i Have used the TG-1 since it first came out and upgraded to the TG-2 this fall after the river ate the Tg-1. As Luke said, other than the fact that it is not remote control compatible, I love it.

Alaska is not very friendly to non waterproof cameras, so for my needs waterproof is a must. By the time you dig out a DSLR often times the opportunity is lost.

I use mine with my Swaro 65 HD, I just slipped the lens adapter under the rubber eye guard and leave it there. I can just twist the camera on when needed. Makes it nice so more than one person can see at the same time (ramcam) as Luke calls it.

This camera uses the 2.0 lens, which means it takes great low light photos, this is important in taking late and early pics.

Here is 2 videos made using the TG-1 and TG-2, the sheep video is with the TG-1 and the Goat hint with the TG-2, the goat kill shot was filmed through the spotter from over 500 yards away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAC30Bk2tG0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPzMVp-Njig

Spotter with the adpt in place

camera attached to the spotter

camera with the adpt and cover

 

[Matt W.]

Dang Stid.. Good stuff, you guys are why I picked up this camera. It continues to impress me. Is that one of the lens ring kits that you slip under there? Now I need a decent spotter to take full advantage... : )

 

[Stid2677]

Dang Stid.. Good stuff, you guys are why I picked up this camera. It continues to impress me. Is that one of the lens ring kits that you slip under there? Now I need a decent spotter to take full advantage... : )

Yes Sir, in the photo above the ring that is black and red attaches to the camera after you remove the cover (the black ring). That is the adapter that is used to attach the optional lens. Luke uses a setup from Tines UP that slips over the eye piece, that works great too. So find a system that works for your use. For me lighter is better.

 

[jeremyks]

Thanks guys I ordered the camera today.

 

[Matt W.]

Been using TG-1 which is the same as the TG-2 except a few internal upgrades for 2 years now....best camera I've used for my uses. If you get the right adapters to go from a Tines up, then a step down to the TLA adapter made for the TG-2 you can mount right up to just about any one of the spotters on Tines up list.

They work well and I've videoed and took pics of bears, wolves, moose, caribou, dall sheep, and mountain goats with it through my Zeiss 85mm Diascope with no complaints....just wish it came with a remote for "hero pics" so I didn't have to do timer shots so much......maybe in the TG-3 model? We can only hope.

I called Olympus today to see what they had to say on remote shutter options. From what the guy told me it looks as though the next generation of cameras will have wi-fi capability to integrate with your smart phone turning your smart phone into the remote. I wish they would consider that folks using these in remote areas are not bringing along smartphones and wif-fi, but we are probably a pretty small player in a large market.

 

[luke moffat]

I called Olympus today to see what they had to say on remote shutter options. From what the guy told me it looks as though the next generation of cameras will have wi-fi capability to integrate with your smart phone turning your smart phone into the remote. I wish they would consider that folks using these in remote areas are not bringing along smartphones and wif-fi, but we are probably a pretty small player in a large market.

Good to know....and I agree...heck I don't even own a smart phone, a slider with a standard 9 key number pad thats it.

A simple lightweight remote would have been nice.

 

[Stid2677]

I emailed them yesterday with a recommendation for a remote and that they add a 4 sec mode to the timer. 2 Sec is too short (for shake to settle) and 12 is too long (critter gone before photo takes).

 

[jeremyks]

Does anybody know the size of the threads on the tines up adapter?

 

[bighouse31]

If you get the tough 2 with the Olympus threaded adaptor which is 40.5 you can get a step down filter 40.5-37mm and then get the 37mm tines up adaptor

 

[Steve O]

The remote control is exactly why I will be moving to the Pentax Optio WG-3 for a do it all digisoping/backcountry camera. Should be able to combine my little Nikon I am using for the digiscope and the Panasonic TS-4 for the regular pics. Looks to have a similar lens filter type attachment as the Olympus. May have to upgrade from my home made setup to a Tines Up.

 

[Matt W.]

The remote control is exactly why I will be moving to the Pentax Optio WG-3 for a do it all digisoping/backcountry camera. Should be able to combine my little Nikon I am using for the digiscope and the Panasonic TS-4 for the regular pics. Looks to have a similar lens filter type attachment as the Olympus. May have to upgrade from my home made setup to a Tines Up.

I read some so so reviews on this camera, main complaint being battery life. For example, dies after one day of shooting photos. That would be a deal killer for me, but heck that reviewer might take more photos in a day than I do on a ten day hunt so hard to know what to think of that review. ??? After some searching this morning I found mixed reviews on the remote and its ability to hold a charge. Pretty darn cool setup if it all works. I debated a few of these "tough" cameras before and despite its limitations always ended up circling back to the Olympus. I do have DSLR envy though.. Those Cannons and Sonys sure have all the bells and whistles, just afraid I'd drop it and break it first time out....

 

[jeremyks]

Ok I just got the new camera. I can't see how you could make the tines up adapter work. I have a tu that came off one of their canon kits. I don't have the right step down ring yet so I just held the camera up there with the tu adapter on the scope and even zoomed all the way in you get too much vigineting. With the TU, it has the cam to far from the scope eyepiece so it looks like I need to come up with a different adapter to make it work unless I go Stidd's route. Luke did you have vigineting?

 

[Stid2677]

The remote control is exactly why I will be moving to the Pentax Optio WG-3 for a do it all digisoping/backcountry camera. Should be able to combine my little Nikon I am using for the digiscope and the Panasonic TS-4 for the regular pics. Looks to have a similar lens filter type attachment as the Olympus. May have to upgrade from my home made setup to a Tines Up.

Not trying to talk you out of your choice. But, I used the Pentax Optio cameras since they came out. I owned 3 different generations of them including the WG-3, I was extremely disappointed with the photo and video quality of that camera. The 2nd generation is the better of the 3 IMHO, but the one I had was lost, so I upgraded to the WG-3. It does fair in good light, but low light photos were terrible. That is the reason I moved over to the Olympus. I own a Pentax DLSR as well, and really like Pentax product, but IMHO the WG-3 is not even close to the Olympus TG series.

Just my experience, good luck.

Steve

 

[Matt W.]

Steve / Stid has some great videos and photos out there.. Its those videos and photos that made me pull the trigger with Camerlandny and get the Olympus.. Now if my skills can catch up to the camera I'll have a winner. : )

 

[bighouse31]

Here is a pic with my TG2 and tines up

 

[bighouse31]

Some more photos from the tg2 the magic filter is one of the really neat features on this camera. The fact that it is waterproof and you can just keep it in your pocket means you will use it more

 

[Daniel_M]

I too have been running the TG-2, our 3rd Olympus Tough style camera. By far my fav camera.