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Compact camera for Macro. (2 Viewers)

Pepitogrillo said:
Hello,
I'm Looking information on one Compact Camera for Macro photo, anyone know some on this theme?
Thank you
PG.
Click to expand...
I'm not aware of any non-interchangeable lens cameras that offer true macro - most that have a 'macro mode' don't get anywhere near 1:1. You can get fairly small mirrorless cameras and separate macro-lenses.
 
If you just want to get close up photos of small things (e.g. insects) then something like an Olympus TG-6 works well for non/slow moving subjects in good light. It doesn't work so well on a dull day (example attached) but gives you a decent record shot.

Have a look at Steven Falk's website Steven Falk and see which cameras he uses (he has used Olympus SP550UZ, Canon PowerShot SX60 HS in the past)
 

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Richard D has already said it. Good close ups are possible with a fixed lens small body, but you wont get macro ( 1:1 ratio on the sensor ) unless you get a DSLR/ Mirrorless body + macro lens.
I'm afraid camera manufacturers love to call their non macro lenses ' macro ' but they're not. That's just marketing lies. They're really close ups.
 
Musoman said:
Richard D has already said it. Good close ups are possible with a fixed lens small body, but you wont get macro ( 1:1 ratio on the sensor ) unless you get a DSLR/ Mirrorless body + macro lens.
I'm afraid camera manufacturers love to call their non macro lenses ' macro ' but they're not. That's just marketing lies. They're really close ups.
Click to expand...
Except, as already said, the Olympus TG series which are well known and widely used for their macro facilities.
 
Yes. It is extremely popular with entomologists. Click on the macro link on the page below. Better than full macro. Not surprising as, in microscope mode, you can focus to 1cm even on 4x with the optical zoom.

getolympus.com

Buy Tough TG-6 From OM SYSTEM USA

Whether it be in the mountains, on the beach, or in the snow, the Olympus Tough series can withstand the most punishing environments, to deliver the highest image quality. The TG-6 is the pinnacle of the Tough series, featuring the popular Variable Macro System, enhanced underwater shooting...
getolympus.com getolympus.com
 
Steve Babbs said:
Yes. It is extremely popular with entomologists. Click on the macro link on the page below. Better than full macro. Not surprising as, in microscope mode, you can focus to 1cm even on 4x with the optical zoom.

getolympus.com

Buy Tough TG-6 From OM SYSTEM USA

Whether it be in the mountains, on the beach, or in the snow, the Olympus Tough series can withstand the most punishing environments, to deliver the highest image quality. The TG-6 is the pinnacle of the Tough series, featuring the popular Variable Macro System, enhanced underwater shooting...
getolympus.com getolympus.com
Click to expand...

It looks impressive for a compact, but I can't find anywhere that gives the magnification ratio. I notmally use the olympus 60mm macro lens on a M4/3 body which gives true 1:1.
 
I have been told 4: 1 and that, I believe is far better, than any macro lens although the new 90mm Olympus macro lens, due out next year, is rumoured to be that.
 
There's discussion about this series of camera here

www.birdforum.net

Olympus Tough TG4

I bought this little camera used from LCE last year .. I have found the microscope mode combined with the focus stacking to be a nice feature especially to get shots of the tiny insects that sit on fences. The versions of the camera with focus stacking are the TG4, TG5 & TG6 I think. I suspect...
www.birdforum.net www.birdforum.net
 
Steve Babbs said:
I have been told 4: 1 and that, I believe is far better, than any macro lens although the new 90mm Olympus macro lens, due out next year, is rumoured to be that.
Click to expand...

Their web site is incredibly frustrating - reproduction ratio seems like a pretty basic measure to include. I know the TG4 could only get down to about 24 x 18 millimeters without digital zoom which given the sensor size is 6.17mm x 4.55mm is only a around 1:4.

The in camera focus-stacking looks very effective, although having to hold the camera so close to insects would be a pain compared to a M4/3 body and 60mm lens - even fitting a 105mm Mikro-Nikkor to a Lumix body didn't really give enough subject distance for any insects that were skittish, and blocked natural light.
 
pdwinter said:
If you just want to get close up photos of small things (e.g. insects) then something like an Olympus TG-6 works well for non/slow moving subjects in good light. It doesn't work so well on a dull day (example attached) but gives you a decent record shot.
Click to expand...
Steve Babbs said:
I have been told 4: 1 and that, I believe is far better, than any macro lens although the new 90mm Olympus macro lens, due out next year, is rumoured to be that.
Click to expand...
I did a test (you need to know your sensor size and take a photograph of a ruler) and at the 100mm optical zoom I got a 0.4x magnification.

To be honest, as the original poster hasn't come back with what they intend to do with the camera and what they mean by "macro" this is a bit of a pointless discussion!
 
pdwinter said:
I did a test (you need to know your sensor size and take a photograph of a ruler) and at the 100mm optical zoom I got a 0.4x magnification.

To be honest, as the original poster hasn't come back with what they intend to do with the camera and what they mean by "macro" this is a bit of a pointless discussion!
Click to expand...
Not pointless at all. I, and apparently several others here, are also interested in finding the best macro options in a compact camera. I typically carry a compact for wide angle and macro shots as well as my m4/3 telephoto when traveling.

In any event, thanks for doing the test.
 
I think the old wet film definition of macro, size on negative larger than actual, doesn't really have much utility in the world of digital. The TG-6 might not be macro by the wet film definition but for most folk who just want to take close up photos of invertebrates it is a fine solution.
 
From a review:
As I mentioned before, the TG-6 really excels with subjects that are close up. Its up-close focus distance is incredible – subjects need to be just 1 cm from the lens.

Some reviewers even claim they’ve had the subject literally touching the lens and still were able to focus. That wasn’t my experience… I usually needed a bit more than 1 cm, but still, that’s downright amazing.

To use that focal distance, you’ll need to use the TG-6’s microscope mode. This is an optical zoom mode with an image magnification of 7x (35mm equivalent).

Tbh the 7x time seems a bit high to me.
 
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