Compact camera for Macro. (1 Viewer)

[Steve Babbs]

Text from British Birds. 4x optical zoom. No cropping or digital zoom.

 

[Richard D]

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.

I'm not saying the TG6 doesn't look impressive for a compact (I'm tempted myself, mainly for the inbuilt focus stacking), but I don't understand why the magnification ratio matters less in digital?

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.

I really don't get the idea that 1cm focusing is an advantage? surely it's better to have the same magnification area from something like 30cm so that you're not blocking as much light/relying on flash or disturbing the subject? Again I'm not saying that the close focus results aren't impressive for such a small sensor - I've not seen better from a compact.

 

[Musoman]

They are really impressive for such a camera. But i dont see the likeness with true macro lenses.

EG

A European Mantis i shot in Crete ( landed on the sofa of all places ) - it's about 2.5 / 2.7 inches overall, and this photo below of it's eye was on a 60mm Nikon macro.

Next is a UK Bush Cricket i shot , also 2.5/2.7 inches and again, they eye shot was taken with a Tamron SP 90mm macro.

 

[pdwinter]

Next is a UK Bush Cricket i shot , also 2.5/2.7 inches and again, they eye shot was taken with a Tamron SP 90mm macro.

The UK Bush Cricket is a male Speckled Bush-cricket which has a length of 9-17mm - not sure what the 2.5/2.7 inches refers to.

Leaving that aside, as far as I can tell no one here us arguing that a compact camera can get you shots as detailed as a DSLR / Mirrorless with a true macro lens.

What some of us have been trying to do is answer the question in the OP (as below)

Hello,
I'm Looking information on one Compact Camera for Macro photo, anyone know some on this theme?
Thank you
PG.

Personally, I use Canon mirrorless (RP and R10) with a Canon 100mm macro lens to get good quality photos of smallish insects (for presentations) but I also carry an Olympus TG-6 and have got perfectly acceptable images for ID / small web presentations from that. I also have a Canon HS60 SX but, probably because (a) I haven't persevered and (b) I really bought the camera for record shots of distant birds, I've not managed to get many good closeup pictures.

If I was starting out now, and having seen some brilliant insect pictures using the Olympus OM-1 coupled with the 60mm macro lens, then I would probably buy that combination.

But Pepitogrillo wants to know about Compact cameras!

 

[Musoman]

The UK Bush Cricket is a male Speckled Bush-cricket which has a length of 9-17mm - not sure what the 2.5/2.7 inches refers to.

Yes, you're right. I posted the size for the Great Green by mistake. In fact it's even smaller than i originally thought.
10-20mm for The Speckled

Crickets | Speckled Bush Cricket Facts - The RSPB

The speckled bush-cricket is a species of bush-cricket common in well vegetated areas of England and Wales. Find out more

www.rspb.org.uk

If the OP is only interested in a compact, that TG6 would be ideal

 

[Jim M.]

If the OP is only interested in a compact, that TG6 would be ideal

Yes, the title of the thread is "compact camera for macro," so that is what I take the subject of the thread to be--what compact gives you the best macro shots? Full-sized macro setups with flash and diffuser can be pretty cumbersome, so there may be lots of situations where photographers want something more compact.

However, the TG6 strikes me as far from "ideal." I have the TG4 which, though older, is very similar to the TG6. The sensor is small and the image quality is so so, and there is no full manual mode. Even in aperture priority mode you only get to select from three different aperture settings; there is no shutter priority mode. But it does appear to have the best in class magnification power – having both a microscope and super microscope mode. So if you are photographing really small stuff, e.g. springtails, then it may be your best option. (I tried a few springtail shots and they were only half decent – I never got the full critter in sharp focus even with bracketing--though the camera usually selected an f4.9 aperture).

But what if you are going to be focusing on larger subjects, e.g. 1 cm or larger? In that event high magnification is less of a priority, and other compacts with larger sensors and better image quality might yield better results even if they offer less magnification. So I don't see the TG6 as the end of the discussion. There are a variety of larger sensor compacts available.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Leaving that aside, as far as I can tell no one here us arguing that a compact camera can get you shots as detailed as a DSLR / Mirrorless with a true macro lens.

What some of us have been trying to do is answer the question in the OP (as below)


But Pepitogrillo wants to know about Compact cameras!

Yes. There's no doubt a dedicated macro lens and the right body will get better pictures. But as far as I am aware these are the only compact cameras which will take true macro shots. Personally I'm waiting for the 90mm Olympus macro.

 

[Hotglove]

I bought a TG6 for diving, the waterproofing of the camera gives a bit of confidence in case of a leaking housing and the macro performance is very pleasing.
when I received the camera I visited Batemans, home of Rudyard Kipling and took some macro shots of insects and plants.
As a compact with macro ability I found it excellent, just slip it out of one’s pocket, point and shoot.