I’m currently trying to get used to two new cameras. I purchased the Olympus Tough TG-6 ($349 depending on where you purchase and the package) early in 2020 for a planned trip to Punta Cana in June. It has amazing macro capabilities as well as being able to withstand the elements. The TG-6 features a 1/2.3” BSI-CMOS 12 MP sensor and a 25-100mm equivalent f2.0-4.9 stabilized lens. It was to replace an Olympus Tough TG-610 that started failing after a few years. As tough as these cameras are, they are not impervious to salt water. My daughter took the camera with her to both Hawaii and New Zealand and while some of the pictures she took turned out beautiful, the lingering salt and such impacted the camera in a negative way. Of course, she doesn’t remember me telling her that if she takes the camera into the ocean that she needs to immediately rinse it off when she gets back home, but that’s another matter.
The second camera I purchased was a Lumix FZ 300 ($400 depending on where you purchase and the package). This bridge camera is designed for the other end of the spectrum and I hope to carry it with me on many birding adventures for years to come. The shell of the camera is also designed to be capable of withstanding moderate amounts of inclement weather, so it is an ideal camera for the outdoorsman. It has a 24x f2.8 25-600mm lens with a 1/2.3-inch 12 MP sensor. The f2.8 aperture is constant meaning I can take that picture of an owl in lower light and at full zoom which is very helpful.
I’m finding that learning to use two cameras at the same time to be no small feat, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen so far. Both cameras can shoot in RAW format but considering I’m rather out of my element when it comes to this feature, I will leave that for another day. JPEGs are fine for my purposes. Both cameras also feature 4k video, but I really didn’t purchase these cameras for that. It is nice to know the capability is there.
Below are some preliminary photos. More to follow as I learn more about each camera. The first four are from the Olympus and then the other four are from the Lumix. I’m still working my way through the editing process.
