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Olympus TG-6, OI Share, and remote control

Started Feb 20, 2021 | Discussions
Tim Murphy
Tim Murphy Regular Member • Posts: 438
Olympus TG-6, OI Share, and remote control

Dear Board,

I recently purchased a TG-6 to use as my knock around fishing camera.  I don't mean I'll beat on it, but it will be in a pouch pocket in my waders and hopefully ready to shoot, should I get so lucky as to land a picture worthy fish.  Testing it out I've been impressed with what it does when used in RAW mode, and the jpegs are perfectly usable as well.

That said since I am working from home, I thought it might be fun to set the camera up on a Joby tripod on my back deck to shoot the birds that come to feed on the seed my wife scatters for them.

I tried it out today, but no birds ventured into view.  Before I do it again, I have some questions about the OI Share app and the TG-6.

When I set up I was basically stuck with what the camera was initially set at.  By that I mean i could take a picture, but I couldn't control the camera's zoom.  I don't know if that is even possible, but surely someone with more experience using the camera remotely can tell if it can be done?

Regarding the app itself.  Is it possible to have more than one camera stored in the app so that I don't have to reset everything when I switch from E-PL9, or OM-D-EM11 to my TG-6.  I had previously used the app with OM-D-EM11 and had to delete the camera from the settings in the app and begin the connection process all over for the TG-6.

I'm sure I'll be able to fiddle around more and learn how to do things with the app, but any assistance in shortening the learning curve will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg, PA 

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Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel
And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land
Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken
Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.

 Tim Murphy's gear list:Tim Murphy's gear list
Olympus SP-350 Olympus C-2040 Zoom Olympus C-5050 Zoom Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom Canon PowerShot S90 +36 more
Olympus E-M1 II Olympus E-PL9 Olympus TG-6
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Ole45mag New Member • Posts: 2
Re: Olympus TG-6, OI Share, and remote control

So, I see your quote below.  Great singer Tom T Hall did it. I love that guy.  One of the only 2 autographs I got when working at Opryland so long ago.  Seen him as a kid at 16 in San Jose California with Donna Fargo.  So this TG-6.  So awesome from regular photos to Microscope mode bugs and chigger close ups.  And the night mode...If you see 100 stars when looking up, this thing will show you thousands in the nightscape mode.  Keep practicing.  I bought this and the Canon G7X MK3.  It too is awesome, but at 65 learning both point and shoots, plus a Nikon D7200...can fry the brain.

Michael Meissner
Michael Meissner Forum Pro • Posts: 27,998
Re: Olympus TG-6, OI Share, and remote control

Tim Murphy wrote:

When I set up I was basically stuck with what the camera was initially set at. By that I mean i could take a picture, but I couldn't control the camera's zoom. I don't know if that is even possible, but surely someone with more experience using the camera remotely can tell if it can be done?

I happened to have my TG-5 sitting near my desk, so I brought it up and connected to OIShare (after turning on location services on my Android phone).

If you look at the screen on the phone, there is an arrow on the left side.  That arrow is a pull-aside menu that brings up the zoom screen.  I was able to zoom the camera back and forth using that menu.

On micro 4/3rds cameras, you will only be able to use the zoom menu if you have one of the 4 electronic zoom lenses.  Panasonic marks these lenses with PZ and Olympus marks them with EZ.  The four lenses are:

  • Olympus 14-42mm EZ
  • Olympus 12-50mm EZ
  • Panasonic 14-42mm PZ
  • Panasonic 45-175mm PZ

Particularly with the 14-42mm lenses, make sure it says PZ or EZ, since both Olympus and Panasonic make other 14-42mm lenses that do not have electronic zoom.

Regarding the app itself. Is it possible to have more than one camera stored in the app so that I don't have to reset everything when I switch from E-PL9, or OM-D-EM11 to my TG-6. I had previously used the app with OM-D-EM11 and had to delete the camera from the settings in the app and begin the connection process all over for the TG-6.

I've not had any problem, but I don't connect to the camera with the app.  What I do is first enable location services.  Then I go to the wifi page, and deselect my current wifi.  It will come up with a screen of the various wifi hotspots available.  I pick the one with the camera I'm interested in.  I will then get a message from the phone saying the device does not connect to the internet, and I push the button saying keep the connection.

Then I go into the app, and go into remote control.

If you are going to look at remote support, you might want to consider getting a tripod head that supports wifi, so that you can pan and tilt.

FWIW, if I remove the LI92B battery, I can power the TG-5 with a USB micro-B cable if you want to do long term remote control.  I don't recall seeing dummy batteries for the TG-x cameras, but since normal USB power can power the camera, I don't see the need for a dummy battery.

 Michael Meissner's gear list:Michael Meissner's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1 Olympus TG-5 Olympus E-M5 III OM-1 Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 +13 more
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