My TG6 broke... what to do next?

My TG6 side door has broken since last summer and service in my country seems to be quite slow and possibly also expensive. I am thinking of various options:

1) Get a new/used TG6 ... cost~ 400E

2) Get an underwater housing for my RX100VI. Sensor is larger but underwater focal length will be less wide since with the TG6 I was also using the wide extender allowing me to create more interesting shots (in my eyes )

3) Get an underwater bag for one of my ILC cameras. Not to fond of that solution as I am afraid of water leakage.

Camera use is mainly for snorkeling, here are some samples:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65430226

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64324770

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63102057

What do you think?

Yannis1976 wrote:

My TG6 side door has broken since last summer and service in my country seems to be quite slow and possibly also expensive. I am thinking of various options:

1) Get a new/used TG6 ... cost~ 400E

2) Get an underwater housing for my RX100VI. Sensor is larger but underwater focal length will be less wide since with the TG6 I was also using the wide extender allowing me to create more interesting shots (in my eyes )

3) Get an underwater bag for one of my ILC cameras. Not to fond of that solution as I am afraid of water leakage.

Camera use is mainly for snorkeling, here are some samples:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65430226

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64324770

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63102057

What do you think?

I would not consider option 3)...

Option 1) in case you were satisfied with TG-6...

Option 2) in case you want better IQ and manual operation (but you need to buy a WA wetlens)...

Wolfgang

Architeuthis wrote:

Yannis1976 wrote:

My TG6 side door has broken since last summer and service in my country seems to be quite slow and possibly also expensive. I am thinking of various options:

1) Get a new/used TG6 ... cost~ 400E

2) Get an underwater housing for my RX100VI. Sensor is larger but underwater focal length will be less wide since with the TG6 I was also using the wide extender allowing me to create more interesting shots (in my eyes )

3) Get an underwater bag for one of my ILC cameras. Not to fond of that solution as I am afraid of water leakage.

Camera use is mainly for snorkeling, here are some samples:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65430226

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64324770

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63102057

What do you think?

I would not consider option 3)...

Option 1) in case you were satisfied with TG-6...

Option 2) in case you want better IQ and manual operation (but you need to buy a WA wetlens)...

Wolfgang

Option 1) I was happy with the total package meaning that the TG6 was the smallest, lightest UW camera allowing me to shoot wide underwater (with the wide extender). In terms of IQ it was not the best but as you can see from my photos, my needs are not super critical

Option 2) I need both a housing but also a WA lens for the wide field which will increase both size and cost. Not sure how better would the IQ be...

Yannis1976 wrote:

Architeuthis wrote:

Yannis1976 wrote:

My TG6 side door has broken since last summer and service in my country seems to be quite slow and possibly also expensive. I am thinking of various options:

1) Get a new/used TG6 ... cost~ 400E

2) Get an underwater housing for my RX100VI. Sensor is larger but underwater focal length will be less wide since with the TG6 I was also using the wide extender allowing me to create more interesting shots (in my eyes )

3) Get an underwater bag for one of my ILC cameras. Not to fond of that solution as I am afraid of water leakage.

Camera use is mainly for snorkeling, here are some samples:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65430226

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/64324770

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63102057

What do you think?

I would not consider option 3)...

Option 1) in case you were satisfied with TG-6...

Option 2) in case you want better IQ and manual operation (but you need to buy a WA wetlens)...

Wolfgang

Option 1) I was happy with the total package meaning that the TG6 was the smallest, lightest UW camera allowing me to shoot wide underwater (with the wide extender). In terms of IQ it was not the best but as you can see from my photos, my needs are not super critical

Option 2) I need both a housing but also a WA lens for the wide field which will increase both size and cost. Not sure how better would the IQ be...

I agree with Architeuthison on your options.

If you really want to improve your images, you should add a strobe.

Yannis1976 wrote:

Option 1) I was happy with the total package meaning that the TG6 was the smallest, lightest UW camera allowing me to shoot wide underwater (with the wide extender). In terms of IQ it was not the best but as you can see from my photos, my needs are not super critical

Option 2) I need both a housing but also a WA lens for the wide field which will increase both size and cost. Not sure how better would the IQ be...

You will not see much of a difference when viewing the photos, made with plenty of light, as a small fraction of the computer screen, but when producing large printouts, e.g. for calender A3/2, you will see. Another thing is noise in low light, dynamic range and AF reliability and speed. Then comes the inability of TG to operate in manual mode...

As said by Craig, a TG with flash will produce better results as a Sony RX100 without...

Wolfgang

Architeuthis wrote:

Yannis1976 wrote:

Option 1) I was happy with the total package meaning that the TG6 was the smallest, lightest UW camera allowing me to shoot wide underwater (with the wide extender). In terms of IQ it was not the best but as you can see from my photos, my needs are not super critical

Option 2) I need both a housing but also a WA lens for the wide field which will increase both size and cost. Not sure how better would the IQ be...

You will not see much of a difference when viewing the photos, made with plenty of light, as a small fraction of the computer screen, but when producing large printouts, e.g. for calender A3/2, you will see. Another thing is noise in low light, dynamic range and AF reliability and speed. Then comes the inability of TG to operate in manual mode...

As said by Craig, a TG with flash will produce better results as a Sony RX100 without...

Wolfgang

Guys for the type of photography I am doing underwater (wide field usually with one person and beautiful background, lighting and environment) I haven’t needed a strobe yet. I would get a TG6 again, but now that it is broken, I thought to examine my choices again.

1) TG6 with wide extender where I can shoot at 24mm underwater

2) a housing for my rx100 where actual underwater focal length would be unfortunately about 20% reduced unless I also get a wide lens (would need about 1k for both!)

3) an Outex underwater soft cover for my EM1.3 plus 8-18 wide lens and

4) a GoPro4 with its very wide field and the option to add cheap split domes

thanks

I think you will find that the cost of the Sony housing will be equal to or a little more than the cost of a new TG6. You are happy with the TG6 so get a new one and move on.  You could also get the broken one repaired then you both will have a camera for use on your adventures.