Need some help with a camera

[bagtagley]

I'd put this in photo/video, but I have a deadline that ends today, and need to pool the full braintrust.

I need a small, rugged camera that geotags images, has an interval timer (photo every 2 seconds, for example), and costs at least $500 (kits are acceptable). The camera will be attached to a weather balloon for aerial photography.

[The AD]

It needs to cost at least $500? That seems like a strange specification.

[bagtagley]

That's not a typo, and I agree. That's the entry point for the type of funding we're using. Should also add that we're looking for GoPro alternatives. The fish eye lens isn't ideal.

[The AD]

This might be ideal, but it doesn't meet your minimum price criterion:
https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/dig...g-tracker.html

edit: looks like this also has a wide-angle lens, so that's probably disqualifying. Olympus has lots of accessories, but I don't see a telephoto adaptor that fits this camera.

[Grizz]

I'd go with this Olympus instead. Almost makes it to the $500 threshold and no fisheye distortion.

https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/dig...ough-tg-6.html

[summit]

Define rugged - (drop proof, rain proof, submersible?)
Specify battery life and operating temp (how many exposures do you want with your intervalometer at 2s while the GPS is going at -20F up in the stratosphere)
What resolution is the minimum (some cameras will shoot timelapse as video)
Define max alt (lots of things fail if you take them too high and bubbles expand inside the integrated circuits, super high and you may need a water proof camera or camera housing)
How will you be triggering it? Turn it on at launch or remotely?

[DJSapp]

This might be ideal, but it doesn't meet your minimum price criterion:
https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/dig...g-tracker.html

edit: looks like this also has a wide-angle lens, so that's probably disqualifying. Olympus has lots of accessories, but I don't see a telephoto adaptor that fits this camera.

I'll sell this one to you and will accept no less than $2000 for it.

[bagtagley]

Thanks for the suggestions! The TG-6 could be a winner. I'm a camera JONG, so I'm not even sure what to search for. The Ricoh WG-60 is another contender, but I'm not clear on whether or not it tags the images while in interval mode. How do I tell if it has a fisheye lens?

https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/product/wg-60/

Summit, rugged meaning it can get dropped out of my clumsy hand and get a little rain on it. Though, our GoPro fell out of the mount and survived a 2-300 foot fall recently. It'll be attached to a tethered balloon, and will probably never exceed 1500 feet. We have drones for more serious projects, this is for areas where drones are off limits. It also makes for an easy, approachable teaching tool. Not sure on resolution. Definitely don't want video, though. We need geotagged images.

[summit]

Oh, then a Olympus TG-6 or Ricoh WG-6 are likely what you want. The WG-6 is newer than the WG-60.

https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/product/wg-6/

Now I'm not familiar with the intervalometer on the WG-6 or TG-6 so you'll have to figure out whether it does still vs vid (I'm not sure if timelapse video mode is going to do the geotagging you want).

Otherwise, for your purposes, the big difference is that TG-6 is going to provide a slightly wider angle at max (25-128mm) vs the WG-6 (28-140mm)

The older TG-5 is well loved by divers. My brother has one

Older Panasonic TS-7 and TS-6 are also options (I have a TS-6, have heard TS-7 has had some bad copy issues).

If you MUST have a more expensive camera the Ricoh G900 is just a WG-6 with chemical exposure resistance and crush proofing for industrial use and you can get your needed $799 MSRP.

[The AD]

I've been looking at the Oly TG-6 to replace my old waterproof camera (Panny TS4) which has given me great service over the years. I hear good things about the Olympus.

[summit]

I've been looking at the Oly TG-6 to replace my old waterproof camera (Panny TS4) which has given me great service over the years. I hear good things about the Olympus.

TG-6 looks identical to TG-5... and is absolutely and completely identical in every way I can tell except the LCD is higher resolution on the TG-6.

I had a TS4 which was great. It was stolen so I got a TS6 which was a nice modest upgrade to the sensor, processor, and LCD. I bought them for kayaking, biking, and snorkeling. What I've found is that I use it diving (shallow) and snorkeling mostly, and only a bit for biking and the river.

Honestly, nothing out there is worlds of amazing better than TS4/6. Housed TG5 has been the cheapo choice for divers, but if I was buying now, it would be tough choice not to go to the TS7 because it can go to 102ft without a case (vs 43ft for the TS4/6, 50ft for TG5/6, and 66ft for the WG6).

Pan TS7 deepest rating without a housing. EVF for harsh light on beech/river. Optical IS.
Oly TG5/6 faster/wider lens is important underwater
Ric WG6 has a deep enough rating for most dives and has cool ring lights for macro shooting which I like underwater.

If you are a diver, housings are not always the best thing for a 1 trip/year diver. My TS6 is way easier to control underwater than my housed Canon G7 even though the G7 has a more familiar interface. (2015 AF tracking ability of the TS6 helps a lot too over the 2006 processor of the Canon).

[summit]

WG-6 v TG-6 v TS-7
https://www.dpreview.com/videos/8853...-shootout-2019

[Supermoon]

One other thing to think about is getting the right camera and attaching an intervalometer to it. Most DSLRs and some point and shoots will have an input for an external trigger.

With an intervalometer you can set the correct timing for the photos no matter what the camera can do internally.

Nikon also makes a gps adapter you can attach to a hot shoe.

Would be a more finicky solution but you’d have tons of flexibility with your lenses.

[406]

Do you need elevation in the geotag? The TG and other small cams will likely only have lat/lon.

[The AD]

Do you need elevation in the geotag? The TG and other small cams will likely only have lat/lon.

Not true. Both the Panasonic and Olympus models have an altimeter and elevation is recorded in the EXIF.

[406]

Not true. Both the Panasonic and Olympus models have an altimeter and elevation is recorded in the EXIF.

That is cool, don't think my tg-3 has that. I was thinking GPS elevation might be needed, but maybe altimeter would be good enough.