The Only Camera I Need in Hawaii

Why tropical travelers love the Olympus Tough

After two decades of visiting Maui, I'm still overpacking.

A week that doesn't require underwear or socks feels unnatural. Standing before the open suitcase at home, I tell myself that I'm going to wear those nice pants and shirts, but in the end, board shorts and sandals (flip-flops) win every time.

And what about all those cameras I think I need? Hawaii is one of the most stunning destinations on the planet. Any photographer worth their sea salt would want to capture every windswept moment of beauty. So three cameras later, plus an iPhone, I feel adequately geared up.

But in the end, the Olympus Tough compact was all I really needed.

What is it about this handsome devil that takes the tropical travel prize every time? If you're not familiar with Tough cameras, then allow me to introduce you to this capable vacation companion.

The Olympus TG can hide beneath an iPhone. It's so light that it doesn't tug on my board shorts as I flip-flop down the path to my favorite swim spot.

It can dive to a depth of 50 feet, which is about 45 feet deeper than I ever go. The TG can survive a 7-foot drop that never happens because it sports the most functional wrist strap I've used.

The built-in GPS geotags every photograph, which can then be easily transmitted to my iPhone via WiFi for instant web publishing. Its 4X zoom with a maximum aperture of f/2.0 seems to handle practically any outdoor photo op. And it shoots RAW.

All of this sweetness in a ruggedly attractive body that costs about $400.

A typical day with the Olympus Tough begins at 6:30 am as I head out the door with a nylon drawstring bag on my back containing a towel, mask, snorkel, and the tips of my fins sticking out the top. The Olympus Tough is in the right front pocket of my board shorts. My room key, a credit card, and $20 are in a watertight pouch on the left side.

I walk a mile or so along that path with sandals rhythmically clapping against my heels. I photograph palm trees, egrets, tourists, sailboats, and anything else interesting that crosses my path.

Once I reach the day's designated beach, I change the setting on the camera to underwater mode, don my gear, and scissor-kick out beyond the lapping waves to where the fish gather.

For 30 minutes or so, I photograph the world beneath the waterline, and on a good morning, maybe a turtle portrait or two.

After the swim, I rinse everything in fresh water at the outdoor shower that also helps get the sand off my feet, then search for breakfast. The Olympus Tough is switched back to topside mode to record evidence of sparrows trying to poach toast crumbs off my table or maybe capture an action shot of an ocean kayak paddling by.

By this point in the day, you'd think that it would be time to switch to a more serious camera. What about all of those landscape opportunities and radiant sunsets?

Problem is, I'm still wearing board shorts, t-shirt, and flip-flops. Those other cameras just don't match the wardrobe. Plus, what if I want to cool off in the pool before heading back to the room? Do I leave a $1,500 camera there on a lounge chair? Maybe no one will know that it's hiding under a towel.

Indeed, two decades of Maui visits, and I'm still overpacking. I come home with the same fresh underwear, socks, slacks, and yes, expensive interchangeable lens cameras with empty memory cards.

When will I ever learn?

All scenic photos by Derrick Story, captured with an Olympus Tough. Some of them were RAWs, other were Jpegs.

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This Week’s Photography Podcast

The Thing About Sunsets (and other notes from Maui)

When you're on an island in the Pacific during springtime, the sky is a moving picture show of clouds. And when the sun begins to set, well, that's the main feature. Photographers are drawn to sunsets like moths to flame. And in my view, there's more to it than just another pretty picture. This, and other notes from Maui, on today's TDS Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.

You can tune in to this week’s show here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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This Week on Live View

Two new articles this week on our Live View publication:

How to Make Your RAW Files Look Even Better
and
Get Outside and Leave that Big Camera Behind

Check out these stories, and more, by visiting Live View.

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