Hands-on with the OM System Tough TG-7
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The Tough TG-7 is the first rugged camera to wear the OM System name rather than Olympus. As you might have guessed, it’s the seventh camera in the TG series, which has long been one of our favorites in the rugged/underwater space.
The TG series has not evolved a whole lot over the years. There’s still a 12 Megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 25-100mm equivalent F2-4.9 lens, impressive rugged credentials, and the ability to associate location, depth, and more to your photos.
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When the TG-7 was announced, there was a lot of chatter in the DPReview comments about how the TG-7 needed to evolve. Why isn’t there a larger, perhaps Type 1 (13.2 x 8.8mm) sensor? How about a different lens? The answer to that may be that the TG series has sold very well for Olympus/OM System, so maybe they’re just giving the people what they want. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Before we start exploring the TG-7 in more depth, it’s worth noting that the MSRP has jumped $100 compared to the TG-6, with a suggested price of $599.
Compared to the TG-6
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By and large, most of the differences between the ‘Olympus’ TG-6 and ‘OM System’ TG-7 are on the outside, and we don’t just mean the branding. The front grip has been redesigned with a ribbed plastic surface. It’s still a bit slippery, but it’s a step up from the TG-6. The screws that sat next to the grip on the TG-6 have been relocated toward the opposite end of the camera.
The LCD on the rear has a new panel, though it’s not without issues (more on that in later slides). The TG-7 now sports a USB-C port that can be used for charging the battery or transferring photos. It’s a bummer that you can’t power the camera while it’s in use, given its battery-draining GPS and tracking functions. Note that OM System only includes a USB-A to USB-C cable with the camera. There is no AC adapter or external charger, so you’ll need to buy one.
Finally, the TG-7 gains support for a wireless remote (RM-WR1, $99) and has a few new shooting features, which we’ll get to shortly.
Lens and sensor
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The TG-7 continues to use a 12 Megapixel Type 1/2.3 (6.3 x 4.7mm) BSI CMOS sensor, which first debuted on the TG-5. The camera has sensor-shift image stabilization, which reduces shake by around 2.5 stops.
The continuing use of a small sensor, which is smaller than what you’ll find on high-end smartphones, has raised questions from some camera users. Many folks want something like a Type 1 (13.2 x 8.8mm) sensor, but that would make it a chunkier camera with a larger lens. It would be nice if OM System offered such a camera without sacrificing more portable cameras like the TG-7, but the likelihood of that happening is extremely low.
Getting back to the lens, it’s a 4X optical zoom, equivalent to 25-100mm, with a maximum aperture range of F2-4.9, which is quite fast for a compact camera, at least at the wide end. The camera has a semi-fixed aperture and uses an ND filter to stop the lens to its minimum setting. Thus, at any focal length, there will only be three apertures to choose from (e.g., F2, F2.8, and F8).
The built-in flash can be used to trigger compatible Olympus/OM System external flashes. Next to it is an LED lamp that can be turned into a flashlight by holding down the Info button for a few seconds.
Rugged credentials
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The TG-7 is designed to get wet, dropped, smashed against rocks, and stepped on – maybe all at the same time. The camera has a nice heft to it, and the build quality is solid, aside from the plasticky dials.
Seals on the two doors, such as the one for the I/O ports above, keep out water and dust. The TG-7 can reach depths of up to 15 meters (around 50 feet). It’s critical to pay attention to the instructions for keeping the seals in good shape. You need to check the seals for any sand or debris and make sure the doors are double-locked.
The TG-7 can be dropped from 2.1m (just under 7 ft), be crushed by up to 220 kg (100 lbs) of force, and operate at temperatures down to -10°C (+14°F). The lens has two panes of glass to reduce fogging when there are sudden changes in humidity.
Display
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We have good news and bad news about the TG-7’s new 3″ TFT display. The good news is that colors are a lot more accurate compared to the screen on the TG-6 and TG-5. The bad news is that this panel does not get along with polarized sunglasses when shooting landscapes, at least with the pair I used with the camera. I had to take off my sunglasses or turn the camera vertically to see anything. This is a bummer since the TG-7 is meant to be used outdoors.
One of the other issues on the previous models was the ease of scratching the display. According to OMDS, the glass is the same, so heed our advice and buy a tempered glass screen protector.
Shooting modes
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The TG-7 has a whole bunch of shooting modes, all of which are accessed via the mode dial or main menu. The first thing you may notice on the dial is the lack of shutter priority or full manual exposure modes, which is due to the camera’s use of a partial aperture.
Selecting the fish on the mode dial is what you’ll want to use when you’re submerged. There are snapshot, wide-angle, macro, microscope and HDR modes. There are actually three underwater white balance settings: shallow, midrange, and deep. You can choose them manually or let the camera do so in the underwater mode.
The TG-7 is big on macro photography. Flip to microscope mode, and your subject can be just 1cm (0.4″) from the end of the lens. Focus stacking takes a series of images and combines them into a composite with everything in focus. Focus bracketing is similar, except each image is saved separately. Microscope control uses digital zoom to get up to 4X closer, with a corresponding drop in quality.
The TG-7 has a few favorites from OM System’s mirrorless cameras, as well. Live Composite creates a time-lapse photo where only changes in light are captured. (The camera can create ‘regular’ time-lapse stills and images, as well.) Pro Capture is another useful feature; it saves photos taken before you fully press the shutter release, great for action photography.
There’s a new construction scene mode, which needs to be turned on in the main menu. It can remove dust from photos, brighten dark scenes, and take photos of blueprints or drawings.
The last item of note on the mode dial is video. The TG-7 can capture 4K/30p footage, albeit with a noticeable crop (which Movie IS increases). Vertical video can now be recorded for the TikTok crowd.
Sensors and tracking
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Something that makes the Tough TG-7 stand out from virtually all digital cameras on the market is its extensive environmental sensors and tracking capabilities. Onboard are a GPS, compass, barometer, altimeter/depth gauge, and thermometer. All of this can be embedded into the metadata of a photo, which you can see in playback mode or when an image is imported into software like Lightroom. One thing to note is that the thermometer isn’t entirely accurate above the surface since it’s located inside the chassis.
But wait, there’s more. The TG-7 can use its GPS to track your hike, drive, or any other activity and show your route and where photos were taken. To turn that on, flip the switch on the far left of the top plate to log, and off you go. When you’re done, you can import the tracking data into O.I.Share, which will associate the data with photos. It’s a huge battery drain, but it’s a neat feature.
One of my favorite TG-7 tools is an info screen that shows all of the current sensor data, even with the camera turned off. To turn it on, just press the info button for a second or two (any longer and the flashlight will turn on.)
Endless accessories
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Something that has always set the TG-series apart from its peers (and all compact cameras for that matter) is the enormous selection of accessories for both dry and underwater shooting.
By replacing the lens ring shown above, an adapter screw can mount three different conversion lenses: two fisheye and one telephoto. There’s also a ‘Light Guide’ that uses the onboard LED to create a ring light and a flash diffuser with two brightness settings. Everything mentioned above is water-resistant, so dive away.
For deep water photography there’s the PT-059 underwater case, which increases the maximum depth to 45 meters (about 150 feet). You still have access to all of the TG-7’s buttons and dials, and the cold shoe on top of the case lets you attach a strobe or lamp. A monitor hood and optical fiber adapter are also included.
Wrap up
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The OM System Tough TG-7 continues to be a capable underwater compact camera. Sure, it’s been surpassed by smartphones in terms of image quality, but see what happens to your smartphone in 2 meters (about 7 feet) of water or if it’s smashed against a rock. It would be great to see a ‘Super TG’ camera with a larger sensor, but given the market for such a device, the odds of that happening are slim.
Ultimately, it’s the combination of ruggedness and sensors/tracking that make the TG-7 stand out. We’ve taken many cool photos and videos with its predecessors, and it seems the TG-7 could do the same.
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This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.
