OM System Tough TG-7

The OM System Tough TG-7 is never going to beat even an entry-level mirrorless camera on image performance (although its macro shooting is fantastic), but its durable and waterproof design means it can operate in places and situations that would destroy most electronic devices. Its package of sensors, meanwhile, will appeal to travellers who want to keep detailed records of their exploits.

Introduction

Thanks to smartphones, the pocket-size compact camera market has all but died out over the past ten years or so. One point-and-shoot enclave, however, has held out resolutely: the rugged camera. Nigh-on indestructible, these compacts can go to places your iPhone won’t – and take photos there.

Perhaps the best-known rugged compact range around, Olympus’ (now OM Systems’) Tough series is now on its seventh iteration.

At a shade under £500/$500 its latest model, the Tough TG-7, isn’t cheap but it promises 4K video and high-quality photos alongside build quality that’ll survive your wildest outdoor adventures – or even just your day job on a building site.

Let’s find out if the OM System Tough TG-7 can live up to its name.

Design

• 113.9 x 32.7 x 65.8mm and 249g
• IP68-rated build quality
• 3-inch non-touch screen

For a rugged camera, the TG-7 looks the part. With its visible screws, sharp angles and chunky hand grip, it’s like the photography equivalent of a Casio G-Shock watch. My review sample came in a bright red metallic finish, and this striking colourway isn’t just a style thing – it also makes the camera easier to see if dropped in a forest, snowfield or ocean.

I generally use my review samples carefully, and while I was never going to throw the TG-7 around to put its claims of near-invincibility to the test, I certainly didn’t treat it with kid gloves. And, after a week of use during which it was dunked in the sea, dumped into a backpack alongside other items and generally battered around, I’m happy to report that it looks and works exactly the same as when it came out of its box.

The camera is IP68 rated, which means it’s totally protected against dust ingress (the ‘6’ part of the rating) and suitable for permanent submersion in water (the ‘8’); OM System says the TG-7 can be taken to a depth of 15m (50ft) without additional protection. One thing you need to ensure (and the camera helpfully reminds you to do it, too) is that the seals on the double-locking battery and connection doors are free of sand or similar objects when you close them.

It’s also freezeproof to -10ºC, shockproof against drops of up to 2.1m and crushproof against loads of up to 100kg. Additionally, the dual layer of glass protecting the lens ensures that it doesn’t get fogged up if you abruptly move from one temperature extreme to another.

It’s also lightweight and pocketable and still manages to have a pretty full-on array of physical controls available on the outside. I will say that many of the buttons and dials are quite small, which may not suit users wearing gloves, but the zoom rocker and shutter button are easy to find and use – even in the dark or underwater.

There’s a pretty standard-looking 3-inch screen on the back, but unlike on most cameras these days, it’s not a touchscreen – possibly due to the thick layer of protective glass that sits on top of it.

I should also mention the huge range of accessories that OM System offers for the TG-7. These range from simple silicone cases that add extra protection, to lens teleconverters and macro lights, to a full-on dive case that lets you take the camera 45m below sea level. This large, supportive ecosystem feels like ample proof that the manufacturer takes the TG-7 seriously, and can seriously expand its capabilities.

Features and Performance

• ‘Field sensor’ package
• 300-shot battery life

Speaking of capabilities, there’s more to the TG-7’s adventurousness than its rugged build. It also comes with a suite of integrated field sensors that allow it to embed photos and videos with highly detailed location data.

Not only is there built-in GPS, but a compass, thermometer and manometer (an atmospheric pressure gauge, used for determining altitude), so that when you look back on your shots in years to come, you’ll truly be able to see what was going on when you took them.

A ‘log’ switch on top of the camera can be used to quickly turn off the sensors, and I realised, to my cost, that it’ll continuously be recording location data if switched on – even if the camera itself isn’t being used. This will drain the battery surprisingly quickly, so it’s worth keeping it turned off unless you really, really need it.

With the logging turned off, battery life is much more reasonable. OM System claims you can take around 300 photos on a full charge, and my testing suggests that that’s accurate. For 1080p/60fps video, I recorded an hour of video and noticed that the battery bar had only depleted by a third. However, 4K video would probably drain power more quickly.

There’s no AC charger in the TG-7’s box. It comes with a single USB-A to USB-C cable for charging, and charging must be done with the battery in-camera. The USB-C port can also be used for data transfer, of course, but not for constant power supply. The only other physical connection found here is a micro HDMI, although the camera does come with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as well. Storage comes courtesy of a single SD card slot.

The TG-7 comes with sensor-shift image stabilisation, offering the equivalent of around 2.5 stops of correction against camera shake. While that might not sound like much, coupled with the wide-angle lens it does mean handheld shots feel pretty steady.

Autofocus is basic, with no subject recognition options. You can choose between a wide focus area, a small focus area or tracking (in which you can select the tracked subject by hitting the ‘OK’ button on the back of the camera). They all work fine, without being particularly fast.

Image Quality

• The TG-7 has a 12MP 1/2.33-inch sensor
• JPEGs are vibrant and detailed in good lighting
• The TG-7 excels in macro photography

The TG-7 comes with a small and relatively low-resolution sensor (it’s 1/2.33-inch and 12MP), but I found its image quality to be surprisingly good. At least compared to a smartphone which is, let’s face it, what the TG-7 is probably being used as a replacement for in most cases. In good lighting, JPEGs straight out of the camera have lovely vibrant colours and a decent amount of detail.

The 4x optical zoom lens has a maximum aperture of F2.0 at its widest setting (rising to F4.9 at 4x zoom), which isn’t too bad either – although I certainly wouldn’t recommend this as a low light camera. Thankfully there’s both a flash and an LED lamp on board, and the option to shoot in RAW as well as JPEG means that those who want the very best images possible can tweak their shots in post-production.

The one photo area in which the TG-7 really shines is macro photography. It can focus on objects very close to the lens and resolve them in excellent sharp detail. It also features a built-in focus stacking mode to get around the extremely shallow depth-of-field that usually occurs when macro images are taken.

Videos can be captured at 4K (in 30fps or 25fps) or Full HD (at up to 60fps). Interestingly, the frame is cropped quite heavily when recording in 4K, but not during Full HD recording.

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