'Tough' Cameras

Kell

Kell

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Kell
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Over the years I've had a couple of 'drop-proof' cameras. Mostly for family holidays when my daughter was little.

Unfortunately she went in the pool with my last one and fried it as it wasn't shut properly.

I currently have a Fuji XP140. But while it fulfils the brief of being waterproof and drop-proof, it's not really very good.

I always heard that the the Olympus (OM Systems) TG series was the pinnacle of this type of camera. But most reviews don't really concentrate on image quality, but more on their functionality underwater.

All of which is a long-winded way of asking: "Has anyone got one (any of the series)? Has anyone tried any of the Pentax WG cameras instead?"

Virtually everything I can read seems to suggest that the OM TG series is still the best, but that modern smartphones are pretty much on par. Given I really want it more for cycling and skiing, am I better off sticking with a smart phone (and a decent case) or investing in a camera?

THanks
 
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I had an Olympus TG 4 (I think it was a 4) provided for me for work a few years ago, whilst I would say it was quite bomb proof I would never be tempted to use it for anything I wanted to keep. I thought the picture quality was awful. I only had to use it for photos to attach to reports that would only be printed within the reports at about 3x2 inches and it was fine for that. I'd certainly say that the upper end modern smartphone would easily ba as good if not better (I don't have such a phone but I've seen shots from other peoples Iphones, Samsungs etc).
 
Thanks Paul - I've just managed to find a direct comparison between the two. (My current Fuji and the TG-7) and the DXO marks are broadly similar. The TG7 does come out as better, but there's not much in it.

I was hoping for more of a difference. That someone might say - "it's brilliant compact camera, well worth it."


That's saved me a bit of money.
 
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Kell said:
Thanks Paul - I've just managed to find a direct comparison between the two. (My current Fuji and the TG-7) and the DXO marks are broadly similar.


That's saved me a bit of money.
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Interesting, it is something I go through phases of wanting but never quite get there, the closest I got was a GOPRo 'alike which worked well for mucking about on the ski slopes or in the pool. Frames could be grabbed from the 4K video but it was a bit too much effort and I don't ski well enough to make exciting video so it has rather sat in a drawer of other failed experiments.

I am looking forward to hearing other users' experiences.
 
zx9 said:
I don't ski well enough to make exciting video
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I do actually have a GoPro (it was a 'not asked for' present from my wife) - but didn't take it as I'm in the same boat. I don't think my footage is going to get Red Bull knocking down my door. I didn't take it as I'm more interested in photos than video, and it's kind of awkward to use as a stills camera.

Plus I've not used it enough to know what I'm doing with it and would probably drop it off a ski lift.
 
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I've recently bought a TG-7. I bought it specifically for an upcoming organised shoot in a swimming pool where the waterproof nature is going to allow shots I cannot take with my XTs.
Image quality isn't terrible, but obviously it's not up to FF or APS-C. It does shoot raw though.
I have tested it under water (briefly) and that works and the capture was acceptable, especially considering it was at night in a fountain at Canary Wharf during the Winter Lights.
I'm afraid I can't share examples at the moment, the images are on my main laptop which died on Friday and is awaiting some Dell TLC.

The control paradigm is interesting.
It does not have manual or Shutter Priority.
You do have Aperture priority which works as expected (though you lose the F/2 very quickly)
P mode doesn't seem to function as you would expect, it's more a way of introducing exposure compensation - or at least that;s all I've found so far - it is very early days playing with it.
I feel they really want you to use their 'scenes' function...

Hope that helps a bit.
 
Having drowned a couple of waterproof cameras, I've now gone down the GoPro road. Mainly because I wanted to do time lapse on a budget but when the latest GoPro arrived (I'd had a few cheapo action cams before but decided to bite the bullet!) I realised that it was waterproof naked and I could get a waterproof case for it too - double protection!!!
Mainly used for video (underwater and sunset time lapses) but have taken a few underwater snaps with it too. Nothing I'd blow up but plenty good enough as happy snaps.
 
As you've found there's not been much progress in the tough camera market and while the Olympus is the best rated of them, it's still using a small 1/2.3in sensor which is smaller than the main sensors in current mobile phones.

I did toy with getting an Olympus TG camera but I didn't think the image quality would be suitable. I've been using a DJI Osmo Action 4 which has a slightly bigger 1/1.3in sensor but it's awkward to use for stills with the design of its body and its ultra wide angle fixed lens means you need a lot of cropping for any normal shots.

It would be ideal to have a tough version of a Sony RX100 with a 1in sensor but there doesn't seem to be much development in the tough camera market so I assume it's not a big one.
 
I have no experience of these sort of cameras, but what about the Ricoh WG-80 ?
 
I have had my TG -6 for a while and find it a nice 'have it with me' camera.

More than capable of achieving printable results and very creditable macro shots.

I have never challenged it for its weather resistance & 'toughness'.

Suffice to say I am pleased I bought it :)
 
I have a TG-7 and it's useful as a 'slip in the pocket' go anywhere tool and a camera I can let the grandkids loose with unsupervised (ages 6 and upwards).

Picture quality is OK and it's great for macro.

I've just bought a new main setup and did consider trading the TG-7 in but decided against it due to its usefulness.
 
I took my tg5 scuba diving, rock climbing, a lot of hiking and even surfing. Then my kid took it on a teenagers week in spain and they dropped it in the sea. Apparently the foam floaty grip didnt look cool so they'd taken it off.

I bought a tg7 immediately and am equally happy with it, although iphones are so robust now I really only use it for stuff in the sea.


20251018-PA180114.jpg
 
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2 people in my local camera club have them and swear by them. I've seen some macro results and for DPI projection the results are superb.

Not sure they'd stand up to massive prints but that's not really what they are for.
 
lindsay said:
I have no experience of these sort of cameras, but what about the Ricoh WG-80 ?
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There's a guy I follow on instagram (Geit Eero) that I think has a Pentax/Ricoh WG camera and seems to get good results. But then I'm only viewing them on my phone.

Thanks to everyone for the comments.

TBH, the Fuji will probably suffice. I had just hoped that maybe the Olympus was markedly better.

It may even be the case that an early Sony RX100 would do a better job (and just hope I don't land on it).
 
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I have a TG-1 which I was always pleased with.

When they first came out, my wife bought me a TG-7. It’s taken me a while to warm to the 7, but I like it.

Their functionality is a bit limited, but very acceptable images are possible.

Obviously, neither are FF quality DSLR / mirrorless quality, but as stated above, that’s not their purpose. They’re great pocket cameras, that you don’t need to be overly careful with.
 
Here's some pics/snaps from the Fuji. Some good. Some bad.

I think I've talked myself (with your help) into just keeping the Fuji. I could sell it and get the TG7, but it feels like they're so similar, I'd be better off putting my money elsewhere. Especially as these pics are mostly snaps - holiday memories. I was just getting frustrated as sometimes it would be nice for the 'ooh that's almost nice' images to be a bit better.

The main points of contention for me is how much is struggles being pointed anywhere near a strong light source. and the fact it has that weird 'smoothing' effect as if it's a filter.

But the pics serve a purpose.

On a positive, the video is actually better than I remember.

26-8 by Kell, on Flickr

26-15 by Kell, on Flickr

27-6 by Kell, on Flickr

28-15 by Kell, on Flickr

29-11 by Kell, on Flickr

28-14 by Kell, on Flickr

28-19 by Kell, on Flickr

29-33 by Kell, on Flickr
 
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I’ve got the tg5 and more than happy with it, it’s the camera I take when I don’t want to take my main camera. It was the only camera I took on my last family holiday as well and just because you can take it in the sea and the pool, for me, you don’t have the worry of dropping it and it being a problem. I have recently added an insta360 x5 and looking forward to under water 360 photos
 
Topsy said:
I had an Olympus TG 4 (I think it was a 4) provided for me for work a few years ago, whilst I would say it was quite bomb proof I would never be tempted to use it for anything I wanted to keep. I thought the picture quality was awful. I only had to use it for photos to attach to reports that would only be printed within the reports at about 3x2 inches and it was fine for that. I'd certainly say that the upper end modern smartphone would easily ba as good if not better (I don't have such a phone but I've seen shots from other peoples Iphones, Samsungs etc).
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According to https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Extreme-Close-Up-Photography-Cremona/dp/1785004654 the functionality of TG5+ is much better than TG4.
Saying that research more.
 
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