OM System Tough TG-7

Joshua Waller reviews one of the few tough, waterproof, compact cameras left on the market

- Joshua Waller

At a glance

£599

• 12MP 1/1.7in BSI CMOS sensor, 6.2x4.6mm
• 4x optical zoom lens, 24-100mm equivalent, f/2.0-4.9
• In-body image stabilisation (sensor shift, up to 2.5 stops)
• ISO 100–12,800
• 4K video recording
• 3-in, 1.04m-dot fixed screen
• 15m waterproof
• Drop, shock, dust and freezeproof
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• GPS, elevation, and temperature sensors
• 113.9x65.8x32.7mm
• 249g

There aren’t many compact cameras available to buy new any more, and what’s left are usually high-end, large-sensor cameras, or waterproof compact cameras with smaller sensors. The OM System Tough TG-7 falls into the latter category, and is the seventh iteration in a line of tough cameras first from Olympus, and now OM System.

The firm is quite serious about this tough compact camera. It has numerous controls and specialised shooting modes, and a wide range of accessories is available, too. You can shoot raw and adjust manual controls. To capture as much light as possible, there’s an f/2.0 aperture at the wideangle end of the lens.

While the TG-7’s sensor is small compared to Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, full-frame or 1-inch sensor cameras, it’ll withstand conditions that would destroy other models. It’s waterproof down to 15 metres, drop-proof, crush-proof, dustproof, and freeze-proof. And whilst it may look very similar to previous versions, this has advantages in the range of accessories available that work interchangeably between the models.