olympus tg 5 waterproof camera with 3 inch lcd black manufacturers

Waterproofing held up well. Not so much as a drop in the compartments. I"ve dropped this thing several times (I"m a huge klutz) and it continues to work great.

Built for adventure. Designed to bring back amazing looking souvenirs. The Tough TG-5 is packed with pro features that help you nail bright, crisp outdoor shots even in challenging conditions. You’ll find imaging firepower that’s optimized for shooting action like a fast F2.0 Olympus lens, high-resolution RAW stills, and spectacular Ultra HD 4K video. Action Track Sensors record location, temperature, direction, and altitude data that bring your images and video to life. As with all Tough cameras, it’s waterproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, and dustproof. No other camera handles so much abuse while producing stunning photography like the TG-5.

Whether you’re shooting on a rafting trip or in a snowboard park, you’re focused on getting awesome shots. Your camera should take care of itself. The TG-5 does – no protective housing needed. It’s waterproof to 50 ft (15 m), crushproof up to 220 lbf (100 kgf), and shockproof from 7 ft (2.1 m). It’s dustproof and works great even at a bone-chilling 14°F (-10°C). When you’re on the go, temperatures can change quickly. That’s why the TG-5’s lens is equipped with Anti-Fog Dual Pane Protective Glass to stop moisture from getting in. We’ve even designed the knobs and buttons for easy operation while you’re wearing heavy gloves.

The TG-5"s ergonomic design features an Accessory Lock to secure optional lenses and other accessories. The waterproof TCON-T01 Teleconverter Lens boosts the TG-5’s optical zoom to nearly 7x, while the waterproof FCON-T01 Fisheye Converter Lens produces distinctive ultra-wide photos. Shoot evenly lit macro shots with help from the LG-1 Light Guide and waterproof FD-1 Flash Diffuser. Keep your TG-5 conveniently strapped to a backpack or chest harness using the CSCH-123 Sport Holder, and dive deeper – up to 147 feet (45 meters) – using the PT-058 Underwater Housing.

Whether you’re shooting on a rafting trip or in a snowboard park, you’re focused on getting awesome shots. Your camera should take care of itself. The TG-5 does – no protective housing needed. It’s waterproof to 50 ft (15 m), crushproof up to 220 lbf (100 kgf), and shockproof from 7 ft (2.1 m). It’s dustproof and works great even at a bone-chilling 14°F (-10°C). When you’re on the go, temperatures can change quickly. That’s why the TG-5’s lens is equipped with Anti-Fog Dual Pane Protective Glass to stop moisture from getting in. We’ve even designed the knobs and buttons for easy operation while you’re wearing heavy gloves.

These days, the rugged, waterproof segment of the camera market is one of the few areas in which there"s a good reason for buying a standalone compact camera. Over the last decade since Apple wowed us with its first iPhone, followed in short order by Google"s Android, smartphones have demolished the rest of the compact market. But despite their clear strengths in portability, connectivity and performance, many smartphones aren"t waterproof and even fewer are ruggedized. And even if it"s built like a tank, you probably don"t want to risk such an expensive device -- and one which touches on so many areas of your life -- as your smartphone.

But while the "take it anywhere" advantage of a compact ruggedized, waterproof camera over a smartphone is obvious, there hasn"t been such a clear box ticked in the image quality department. Thanks to some big improvements made in smartphone cameras over the last few years coupled with the stagnation of the compact camera market right as it reached the peak of its ill-advised lust for the mighty megapixel, smartphones and compacts have been much of a muchness in terms of the end results.

With the TOUGH TG-5, Olympus aims to change all of that by taking the rugged, waterproof camera upmarket. In the process, it"s had to bump the price up a little, but at US$450 or thereabouts, the TG-5 is still quite reasonable and certainly more affordable than all but the most basic of unlocked smartphones. And it promises a big step forwards in image quality thanks to the pairing of three important bits of kit.

And just like that of the earlier TG-4, it"s impressively solid, said to be able to withstand 220 pounds (100 kg) of crushing force, is waterproof to 50 feet (15 m), and capable of surviving a drop from seven feet (2.1 m) onto an unspecified surface. It"s also dustproof and freezeproof to 14°F (-10°C), and now sports a dual-pane cover glass over the lens to help avoid it fogging up when the temperature suddenly changes.

The Olympus TG-5 performs as expected in the print quality department given the relatively small sensor. A very good 13 x 19 inch print can be attained while shooting at base ISO, and this is a nice feat in general for a rugged waterproof camera. And yet if you intend to print 8 x 10"s you will for sure want to remain at ISO 400 and below, as anything higher will simply not yield good results while printing at 8 x 10 inches. Given the larger pixels courtesy of the move back to 12 megapixels from 16MP in the TG-4, we"d hoped for better high ISO performance as compared to the predecessor, but the sensor size really limits the performance potential above ISO 400, regardless of the slight increase in pixel size.

Whether you’re shooting on a rafting trip or in a snowboard park, you’re focused on getting awesome shots. Your camera should take care of itself. The TG-5 does – no protective housing needed. It’s waterproof to 50 ft (15 m), crushproof up to 220 lbf (100 kgf), and shockproof from 7 ft (2.1 m). It’s dustproof and works great even at a bone-chilling 14°F (-10°C). When you’re on the go, temperatures can change quickly. That’s why the TG-5’s lens is equipped with Anti-Fog Dual Pane Protective Glass to stop moisture from getting in. We’ve even designed the knobs and buttons for easy operation while you’re wearing heavy gloves.

The TG-5"s ergonomic design features an Accessory Lock to secure optional lenses and other accessories. The waterproof TCON-T01 Teleconverter Lens boosts the TG-5’s optical zoom to nearly 7x, while the waterproof FCON-T01 Fisheye Converter Lens produces distinctive ultra-wide photos. Shoot evenly lit macro shots with help from the LG-1 Light Guide and waterproof FD-1 Flash Diffuser. Keep your TG-5 conveniently strapped to a backpack or chest harness using the CSCH-123 Sport Holder, and dive deeper – up to 147 feet (45 meters) – using the PT-058 Underwater Housing.

The Olympus TG-5 is a brand new tough compact digital camera designed to capture images in the most challenging conditions. Successor to the TG-4, the new TG-5 has a 12-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, an improved 25-100mm (eq.) f/2.0-4.9 lens with a new Anti-Fog Lens Cover Glass, a GPS sensor, manometer, compass and temperature sensor, and integrated WiFi. The TG5 camera is waterproof to depths of 50 feet (15 metres), shockproof from 7 feet (2.1 metres), crushproof to 220 pounds of force (100 kilograms of force), freezeproof down to 14°F (-10°C), and dustproof. The Olympus TG-5 can record 4K videos at 30fps or Full HD movies at up to 120fps for slow-motion playback. The Olympus TG-5 costs £399.99 / $449.99.

With no eye level viewfinder, images are composed via a 3-inch, 460K dot resolution LCD at the rear which is sufficiently clear for a camera of its ilk – and also is of exactly the same specification as that found on its predecessor two years ago. This iteration likewise features a protective panel, perhaps just one of the reasons why touch screen control isn’t offered on this model – aside from the fact that on-screen menu selections are bunched quite close together, so it would be tricky to accurately select what you wanted unless you possessed pencil-thin fingers.

Squeeze the on/off button and the Olympus TG-5 nigh instantly powers up. The TG-4 was ready for action in just over a second, so this latest iteration feels, to us, slightly faster in response. We’d have to say it is as quick as we could hope for, the rear LCD blinking into life and the lens audibly adjusting. This is encouraging as life moves pretty fast… and we don’t want to miss that golden moment.

We need to access the above via press of the ‘OK’ button located in the middle of a familiar four-way control pad on the Olympus TG-5’s backplate. This brings up a toolbar of the right hand side of the LCD screen. Then it’s just a matter of tabbing down to the desired option and implementing it.

The smaller lozenge-shaped buttons on the back plate to the right of the LCD, of which there are three, not counting the four-way control pad with its central OK button, fall under the thumb of the right hand when gripping the camera in your palm.

The Canon PowerShot D30 is an action compact camera that"s waterproof to an impressive 25m, as well as being dust, freeze and shock proof. The Canon D30 also offers12 megapixels, a 5x zoom, 1080p HD video, built-in GPS and a 3-inch screen. Read our in-depth Canon PowerShot D30 review now...

The Fujifilm FinePix XP90 is a tough water, freeze, shock and dust proof compact camera. The XP90 offers a 16.4 million pixel 1/2.3 inch BSI-CMOS sensor, built-in wi-fi, 10fps burst shooting, 1080i HD movies, a 5x zoom lens and a 3 inch LCD screen. Read our Fujifilm FinePix XP90 review now...

There isn’t a better rugged waterproof compact around than the Olympus TOUGH TG-5. Like all great cameras it gets the basics right - a bright, good quality 25-100mm f2 - 4.9 lens paired with a quality 12 Megapixel sensor and high performance TruePic VIII processor. It builds on that with a great set of features and shooting modes, including Pro capture continuous shooting, 4K video, RAW support, and superb macro modes. Finally, it provides the control you need to make the most of those features, whatever the environment. The only downside is the poor performance of the movie continuous AF.

These days, updates to compact cameras are very minor, and that includes the TG-6. Very little has changed compared to the TG-5, with the main things being a higher resolution LCD, additional macro and underwater modes, and focus bracketing. Improvements have also been made to reduce ghosting and flare.

The higher resolution LCD is certainly nice, though Olympus did not address the most frustrating thing about the screen on the TG-5: it scratches way too easily. Buying a screen protector is highly recommended. It"s worth mentioning that the screen isn"t touch-enabled, but keep in mind this feature is all-but-useless when screens (or your hands) get wet.

The Olympus Tough TG-6 continues to be the top waterproof camera on the market. We like its ruggedness, expandability, tracking features, and Raw support. Its lens is faster at the wide-angle end than its peers, and its macro capabilities are top-notch. Battery life is very good, assuming that you"re not hitting the GPS too hard.

Dual quad core TruePic VIII image processor 3.0 inches 460k Dot LCD monitor; Focus range normal: 3.94 inches (10 centimeter) to infinit macro: 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) to infinity

We have already been able to subject the Olympus Tough TG-5 to a comprehensive test in practice, and with the test software. With the TG-5, Olympus combines sensible modifications with proven technology. The housing is still very robust: it is waterproof to 15 metres diving depth, shockproof to 2.1 metres drop height, break-proof to 100 kg load and frost-proof to -10 °C. New is the double glass lens front glass with anti-fog coating. This combination should result in less fogging, which occurs when changing from a cold to a warm environment with appropriate humidity. The lens also remains at its initial speed of F2.0, which is high for the outdoor camera segment, but deteriorates to F4.9 when zooming from 25 to 100 millimeters. An image stabilizer is also included.

The robust Olympus Tough TG-5 is waterproof up to 15 metres, dustproof, frost-proof down to -10 °C, drop-proof up to 2.1 metres and break-proof up to 100 kg. [Photo: Olympus]

The design of the camera makes it clear that it can be exposed to the elements. The housing of the Tough TG-5 weighs 250 grams more than a small compact camera when ready for operation. This is mainly due to the robust and well processed case, the slightly offset GPS antenna and the trigger on the top of the case. A ring around the lens serves as a cover for a bayonet on which accessories can be mounted. Thanks to the waterproofness of the camera to 15 meters diving depth, the camera is waterproof for underwater scene depiction. The disadvantage is that Olympus has fitted the two existing flaps on the housing with a locking switch for the opening mechanism. Unfortunately, this lock switch is quite small, so that you should have fingernails, so that it is easier to open or close it.

A stereo microphone is available as well as a 7.6-centimetre LCD screen with a resolution of only 460,000 pixels and two different grid lines that can be superimposed, a live histogram and a digital two-axis spirit level. The camera has two cover flaps. While the battery compartment and the memory card slot for SDHC or SDXC memory cards are concealed under the larger of the two flaps on the underside of the camera, the micro HDMI and micro USB ports are available for use under the smaller flap on the left side of the housing. Unfortunately, the battery does not have a fuse for the direction in which it must be inserted. Only arrows show at the battery and a little bit hidden in the battery compartment how the battery has to be pushed around. Charging is done via a USB charger supplied. This can also be used as a continuous current connection with the battery inserted.

Robust, waterproof, frost-proof and handy, the Olympus Tough TG-5 is the ideal camera for the water and winter sports enthusiast who does not want to do without an extensively equipped camera with many photo and video functions as well as GPS and WLAN connectivity and wireless flash control. The remote control functions via a smart device are convincing and the focus stacking mode also delivers very good results. The resolution is very good for a 12 megapixel camera, but unfortunately edge blur and chromatic aberrations are visible in the wide-angle range. Up to ISO 400, image noise and loss of detail are negligible. Only beyond that does the noise increase and the detail rendition decrease. The camera’s backlight sensitivity can cause problems in certain situations, but these can be avoided by the photographer.

At present, no manufacturer can manage the balancing act between an affordable, robust and waterproof compact camera with zoom and very good image quality. Unfortunately, the Tough TG-5 from Olympus is no exception. In return, the camera impresses with its comprehensive equipment and versatile photographic functions. In addition, nothing stands in the way of upgrading the camera to a “real” underwater camera thanks to an optional housing and a wirelessly controllable underwater flash unit.

Right out of the gate, I could not be happier with the TG-5 compared to the limited number of other waterproof/rugged compact cameras "out there." I am a lifelong veteran of personal and professional photojournalism (I shot my first pro event, an Indy car race, in 1967 and have been shooting ever since) and recognize that every camera will have a few "minus" factors to go with its many "plus" qualities. I shoot both stills and video, and currently use a Canon 7D Mk II (plus lenses), a GoPro, and several auxiliary cameras to document backcountry activities here in Colorado. I have been through multiple Nikon and Canon SLRs and DSLRs over the years, but am not averse to shooting with modern point-and-shoot boxes rather than missing out entirely. I have been researching waterproof compacts for over a year, and finally settled on the TG-5 for my latest trout fishing project. After a few days with it in-hand, here are my initial impressions.First, the THREE BIG CONS: 1. No Shutter Priority mode. Why provide Aperture Priority but no Shutter Priority? Dunno. It would seem that one could control shutter speed with AP alone, but add to that problem . . . 2. No Manual mode. What??? For someone who grew up on the "manual mantra," Sunny 16 Rule, etc., no manual mode is like climbing into a car with no steering wheel. Sure, some of the presets can be helpful, but still, no "M" on the box is quite distressing. Then, add to that . . . 3. No Exposure Lock. This is another mystery -- why a Focus Lock function but no Exposure Lock? Or even a Focus/Exposure lock? Fortunately, a combined F/E lock kicks in for video and panoramas -- but not for stills. For any photog who wants to control the exposure rather than operate in PhD (Press Here Dummy) mode, these three essentials -- or even any two of them -- would make this little camera practically perfect in every way. I put these CONS first only to save time for shoppers who like the bad news before the good. Now, here"s the good news.A LOT OF PROS: The TG-5 is far better across the board than any consumer-priced waterproof camera on the market at this point. Since I numbered the CONS above, I will number the PROS with a few annotations. 1. Olympus optics. I first shot with an Olympus in 1972, and have never been disappointed with its optics at any price point. Images shot with the TG-5, especially without extending the modest optical zoom, are crisp, clear, and hold up very well in post-production. 2. GPS on board. Shooting backcountry subjects frequently requires geotagging. Add the "Log" function, and an at-hand compass, coordinates, temp, alt, etc. and it is a true mountain camera. 3. Zoom while shooting video (not all compacts have this). 4. Quick and easy "Live" controls, including at-hand White Balance and Exposure Compensation without groping for menus and buttons. 5. Controllable flash output (it"s about time!). 6. Multiple monitor displays (5), with color & B&W histograms and high/low flashing. 7. Fast start-up. Boom-it"s on. 8. Intuitive menus. 9. Excellent documentation by PDF and on-screen helps that are non-intrusive and just informative enough. 10. Minimal shutter lag & "Pro Capture" to mitigate what little lag is there. 11. Microscope mode (unreal!). 12. Can shoot in RAW -- a must for me. 13. Smartphone connectivity via WiFi. A little clunky, but workable and includes video controls. 14. Solid & substantial grip & feel. Hey, it"s not an old F4 with motordrive, but you know it"s in your hand. This is a good thing for a solid shooting foundation. 15. Weight. Perfect, in my book. 16. Waterproof/Ruggedness. I"m adding this one on faith that all the reviews I"ve read are true & accurate.My overall review is 4 Stars out of 5, partly based on the fool"s hope that Olympus might read this and add those big three features I mentioned at the beginning. If they do, I will happily throw down another $350-$400 for a new one, and keep this one in my backpack as well. Other enhancements might include a microphone jack (though I usually use audio recorded on a portable digital recorder) and a small remote, but this is a compact, so I would be happy with more exposure control and call it a day.

The Olympus TOUGH TG-5 is the latest in the company’s massively popular line of rugged waterproof compacts. Olympus launched the Tough brand back in 2009, but it wasn’t until the TOUGH TG-1 in 2012 that people really started to take notice. Now, the TOUGH range is highly respected among outdoor adventurers and the brand that other manufacturers look to emulate.

The TG-5 was launched in May 2017 replacing the two year old TG-4. As before, it’s waterproof to a depth of 15 metres, can withstand a drop from 2.1 metres, is freezeproof down to -10C, crushproof to 100Kg and dustproof. It retains the older model’s 4x optical zoom with an equivalent range of 25-100mm but updates the sensor, swapping the earlier 16 Megapixel chip for a 12 Megapixel one, a welcome move which should result in better noise performance and overall image quality, not to mention an increase in the sensitivity range to 12,800 ISO. The new sensor is paired with the same TruePic VIII processor used in the company’s flagship mirrorless model, the OMD EM1 Mk II.

The TG-5 isn’t the only new rugged waterproof camera to be released this year, in January 2107 Fujifilm announced the FinePix XP120. With a 5x optical zoom and a 16.4 Megapixel sensor, the XP120 is waterproof to a depth of 20 meters, freezeproof to -10C and shockproof from 1.75m. It’s around half the price of the TOUGH TG-5 but lacks some of its sophistication and features such as built-in GPS and thermometer, 4K movies and RAW shooting. Read on to see which is the best rugged waterproof compact for you.

The TOUGH TG-5 is the fifth generation TOUGH model to make use of the 4x 25-100mm equivalent f2.0 – 4.9 zoom lens. Ordinarily that would be a stretch, compact manufacturers tend to introduce new zooms with every two generations and sometimes even more frequently, but waterproof cameras are different and there are two reasons Olympus has stuck with the lens it introduced on the TOUGH TG-1 back in 2012.

The first is that because of the limited space inside an enclosed waterproof housing it’s technically difficult to make a zoom lens longer than 4x so, even if manufacturers wanted to, there’s no way they can gain a competitive advantage by extending the zoom. That said, if you’re looking for a longer range the FinePix XP120 has a 5x optical zoom with a range of 28 – 140mm equivalent but with a less bright f3.9 – 4.9 aperture. The TOUGH TG-870 also squeezes in a 5x optical zoom, again with a less bright f3.5 – 5.7 aperture.

Which brings us to the second reason. The TOUGH TG-5’s maximum aperture at the wide angle setting is f2.0 which is unusually bright for a waterproof compact. This gives it a big advantage when shooting underwater and in other low-light environments because it means the you can shoot with a faster shutter speed or a lower ISO sensitivity than other less well endowed cameras. For example if you were shooting the same scene with the TOUGH TG5 and FinePix XP120, you’d be able to shoot at 100 ISO on the TOUGH TG-5 but you’d need 400 ISO on the XP120.

A large part of the shooting experience with a rugged waterproof model like the TOUGH TG-5 centres around the ergonomics. It doesn’t matter how many features a camera has, if they’re difficult to access they won’t get used. This of course applies to all cameras but even more so with rugged waterproofs, when you’re often taking pictures in challenging environments.

I’m happy to report that the TOUGH TG-5 does very well in this respect. It not only looks good, but has been thoughtfully designed with a great manual control layout. Sure, the mode and control dials could be a little bigger, but let’s not forget that it’s unusual to have these on a waterproof compact at all, on the FinePix XP120 you’ll need to rely on the four-way controller and menus for these functions.