You know a camera is good when friends who use it go out and buy one. But you know a camera is really good when the director of a rival camera company wants one – and even admits that it’s better than the one that his company makes!
That’s the case with the OM System Tough TG-7, which is my favorite compact camera right now. And it’s a camera that’s so good, it literally sells itself just by letting people use it!
(If you want to pick up one of your own, it’s currently discounted by $118 in the US and is also its lowest ever price in the UK, as part of the Amazon Spring Sale.)
With its back-side illuminated sensor and RAW shooting, the TG-7 is capable in low light… or underwater! (Image credit: James Artaius)
Most recently, one of my best friends set off to spend six months in Thailand. She’s a photographer who wanted to document her adventure but didn’t want to risk her DSLR in obscene humidity, sandy beaches or river networks, or risk it falling out of her backpack or off her scooter.
The TG-7 is perfect, being waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof – and having a built-in GPS, to easily catalog where she was during her trip (along with a Field Sensor System that can even record the temperatures so people know she’s not exaggerating the heat!).
Sure, the smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor isn’t going to give you the same fidelity as those found in DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but the quality is really quite good. And the 12MP resolution enables the sensor, which is also back-illuminated, to perform very well in low light – and underwater!
This tiny shell was the size of my pinky fingernail… (Image credit: James Artaius)
… which was no problem for the TG-7’s built-in macro mode (Image credit: James Artaius)
And the 24-100mm equivalent lens gives you a very versatile zoom range, but the best thing about it is that it has an integrated macro mode – enabling you to get incredible close-up shots without the need to screw on any accessories.
And of course, the real kicker for me was when I was having dinner with the director of a competing camera company. He was absolutely fascinated by the camera, and asked me all kinds of questions about it, and promptly set off to buy one – admitting that it’s better than the ones made by his company!
If you’re looking for the perfect travel camera to take on vacations and day trips this year, or you just want a great compact camera that fits in your pocket and takes pretty pictures and 4K video, I really don’t think you can go wrong with the Tough TG-7. Especially given its ruggedness that means you can take it absolutely anywhere!
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