New Olympus / OM System TG-7 Camera

[ZombieCake]

Looks like a replacement for the TG-6 has been announced, called the TG-7. Seems to be an evolution of the previous one, with a few extras added in.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Starts shipping 20th Sept at around £500. I paid £400 for my new TG6. You have to look at the new specs I guess.

 

[ZombieCake]

I don't think I'll be upgrading my TG-6 just yet as it still works fine..
Must admit in addition to the normal photo stuff there's a couple of gadgets I quite like on the TG-6. When the camera is turned off a short press on the 'Info' button on the back opens up a digital compass on the screen. Again while off a long press on the 'Info' button turns on the LED light on the front to use as a torch. Not world changing but useful enough!

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Oh dear. Not found any of that so maybe the TG 7 is beyond me. Anyone with loads of time might be able to specify the differance you get for £100

 

[kay]

Oh dear. Not found any of that so maybe the TG 7 is beyond me. Anyone with loads of time might be able to specify the differance you get for £100

You're in good company. The TG5 does all that too, and I never knew.

 

[AlexR]

The TGs are good cameras, and I’m saying this as someone who owns a TG3 & 5.
My overall experience with them has however been a mixed one, especially for caving. Both cameras developed persistent autofocus issues, buttons stopped working, etc.. (Yes I cleaned them well after every trip). One was repaired under warranty, which was a little faffy but ok.

I did enjoy playing with the time lapse feature (though the limitation to 300 pictures or so is stupid) & live composite, but wouldn’t say that alone justifies the price.
Shooting in RAW (TG5) is something I thought useful but ultimately I can’t be bothered to edit photos much anyway and algorithms now consistently do a better job than I could (cf. phones below).

When the TG5 stopped focussing I decided to get a used phone instead (iPhone 12 mini) for which I paid £150. And I’ve got to say it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Photos are consistently better than the TG5; plus I use it for navigation to caves, surveys, with a Bluetooth speaker for digging & camp entertainment, etc.

I’d recommend anyone thinking about a cave camera to have a look at used phones as an alternative, the LiDAR in some models will mean your pictures are pretty much guaranteed to be in focus even in very low light conditions

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Certainly the future as camera phones get more AI assist. Whilst phones seem to create a good image they often have a grainy effect and where I am concerned they dont respond well to editing. Its pretty much you get what you get though low light images are quite remarkable. The last TG6 died on the trip but resurrected itself back home. After many thousands of underground images its hardly surprising. Ultimately the entire lens coating rubbed away leaving just plain glass. The new TG6 has made a differance and I must desist in rubbing when its steamed up. Best to hold it over the LED torch for a while.

 

[ChrisB]

Ultimately the entire lens coating rubbed away

I use one of these on my TG-6. It's pretty good at keeping mud off the lens. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313631995187 You can buy the genuine Olympus one for 3 times the price, the JJC works fine - it was a bit stiff initially but silicone spray fixed it and I haven't needed to re-apply it.

 

[Tritim230]

The TGs are good cameras, and I’m saying this as someone who owns a TG3 & 5.
My overall experience with them has however been a mixed one, especially for caving. Both cameras developed persistent autofocus issues, buttons stopped working, etc.. (Yes I cleaned them well after every trip). One was repaired under warranty, which was a little faffy but ok.

I did enjoy playing with the time lapse feature (though the limitation to 300 pictures or so is stupid) & live composite, but wouldn’t say that alone justifies the price.
Shooting in RAW (TG5) is something I thought useful but ultimately I can’t be bothered to edit photos much anyway and algorithms now consistently do a better job than I could (cf. phones below).

When the TG5 stopped focussing I decided to get a used phone instead (iPhone 12 mini) for which I paid £150. And I’ve got to say it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Photos are consistently better than the TG5; plus I use it for navigation to caves, surveys, with a Bluetooth speaker for digging & camp entertainment, etc.

I’d recommend anyone thinking about a cave camera to have a look at used phones as an alternative, the LiDAR in some models will mean your pictures are pretty much guaranteed to be in focus even in very low light conditions

I've noticed the auto focus isn't performing as it used to on my TG-6. Camera is 9 months old and has been on a dozen trips. Carried in a Peli case which does a marvellous job of protection, other than wet/mud when used, operating condition is well within specification. The back LCD screen is, for want of a better description, delamination. The focus is a real issue, does anybody know why this occurs? After all this the fundamental USP of point and shoot cameras.

 

[AlexR]

In my case the auto focussing issues had two causes.

After a while moisture manages to make its way into the camera and then condenses on the inside of the lens. Managed to partially solve that problem by storing the camera in a Tupperware box over silica gel between uses.

I suspect the second problem are the inevitable scratches that accumulate on the lens which seem to mess with the auto focus quite a bit - a lot more so than the equivalent scratch on a phone lens.

I suspect that’s not the whole story as my TG5 degraded a lot quicker than the TG3 with a comparable number of trips.

 

[mrodoc]

Oh dear. Not found any of that so maybe the TG 7 is beyond me. Anyone with loads of time might be able to specify the differance you get for £100

You have been there when I have used the compass Nick!

 

[BikinGlynn]

The TGs are good cameras, and I’m saying this as someone who owns a TG3 & 5.
My overall experience with them has however been a mixed one, especially for caving. Both cameras developed persistent autofocus issues, buttons stopped working, etc.. (Yes I cleaned them well after every trip). One was repaired under warranty, which was a little faffy but ok.

I did enjoy playing with the time lapse feature (though the limitation to 300 pictures or so is stupid) & live composite, but wouldn’t say that alone justifies the price.
Shooting in RAW (TG5) is something I thought useful but ultimately I can’t be bothered to edit photos much anyway and algorithms now consistently do a better job than I could (cf. phones below).

When the TG5 stopped focussing I decided to get a used phone instead (iPhone 12 mini) for which I paid £150. And I’ve got to say it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Photos are consistently better than the TG5; plus I use it for navigation to caves, surveys, with a Bluetooth speaker for digging & camp entertainment, etc.

I’d recommend anyone thinking about a cave camera to have a look at used phones as an alternative, the LiDAR in some models will mean your pictures are pretty much guaranteed to be in focus even in very low light conditions

As a photographer I agree phones now are very capable without lugging loads of kit in a mine / cave.
however isnt the advantage of this type of camera its durability & water proof ness!
A phone is simply a pain in the ass going in & out of a derry drum in anywhere remotely wet in my experience, I can see the benefit in a robust waterproof camera that can just be shoved in suit pocket.

 

[andrewmcleod]

Plenty of waterproof phones albeit few/none as tough as a TG series; mine goes in a small pelicase rather than faffing about with a drum (together, usually, with my car keys although obviously that does introduce an element of risk).

All depends what you want to do with it.