These two images are examples of the TG-5's ability to deliver sharp, colorful, beautiful photographs. 

Words & Photographs Copyright Scott Bourne

You rarely hear the phrase “point and shoot” camera anymore. It’s a segment that is dead or nearly dead to some people due to the uptake of good cell phone cameras. People don’t want to carry a separate device for their casual photography.

But you DO hear phrases like “adventure cameras.” or “action camera.” While photographers seem less willing to buy and carry a dedicated point and shoot model, high interest in cameras that can go on nearly any adventure with you (hiking, skiing, boating, parachuting, etc.) are very hot.

GoPro helped introduce this concept and I have used cameras like the GoPro but found them too limiting. I always wanted a small camera that could do “GoPro-like” things but also function like a normal camera, with both great still and video capability, but using traditional mounts for instance instead of a proprietary mounting system that is expensive and hard to manage.

The Olympus Tough TG-5 Digital Camera is just such a camera. It works like a normal point-and-shoot when you want a point-and-shoot, but it also can handle more extreme shooting situations. It’s also much better than any cell phone camera I’ve tested.

The camera is rated for underwater use, as well as tested to withstand falls and crushing, and is hermetically sealed against dust and moisture for assured use in trying conditions. Making use of these stats, a Field Sensor System incorporates GPS, a manometer, compass, and a thermometer for recording the details of your environment and embedding this data onto your photos and movies. Using built-in Wi-Fi and the OI.Track app, the recording log data and the imagery can be shared to a mobile device for compositing and sharing online.

​TOUGH IS IN THE NAME

Olympus uses the word tough in the name of this camera because, well it is indeed tough.

Let’s look at the design spec:

Waterproof-rated to IPX8 for use underwater to depths of 50' / 15m
Freezeproof to temperatures as low as 14°F / -10°C
Shockproof to falls from 7' / 2.1m high
Crushproof to withstand up to 220 lbf / 100 kgf of pressure
Dustproof-rated to IP6X to protect the internal components of the camera

It has even been sealed with double-pane glass to prevent fogging and condensation. It can be operated using gloves and all the controls are very accessible in nearly any situation.

EVALUATING JUST THE CAMERA

Regardless of the toughness of the camera, it needs to be a great camera to meet my needs. This is a great camera. Let’s start with the lens. It’s a built-in 4x optical zoom lens that covers a 25-100mm equivalent range and has a bright f/2 maximum aperture to suit working in low-light conditions.

I found the lens to be very sharp at all focal lengths once stopped down to around f/4 and even at f/2 it’s acceptably sharp on the corners and very sharp in the center.

The ergonomics are good too. The lens sits at the center of the body, unlike other tough cameras that place it in a corner, so there's room for a mounting ring for accessory lenses and flashes

The 12MP sensor is remarkably noise-free and the image quality is very good for such a small camera.

Here are the basic camera specs in one place for you…

12MP BSI CMOS Sensor
TruePic VIII Image Processor
Olympus 4x Optical Zoom f/2 Lens
25-100mm (35mm Equivalent)
3.0" 460k-Dot LCD Monitor
Water, Crush, Shock, Freeze & Dustproof
4K Video Recording and Full HD at 120p
Built-In Wi-Fi, GPS, Field Sensor System
ISO 12800 and Up to 20 fps Shooting
Pro Capture Mode & Variable Macro System

SHOOTING

Photography is supposed to be fun. Especially adventure photography. Being able to carry this little guy everywhere and not worry about it being dropped or getting wet, helps increase the fun quotient. 

Speaking of fun there are several cool fun features and scene modes in the Tough TG-5. 
Scene Modes include: Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Portrait +Landscape, Hand-held Starlight, Nightscape, Portrait + Nightscape, Children, Sport, Candlelight, Sunset, Fireworks, Beach & Snow, Panorama, Live Composite, and Backlight HDR. 

Autofocus is very good with 25-active AF points. The face detection works very well. The macro mode is crazy good and there’s even 4K video!

CONCLUSION

While it’s on the high-end price wise at $449, I still think the Tough TG-5 is a good buy because it doubles as a point-and-shoot as well as an action camera. The camera doesn’t have a viewfinder and frankly I miss that. The rear screen is good but like all cameras with rear screen-only viewing, it can be hard to see in super bright light. There is no full manual mode which doesn’t personally bother me because this is a fun camera meant to carry everywhere and enjoy. I have made serious photos with this camera but didn’t miss manual mode a bit because I was too busy playing with all the fun scene modes and art filters.

Hand-down, this is the best rugged action-style camera you can buy and it’s been recognized by many in the media as an editor’s choice for a reason. It’s fun, light-weight, compact, and very functional. It will probably outlast me which is why it gets my best rating HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

​Disclaimer - Scott Bourne is an Olympus Visionary