A worry-free & excellent camera

I have had the TG-2 for 4 months and have thoroughly enjoyed using it.

The reasons that prompted me to get this camera were -

1. the adage that "the best camera is the one you have with you". My TG-2 goes everywhere with me, rain or shine, day or night. It serves as my journal/diary, for a picture paints a thousand words. This camera is small and light enough to carry around, but so are the myriads of other cameras. However, with the TG-2, I do so with the peace of mind that if it gets knocked, wet, dropped or sat upon, it is "tough" enough to fend off the wear and tear, so I am informed.

2. that one of my previous compacts dropped into a pail of water during one of my forays to the toilet, RIP, and have not managed to take another photo since. A water-proof camera should put to rest my phobia of history repeating itself.

3. that, for this point of time, the TG-2 sports the superlatives in it's specs for weather-proof compacts anyway - fastest lens. greatest depth, highest drop, heaviest crush, most accessories, best looking?

Of all the compact cameras I have owned over the years (total 5), this one takes the best photos, especially at night with the 2.0 wide-angle lens. I did not expect this since waterproof cameras, with their non-extending lens designs, have been known to notoriously produce inferior IQ compared to "normal" compacts. But I was thoroughly surprised.

The colours are bright and natural; focusing was very fast and accurate, even in dimmer conditions; the lens doesn't protrude and I can stick the camera on the front surface of my fish tanks and hence eliminate all reflections in the aquatic videos, the wide-angle lens giving me sufficient view of about 90 degrees up close; AND, the Micro mode is something so extraordinary that you have to see to believe!! (sorry that I could find no mention of it in the dpreview review of the TG-2).

The no-nos are taking portraits up close using wide angle; you will end up looking distorted, or worse, fat! The "intelligent" zoom doesn't work in i-Auto mode. The lens did fog up for a couple of minutes when I plunged it into a mountain stream but cleared up soon enough. Apart from these little niggles, the TG-2 is an interesting camera to have around, able to do things other cameras fear to tread. And no, I have not done the "drop" test, yet.

Nice review! Your experience is very similar to mine with my TG-1, especially your first paragraph. Mine goes everywhere with me. I stick it in my golf bag (you never know when you'll see something interesting on a golf course--scenery, wildlife, sunrises, sunsets, maybe a hole-in-one?), carry it in my daily work tote, take it to the boarding stable, take it on trips, etc. My only complaint is slightly soft pictures (when you go pixel peeping), but I agree, the macro is unbelievably good--no softness there whatsoever. I'm glad you are enjoying yours so much.