TG-5 the Swiss Army knife of compact digicams

Why I bought it: my beaten Panasonic DMC-LX3 is in agony. Too much mud and sand on three continents, too many shocks, and bathing it in whiskey didn't help. I'm thus after something both small and versatile, usb-powered, that does not need a lot of care and thinking.

Hands-on: coming from the bright and brilliant LX3, the Tough TG-5 indeed disappoints a bit when it comes to image quality - blame it on a smaller sensor and slightly soft lens. Still, I took it for a week-long hike in the snowy mountains and as a result I have to admit it does the job in almost any situation: landscapes, closeups, sunsets, indoors with the efficient flash... It definitely deserves the "tough" name, even if paranoid users like myself may want to add the silicon case, lens adapter, and some protective filter for extra peace of mind. Once properly configured and if shooting raw, this all makes for a rather pocketable, very decent all-weather go-anywhere year-round don't-worry point-and-shoot. The HD/4K video features work as expected and even offer some enjoyable functions (timelapse, hispeed etc.), although the noisy mechanical zoom is too audible.

Use cases: I consider it as a photographic Swiss Army knife of sorts. This TG-5 is at ease during a long hike under harsh weather, it is versatile, quite lightweight, and takes no rocket science to handle. Besides that, throw the LG-1 Led Light Guide in the mix, then its clever macro modes work wonders with insects, flowers, minerals and the such. Being a geologist, this is now my camera for both field- and labwork. However, it quickly disappoints for anything else (portraits, pets, dark scenes...) so better use a more conventional, larger-sensor camera in such contexts - I happen to own a ZS100 too.

What's wrong: My main criticism comes from the lack of both a fully "Manual" mode and/or a "AE/AF Lock" button, for e.g. quick panorama shooting (the provided Panoramic Mode feature is a crying shame). Also I sometimes hit a limit due to the quite slow, 4x only (100 mm eq.) zoom reach in front of a noisy 1/2.3" sensor. Taking out one star for these shortcomings. As observed by other users, the misplaced Log/GPS switch is way too easy to turn on accidentally - it cost me half a battery load once; a half-star again for this.

AndyH44 wrote:

Sounds like too much disappointment/whining. Sell it.

Perhaps. To be quite honest, I sometimes get the feeling that people expect IQ in a camera like the TG-5 to match that of their expensive DSLRs. Like I said, some do, well, at least I get that assumption after reading peoples opinions etc., on this little camera and cameras like it. Nothing is perfect out there, and the TG-5 is no exception. It is what it is, and I personally think it does a pretty decent job. I have other cameras that provide excellent IQ, especially with pro lenses attached. I certainly didn't buy into the TG-5 expecting the same output.

As some already know, I purchased the TG-5 for my wife's upcoming trip back home. I offered to let her use my Pen-F, which does provide better IQ than the TG-5, but, she will be going to a number of beaches and wanted something that would allow her to use while swimming and snorkeling. Not to mention a camera that will be easier for her to use and also easier for her to carry around. That is what this little camera is all about. So if some are expecting better IQ, then I would suggest taking their money and purchase an appropriate housing for the camera they already own. My opinion of course.

It's just a review. Listing the pros while mentioning the cons is being fair to the reader, not "whining".

Why would someone sell their useful Swiss Army knife because it's neither a chainsaw nor a 17th-c. Japanese sword... is beyond me.

I think the changes that you want to see will be saved for the next iteration of TG camera.  After all, they've got to do something to make people want to upgrade.

It arrived on Wednesday and is proving a worth adjunct to my Sony RX100 V.

Now if the Sony were rugged, then no contest. The Sony is not, so enter the TG-5.

Remarkable for what it does, especially the close up mode and the ruggedness of it.

Thanks for your review - I've owned/used several waterproof tough cameras and find your rating of the TG-5 similar to my experience - very serviceable for it's intended use.

I recently picked one up and am looking forward to putting it to use where my dslr would not be risked.

453C wrote:

Shoshot wrote:

It's just a review. Listing the pros while mentioning the cons is being fair to the reader, not "whining".

I didn't read it as whining. I think the camera fares well against other ruggedized compacts, but realistically, there's always room for improvement.

Why would someone sell their useful Swiss Army knife because it's neither a chainsaw nor a 17th-c. Japanese sword... is beyond me.

I hope some of the negatives may be addressed through a firmware update. If Olympus can provide a full manual mode through the rear pad and top control wheel, that would be a welcome change.

Btw, if it hasn't been said before, welcome to DPR!

Personally I see full manual or even aperture priority modes in this camera fairly pointless as there’s only 2 physical apertures. Programme mode with exposure compensation suits me fine.

Best bit about this camera is the macro modes. Brilliant.

Shoshot, many thanks for this.  and thanks for responding to my question re: LX3 Vs TG-5.  After a few days with my TG-5 my feelings are pretty much the same as yours.  Indeed a Swiss army knife.  Which is great.  Sometimes not so great.  But overall a handy and capable tool.