OM System has announced the Tough TG-7, a rugged underwater compact camera that can handle depths of up to 45 metres, will be available from mid-September 2023 with an RRP of $799.
It’s a promising product announcement from OM System, the camera brand formerly known as Olympus which was acquired by Japan Industrial Partners Inc (JIP) in 2020.
JIP’s acquisition included the licence to make Olympus camera gear but without the brand name, bringing an end to the Olympus brand’s historic involvement with consumer photography and giving birth to OM System.
JIP is known for performing Frankenstein-like operations on terminally ill brands, with an ordinary-to-poor track record when it comes to ‘unbundling’ various acquired businesses. Although OM System appears to be an exception – for now.
The Tough series are great little cameras. This writer purchased a TG-5 for a family member, and then borrowed it and forgot to give it back. The underwater photos are clear and crisp, as are the macro settings. Great for diving and photographing tiny coral heads. It’s also a fun camera to take to the beach, throw around in the sand, wash off in the ocean, and capture wide-angle surf photos/videos.
It’s hard to sell a consumer fixed-lens compact camera in the smart phone era. But smart phones cannot compete with a rugged/underwater compact.
Before we jump into the press release, get a load of this OM System-supplied marketing picture showing how the TG-7 is ‘crush proof’. Let’s hope their R&D team is better than the marketing design department.
Press release:
Introducing the OM SYSTEM Tough TG-7 Compact Digital Camera
Your ultimate companion for outdoor photography, combining rugged durability with incredible macro shooting capabilities.
Sydney, September 13, 2023 – OM Digital Solutions Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the OM SYSTEM TG-7, the latest addition to the OM SYSTEM Tough series, available from mid-September 2023. This rugged camera is designed to deliver exceptional performance, with dustproof and shockproof capabilities, enduring falls from up to 2.1 metres and resisting forces up to 100 kilograms. The Tough TG-7’s underwater shooting modes complement its waterproof abilities up to 15 metres, and it remains functional in freezing temperatures down to -10°C. The camera can be used with the PT-059 Underwater Housing (sold separately) for usability in depths of up to 45 metres. Its Field Sensor System automatically acquires location and environmental data, enhancing the shooting experience. The TG-7 features a compact, lightweight, and durable design, embodying the essence of the OM SYSTEM brand.
Beyond its Tough features, the TG-7 boasts a brilliant F2.0 high-speed zoom lens, RAW recording, and a 4x optical zoom lens with an F2.0 aperture for fast shutter speeds and reduced subject blur. The Variable Macro System allows close-up capabilities as close as 1 centimetre from the lens’s edge with a maximum image magnification of 7x, expanding macro photography boundaries. Additional features include a Construction Mode, accessories for system expansion, built-in GPS and sensors, support for vertical video, Pro Capture Mode, Interval Shooting with Time Lapse Movie generation and USB Type-C charging.
The OM SYSTEM Tough TG-7 empowers photographers to capture extraordinary images in any environment, whether underwater, in freezing temperatures, or on rugged terrains. For more information, visit https://explore.omsystem.com/au/en/tg-7
Waterproof up to 15m1, freezeproof down to -10°C, and extraordinary shockproof capabilities. Unmatched Tough performance for photography anytime, anywhere.
The OM SYSTEM Tough TG-7 features meticulously sealed construction throughout the entire camera body, complemented by a dual-lock mechanism on crucial openings, like the battery cover. This exceptional engineering guarantees waterproof performance for underwater shooting to depths of 15m and powerful dustproof performance2 safeguarding the camera from sand and dust particles. With powerful freezeproof performance down to -10°C and dual-pane protective glass on the front lens for anti-fogging, photographers can confidently venture into extreme temperature variations, such as skiing in outdoor winter conditions. This Tough camera is also equipped with shockproof construction, capable of withstanding falls from heights of up to 2.1m3, and crushproof resilience up to 100 kgf4, making it the ultimate companion for challenging shooting environments like mountains. Its compact and lightweight build, combined with unbeatable Tough performance, fulfills the demands for adventure photography. The non-slip grip ensures a secure hold, even in wet conditions.
Equipped with a brilliant, F2.05 high-speed zoom lens and RAW recording for versatile creative possibilities.
This model boasts a 4x optical zoom lens with a bright, high-speed, maximum F2.02 aperture at the wide-angle end. The bright F2.0 aperture allows for the usage of fast shutter speeds, reducing subject blur even when capturing fast-moving subjects. To achieve such extraordinary lens performance, advanced optical technologies were incorporated, including a DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) Lens. The image sensor is equipped with a high-speed back-lit CMOS image sensor with exceptional sensitivity performance, complemented by AR (anti-reflective) coating on both sides of the sealing glass, to suppress ghosting and flaring. Additionally, it uses the TruePic VIII image processing engine found in our interchangeable lens cameras, resulting in exceptional image quality. The camera fully supports RAW recording with in-camera RAW processing and RAW image editing and processing on a computer using our free OM Workspace software, granting photographers limitless possibilities in their creative vision.
Variable Macro System that transcends human visual limits with close-up capabilities as close as 1 cm from the edge of the lens.
This model excels in close-up photography, offering an impressive shooting range as close as 1cm from the lens’s edge and a maximum image magnification of 7x (35mm equivalent). Alongside the Microscope Control Mode, Focus Stacking Mode, and Focus Bracketing Mode, the Variable Macro System expands the boundaries of macro shooting by providing two optional accessories that unlock even more possibilities. With these capabilities, photographers can capture vivid images of minute subjects that go beyond the limitations of the human eye.
Microscope Mode
Enabling subjects to be photographed as close as 1 cm from the lens’s edge away from the end of the lens and achieving a maximum image magnification of 7x (35mm equivalent) when setting the optical zoom to the telephoto end, this camera offers a magnified shooting experience reminiscent of using a microscope.
Microscope Control Mode
In this mode, users can effortlessly switch between 1x, 2x, and 4x magnifications with the single touch of a button, mimicking the experience of using a microscope to observe and photograph subjects. The rear LCD monitor allows for subject magnification of up to 44.4x.
Focus Stacking Mode
By shifting the focus position while capturing multiple shots, this mode selectively extracts and merges only the areas in focus, resulting in a single image with an extensive depth of field. It is the perfect feature for macro shooting scenarios with shallow depth of field and limited focus areas. Users can select the number of shots, ranging from 3 to 10, providing precise control over the desired outcome.
Focus Bracketing Mode
This mode alters the focus position while capturing up to 30 shots, offering three levels each for focus shift and number of shots, tailored to the subject and shooting conditions. It is particularly useful for quickly focusing on challenging subjects like flower petals and insect wings. Images captured in this mode can also be edited with OM Workspace to create a single image, simulating the effect of Focus Stacking Mode.
Supports diverse underwater shooting styles with five shooting modes and waterproof performance down to 45m when paired with the PT-059 Underwater Housing.
This model delivers exceptional waterproof performance up to a depth of 15m, making it the ideal companion for aquatic activities such as snorkeling and riverside fun. When paired with the ePT-059 Underwater Housing (sold separately), it enables underwater photography at depths of up to 45m. The PT-059 can accommodate two external flash units, creating a compact yet comprehensive multi-unit flash system for stunning underwater flash photography. Five underwater shooting modes optimise settings for various scenes: Underwater Wide, Underwater Snapshot, Underwater Macro, Underwater Microscope, and Underwater HDR. Additionally, the Underwater: Shallow, Underwater: Mid-Range, and Underwater: Deep white balance modes automatically adjust based on the underwater shooting mode, but manual adjustments are also possible.
Other features
• Full lineup of accessories for system expansion
• Built in GPS, air pressure, shooting direction, and temperature sensors. This model is equipped with a Field Sensor System that automatically acquires location information (latitude and longitude), temperature, water temperature, altitude (water depth), and shooting direction tracking data while traveling. Load this information into the OM Image Share (OI.Share) smartphone app to link and display the route traveled along with the altitude (water depth) in recorded images.
• Vertical video is also supported on this model, so videos recorded in vertical orientation on the camera are saved as vertical video files, making them easy to post on social media, etc. without the need for any editing software.
• Pro Capture Mode begins recording from 0.5 seconds before the full shutter press and continues sequential shooting at 10 fps, making it convenient for capturing shots that are difficult to time, such as flying insects and a milk drop coronet.
• Interval Shooting supports up to 299 shots. After shooting is complete, a Time Lapse Movie is automatically generated. In interval shooting, users can set shooting interval priority and exposure equalisation processing to deal with sudden changes in exposure between frames.
• Equipped with a USB Type-C terminal, the battery can be charged in the camera body.
• The RM-WR1 Wireless Remote Control enables remote shooting and features IP57 protection class dustproof and splashproof performance. The power-saving design is achieved via Bluetooth® Low Energy communication6.
• This camera is capable of capturing images that comply with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism digital photo management information standards, utilising the touch setting “CALS/CALS H.”
• The Tough TG-7 is equipped with a Construction mode, making it an ideal choice for business purposes.
For details visit: https://explore.omsystem.com/au/en/tg-7
Pricing & availability for OM SYSTEM TOUGH TG-7
The TG-7 will be available from mid-September at a recommended retail price of $799 AUD / $849 NZD Detailed product specifications for the OM SYSTEM TG-7 Please see the OM SYSTEM website for detailed product specifications: https://explore.omsystem.com/au/en/tg-7
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Thanks, very helpful review.