Chris, When I saw you and Jordan were leaving TCS I was at first very disappointed. Then you told us you were still going to be around, just at a different site. So glad you two are still around, I really appreciate your in depth and honest reviews. You seem to cover the little things that most others never mention. Thanks for being there for us...
If the TG5 had a viewfinder I would buy it in a heartbeat ! For me the reason to get a camera like that is not so much underwater capability but general toughness and water/dust resistance. It would be great to carry around on hiking trips, visits to beach resorts, playing tourist in rainy or freezing weather and such without having to worry about dropping it or having it damaged by rain or freeze. For general use, I really prefer an EVF particularly in sunny weather. A casual use compact alternative to something like the EM-5 II with (hopefully) decent image quality and at least some creative control features would be great.
I hope Olympus eventually makes another camera like the Tough TG-870. I was looking for a waterproof camera a while ago and saw the 870/860. That had some really unique and useful features (20mm eqv. lens, flip screen, etc), but it was discontinued by then. Now prices on it are too much and buying a used waterproof camera is risky. :(
I've been a long time Pentax WG series user which is now Ricoh and I simply love the camera. But the model numbers have changed and the unit itself maintains practically the same. But i still love the thing! To bad you guys didn't include it! I'd love to see a review of the new Ricoh WG-60.
I've been using the W300 for a couple months now and have been rather surprised with the capability once I've gone into the advanced settings. Some of the issues you mentioned dissappear and performs quite well.
Great video, I just went through this evaluation for myself and decided on the TG-5. I did notice that when shooting video the camera records the sound of the zoom lens. Not terrible for underway video but if I was using the camera for casual recording that is a show stopper. I haven’t tested the water proofing yet but I did opt for a two year replacement warranty and will drop it in the pool prior to our trip. Thanks for the great video and I do hope the TG-5 captures some great shots for our family.
Am approaching 70, I was still free diving till three summers ago! I owned a Nikonos V till 82....great camera! I bought an Olympus Tuf3 three years ago, for danger(to the camera) close, projects! It, will take a swamping😎 I also believe the 3 has better specs......great macro without attachments😎 Down side no viewfinder.....in sunlight my screen pitch black😩
Funny episode! I'm surprised that the lumix doesn't have RAW! This is crucial to me, so I got the capability to correct some things in post and at a higher pricepoint as the Olympus you can expect that. Great review and entertaining... as always
Great video,well done. I use these untherwather camerara,s for many years now and They are great.. Use 2 Tg 5 now for a year and They are great at 4K and RAW pictures. Where a few weeks at Mauritius and we are snorkeling Every day and the images are fantastic.
Ive had the tg5 for a year. Main gripe is that sometimes I get a discolored orangish spot in the middle of the pic when lighting is above average, especially in macro mode. Fits in pocket easily, no leaks, great battery, good pics under normal circumstances.
I now have the tg-5 and found the flaw in the design that makes the screen difficult to see in sunlight and devised a plan to correct it. The camera is still very good usable and enjoyable without doing these changes so don't think you will have to do this if you buy this camera. I am just very meticulous and love to improve things. The problem is the edges of the screen allow light to enter when they should be completely opaque. Screen haze comes from a collision of light coming from too many angles so when the light enters the top and sides of the screen at a 90 degree angle it collides with it like coming from the screen and creates a haze. The simple fix will be to mask off the edges of the screen and use some tough black paint to cover them and this will improve visibility. Another common fix for the issue of not being able to see the screens in sunlight is to use a viewing loop. On the Tg5 even with the loop I have I still need to seal the edges of the screen with opaque paint because unlike most cameras or actually any can try I've ever seen it has its screen edges exposed to sunlight. I did add a viewfinder and that allowed me to even see more clearly the light leak that happens but it still does help greatly for viewing and it will be perfect once I paint the edges. For cameras that don't have them you can usually find a screen isolator for under $20. Personally I use and love this magnetic one I linked here even though it's one more think to cary it is very light and tough so not a problem for me. There are ones that are more like folding flaps which also protect the screen when folded up but I went with the one with total isolation and magnification. They may also sometimes fit oddly but for me it has been a priceless game changer. Xit XTLCDMV Professional LCD Viewfinder with 2X Magnification (Black) www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTCWZYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NtvWCbGF2B2ZH
been using TS2 for ages, 1 great thing about these underwater camera is that I can hnd them to the kids and not worry they might broke anything ... not my SLRs ...
Same thing here, my DMC-TS2 is all scratched but is never letting me down. I even gave it to my baby boy to let him, gnaw on it, haha. But the new TS7, might be the one i was waiting for, to replace the TS2. :)
Hello Chris and Jordan I love you guys hello from Atlanta Georgia I didn't know you guys were going to do this kind of video this was an accident I'm really loving it though thanks again your best friend
I have the TG5. To keep the seals clean and free from hair etc is harder than it sounds in same cases. I now use a magnifing glass to check the seals. Often I see fine hairs or similar that I cant see with just the eyes.
I have the TG-5, and I use it for diving. A good underwater housing for my Canon EOS 7D would cost between $1500 and $2000, which is out of my price range. The TG-5 is good for down to 50 feet right out of the box, but I bought the underwater housing for it, both for the greater depth capability (more than 130 feet) and for the larger controls, since I dive in cold water and have to wear thick gloves. I have it mounted on a tray that holds a SeaLife SeaDragon 2500 LED continuous light on an extension handle, and the whole package is very ergonomic.
Thanks for a great review. The thing I use my Nikon AW130 for most is time-lapse photography in all kinds of weather. It would be nice to have greater time-lapse capabilities in my next one. Is one of these camera's any better in that area?
Wasn't really interested in the cameras, but I knew there would be some hijinks, like using the camera as a lure (which was an epic idea, even if you didn't catch anything) and eating the silica packet (yum). Please don't change, part of your charm is that you don't take yourselves too seriously. :)
I gave you shit for how often you mentioned DPReview the last time, I am very happy with it this time. It's not just that it is less, this time it has a real purpose. And of course another great video! ... Jordan, did you survive this? xD
Where is this pond located? I was worried the move to DPR might take away some of the Alberta/Calgary-ness from the videos but I'm stoked to see that's not the case. Nice video as always, lads.
Hey guys long time fan, thanks for all your hard work. Canon ,Nikon, Sigma, Tamron, Sony, Fuji and Panasonic all have 100ish-400mm lenses and nobody has done an online comparison between these lenses. I know me and a lot of other people are looking at at least some of these lenses. Would you consider doing a shootout between them?
Cool video :) Still looking for a decent rugged camera for climbing trip.. Well, I will probably go with the X-T20 and XF 27mm... and pray it does not get crashed ! Come on, 1" sensor to aps-c, fixed lens, rugged. Yes, you can ;)
I've always appreciated that they at least tried with the freeze proofing, but freeze proof to -10 celsius is pretty useless in alberta, or even most mountains in the winter....
Actually helped me out I was kinda torn between the Olympus and the Fuji , I am a point and shoot guy, don't need all the extras on the Olympus and the Fuji for me would be perfect and it does have the WIFI, and definatly helps on the pocket book, I was looking for a all around camera, land and water, thanks for the info, just found your vids in the side menu, thanks guys,,,,Side Note,, What does RAW mean in taking pics,,,sorry, newbie, lolol
Dear Jordan, tnx for the review but I read in the Amazon comments from some customers that bought the TG-5 that it not that waterproof, nor tough. If there is a leakage problem during the warranty period Olympus will not cover this problem and claim that it was misused. I also see that there is an underwater housing for it, I do appreciate that it is for deeper dives but I can'r help to be alarmed. Some report that you have to pay USD 150 to Olympus to waterproof the camera once a year. There are also complaints about its video, not being able to keep zoom with moving objects, noise when recording video and zooming and many more shortcomings. Maybe in the future you could be taking into account in some way such customer experiences when you are doing your reviews.
these are all point and shoot cameras, and the problem with any water proof gear is the company will always try to say it was misused, and half the time they would be right, people don't maintenance the cameras good enough, like Chris said you need to clean them good and keep the rubber gaskets clean, many times when these cameras mess up, it is probably at least part the customers fault, and do you think if your expensive Samsung so called water proof phone stops working because of water that Samsung would relace or fix it for free, i don't think any company would, and I don't think when people do a review that they should include other peoples reviews, because if they haven't seen the problem first hand, it isn't really right for them to talk about it.
These are not point and shoot. Jordan did not alert us to the behaviour you claim from these firms. Also how could Jordan experience such problems with a day out in a lake; esp. if he is unaware of them. I didn't say anything about Samsung or any company, model, or product other than the TG-5. And I certainly do not own "a Samsung phone". If a product review fails to address frequently reported problems from verified buyers then the review is incomplete if not outright partial. You are welcome to follow the conclusions of such reviews at your own peril. You've been warned :-)
That water leakage/misuse problem is people not taking care of the seals where the doors open up. The manual states something about replacing them or some kind of care to be taken at least once a year. Remember how in this video he says to make sure crud, salt and other stuff needs to be clean off, instead of just forgetting about it? I was worried to when I was reading those Amazon reviews...at first, until someone there pointed this out. If you're looking for the best quality pics for a waterproof camera for both underwater and on land, this is the best (though unfortunately not real REEEEAL great), it seems...
I think what breaks it for me is, I look at the reviews too. No manufactured product is lemon free... So what sets me off is no one actually ever says the companies fixed their camera because of a seal defect, it always says the company doesn't cover it... I saw the same for Nikon, Olympus, Fujifilm, and the other big companies that makes these camera.s
nice review, but I believe that rugged cameras is a particular niche where most of the time, the customer is ready to sacrifice a little bit of quality photo in order to get a more practical and easy to use camera... in this regard the Nikon seems to be the best option, the only feature that Nikon lacks is the ability to shoot RAW files, but apart from that is probably the best option. It's easy to use, bigger buttons, less complicated menu, can go deeper in water, require less maintenance, it has only one flap... Olympus has a great quality picture but is more complicated to use and in certain scenarios where you need to use it quickly, this is a big factor.
I bought me a cheap "vacation camera" that would be a simple point just like you're saying but I sold it and upgraded after my first trip with it. As a photographer I can't do without RAW, I just can't anymore. But beyond my own camera snobbishness I had to chuck every low light picture I took (gorgeous tours of the Wine caves below Napa) because the JPEGs were crap and I didn't have a RAW capture backup to edit on my own when I found that the camera's processor had treated the entire frame as a giant shadow and dumped all the pixels in the garbage.
Thanks for the review. I am currently looking at getting a better camera for my scuba diving videos on my channel. Was thinking of Gopro 6 but the TG5 is looking like a much better option, plus the photos look great. Whats your thoughts compared to gopro 6.
Hi Chris,nice review.I'd have loved to be there and push you into the water to see if you're waterproof.I have certain doubts seeing the approach you've followed.Bye!
Thanks for another excellent and totally relevant camera review. I'm considering an underwater camera for a river rafting vacation trip and this review nails it. Thanks again.
Great video. I had a question though, how's a camera like this hold up when used in something like a Color Run? Will the sealing be enough to keep the fine colored powder out? Seems like a great solution instead of how I've been doing it with a lot of tape and a rain cover. Obviously quality of the photo will be much lower but could be very convenient. Keep up the great work guys!
My question is if you already have a good compact camera is it better to spend less money than some of these on a waterproof housing, or is the risk of it leaking (and damaging a more expensive camera) plus not having access to all the controls too many disadvantages? Do you find waterproof housings have similar leak issues or do the usual double gaskets sort that? I see there are 7 housings available for my RX100V for example...
It would make it a viable product. I hope they do it. Everyone ahs to step it up if they want to keep selling in this new market of ours. Chris@DPREVIEW
I don't see how any camera's at those price points don't have the RAW option these days. I can understand the marketing reasoning for dumbing down the camera for the simple point and shoot segment (although they're dying to camera phones anyway); but just make it JPEG by default and power users can turn RAW on if they want it. Even smartphones have RAW capture now, it's just one more way they're falling behind in the compact market.
Got a TG4 and love it, but looked into the TG5 and found it has a lower megapixel rate, so how is that an Upgrade? The only thing I really wish the TG 4 had was a locking pin on the outer lens ring that the TG 5 has. The ring gets removed to attach other lenses, but mine came off by just rubbing my fingers on it while snorkeling in the water. No luck finding it.
Last year I went scuba diving for the first time. I brought my Yi 4K I bought to be able to capture those moments underwater, but after the trip, I realized that 99% of the pictures sucked. No RAW, so all of the pictures had terrible white balance that I couldn't even attempt to fix. The UWA lens also meant that I had to get right on top of something to shoot it and didn't give me any creative freedom. So fast forward to this year, and I'm pretty much done with action cameras. Too limited for my tastes. If I were bigger on video, maybe I could find a use for it, but I mostly care about photos. This year or next, I want to go back to scuba somewhere, but the question is what to take? Getting an underwater case for my EM5 II would definitely be the best, but it's not cheap and I'd worry about a leaking seal. On the other hand, a TG-5 isn't cheap for something that I wouldn't use super often either. Plus it's even more expensive once you add the underwater case for that. But still, it's a bigger peace of mind feeling. Also, there are a few limited other times that I could use it, like pictures when I go skiing or if I can get anybody to do adventure stuff with me, such as rafting. Either way, it's a hard and expensive choice. I'm really glad that the Olympus comes out on top though. I just switched to Olympus late last year, so I'm developing brand loyalty for them, and I've already looked at the TG-5 a lot.
I find action cams not bad for video, but you are right, not good for stills. It is quite tricky to take good stills underwater in my experience. I've got a similar dilemma to you. Good quality underwater housings are very expensive. The truth is, if you really want top quality images, it is going to be expensive as well as having the risk of leaks. Having said that, I've used underwater housings for years with cheap action cameras and never had a leak. I think you just have to check the condition of the seals carefully, as well as look for any cracks around hinges etc.
Canon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is great all-rounder lens for Canon on a budget. It has surprisingly good image quality while being very compact for a FF lens. Biggest drawback is lack of image stabilization but hey you can't get everything for such low price.
Got 3 letters for you my friend, KEH. Favorite site to shop for used gear, never had a less than stellar experience. Picked up a Tamron 28-75 2.8 for $150 which feels like it should be illegal for how great it is. Along with a Sigma 20 1.4 for $600. You'll have to do the research on the lenses yourself, but it's worth putting some time into choosing your gear.
it's pretty basic, the slower glass is more affordable, pick the focal range you want and the price you want to spend, or at least give a clue about what you are looking for and what brand you use, there are a million lenses out there
Hello.. ( Love your Video's).. I'm looking for a somewhat rugged camera, that shoots decent photos.. Most of the time i'm by myself. And i enjoy putting my camera in trees, on log's where ever(lol).. So please tell me which of these Cameras has the best and easiest to use "Self-Timer"...Thanks.. Michael Z
Hi! Is TG-5 image quality better than smartphones like oneplus 6 or google pixel 2 or iphone 8. I want to shoot good quality family portraits on holidays especially in low light and with depth effect and a decent zoom. I am not an adventure traveller to seek for waterproof, freeze proof and shockproof features.
Chris, When I saw you and Jordan were leaving TCS I was at first very disappointed. Then you told us you were still going to be around, just at a different site. So glad you two are still around, I really appreciate your in depth and honest reviews. You seem to cover the little things that most others never mention. Thanks for being there for us...
Every single week I am so excited for dpreview channel because of Chris and Jordan!
That means a lot to us! Thanks for watching and don't forget to subscribe!
If the TG5 had a viewfinder I would buy it in a heartbeat ! For me the reason to get a camera like that is not so much underwater capability but general toughness and water/dust resistance. It would be great to carry around on hiking trips, visits to beach resorts, playing tourist in rainy or freezing weather and such without having to worry about dropping it or having it damaged by rain or freeze. For general use, I really prefer an EVF particularly in sunny weather. A casual use compact alternative to something like the EM-5 II with (hopefully) decent image quality and at least some creative control features would be great.
I hope Olympus eventually makes another camera like the Tough TG-870. I was looking for a waterproof camera a while ago and saw the 870/860. That had some really unique and useful features (20mm eqv. lens, flip screen, etc), but it was discontinued by then. Now prices on it are too much and buying a used waterproof camera is risky. :(
I'd like your views on action cameras, though this was a wonderful experience of the cameras we sometimes think about to shoot with.
I don't care about P&S cameras but I watched this anyway. It was fun. Thanks Chris and Jordan.
I've been a long time Pentax WG series user which is now Ricoh and I simply love the camera. But the model numbers have changed and the unit itself maintains practically the same. But i still love the thing! To bad you guys didn't include it! I'd love to see a review of the new Ricoh WG-60.
I've been using the W300 for a couple months now and have been rather surprised with the capability once I've gone into the advanced settings. Some of the issues you mentioned dissappear and performs quite well.
I bought the TG-5 for all the reasons mentioned in the video. Bought it 2nd hand on eBay for nearly half price. Absolutely thrilled with it.
I was almost expecting you to say the new Panasonic had a 1” sensor.
Now that would be something special.
Great video, I just went through this evaluation for myself and decided on the TG-5. I did notice that when shooting video the camera records the sound of the zoom lens. Not terrible for underway video but if I was using the camera for casual recording that is a show stopper. I haven’t tested the water proofing yet but I did opt for a two year replacement warranty and will drop it in the pool prior to our trip. Thanks for the great video and I do hope the TG-5 captures some great shots for our family.
Hey Chris you and Jordan are awesome thank you for sharing these cameras
Am approaching 70, I was still free diving till three summers ago! I owned a Nikonos V till 82....great camera!
I bought an Olympus Tuf3 three years ago, for danger(to the camera) close, projects! It, will take a swamping😎
I also believe the 3 has better specs......great macro without attachments😎
Down side no viewfinder.....in sunlight my screen pitch black😩
Funny episode!
I'm surprised that the lumix doesn't have RAW! This is crucial to me, so I got the capability to correct some things in post and at a higher pricepoint as the Olympus you can expect that.
Great review and entertaining... as always
still got the tg-2 for 5 years and still rockin'
I can also recommend the tg-4 super good if you cannot afford the new tg-5 not much difference in picture quality
Great video,well done. I use these untherwather camerara,s for many years now and They are great.. Use 2 Tg 5 now for a year and They are great at 4K and RAW pictures. Where a few weeks at Mauritius and we are snorkeling Every day and the images are fantastic.
Ive had the tg5 for a year. Main gripe is that sometimes I get a discolored orangish spot in the middle of the pic when lighting is above average, especially in macro mode. Fits in pocket easily, no leaks, great battery, good pics under normal circumstances.
I now have the tg-5 and found the flaw in the design that makes the screen difficult to see in sunlight and devised a plan to correct it. The camera is still very good usable and enjoyable without doing these changes so don't think you will have to do this if you buy this camera. I am just very meticulous and love to improve things. The problem is the edges of the screen allow light to enter when they should be completely opaque. Screen haze comes from a collision of light coming from too many angles so when the light enters the top and sides of the screen at a 90 degree angle it collides with it like coming from the screen and creates a haze. The simple fix will be to mask off the edges of the screen and use some tough black paint to cover them and this will improve visibility. Another common fix for the issue of not being able to see the screens in sunlight is to use a viewing loop. On the Tg5 even with the loop I have I still need to seal the edges of the screen with opaque paint because unlike most cameras or actually any can try I've ever seen it has its screen edges exposed to sunlight. I did add a viewfinder and that allowed me to even see more clearly the light leak that happens but it still does help greatly for viewing and it will be perfect once I paint the edges. For cameras that don't have them you can usually find a screen isolator for under $20. Personally I use and love this magnetic one I linked here even though it's one more think to cary it is very light and tough so not a problem for me. There are ones that are more like folding flaps which also protect the screen when folded up but I went with the one with total isolation and magnification. They may also sometimes fit oddly but for me it has been a priceless game changer. Xit XTLCDMV Professional LCD Viewfinder with 2X Magnification (Black) www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTCWZYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NtvWCbGF2B2ZH
Chris don’t eat the silica gel, Chris, oh no, he is using the RED camera, he can’t hear us! Chris! CHRIS!
Alberta has its own beauty; which is why every weekend more than half the province travels to British Columbia:)
You look so much happier since you started with DP Review.
been using TS2 for ages, 1 great thing about these underwater camera is that I can hnd them to the kids and not worry they might broke anything ... not my SLRs ...
Same thing here, my DMC-TS2 is all scratched but is never letting me down. I even gave it to my baby boy to let him, gnaw on it, haha. But the new TS7, might be the one i was waiting for, to replace the TS2. :)
Hello Chris and Jordan I love you guys hello from Atlanta Georgia I didn't know you guys were going to do this kind of video this was an accident I'm really loving it though thanks again your best friend
I have the TG5. To keep the seals clean and free from hair etc is harder than it sounds in same cases. I now use a magnifing glass to check the seals. Often I see fine hairs or similar that I cant see with just the eyes.
It's so important to do it carefully.
Chris@DPREVIEW
I have the TG-5, and I use it for diving. A good underwater housing for my Canon EOS 7D would cost between $1500 and $2000, which is out of my price range. The TG-5 is good for down to 50 feet right out of the box, but I bought the underwater housing for it, both for the greater depth capability (more than 130 feet) and for the larger controls, since I dive in cold water and have to wear thick gloves. I have it mounted on a tray that holds a SeaLife SeaDragon 2500 LED continuous light on an extension handle, and the whole package is very ergonomic.
Thanks for a great review. The thing I use my Nikon AW130 for most is time-lapse photography in all kinds of weather. It would be nice to have greater time-lapse capabilities in my next one. Is one of these camera's any better in that area?
Great video! Reaffirms my decision to go with the TG-5. Though I do wish it was fully manual. Still a great camera!
Wasn't really interested in the cameras, but I knew there would be some hijinks, like using the camera as a lure (which was an epic idea, even if you didn't catch anything) and eating the silica packet (yum). Please don't change, part of your charm is that you don't take yourselves too seriously. :)
Great video man
I would be so scared to take a GH5/s or any other expensive camera into a canoe 😅. Don’t rock the boat!
The GH5s is looking really nice in these videos Jordan.
I gave you shit for how often you mentioned DPReview the last time, I am very happy with it this time. It's not just that it is less, this time it has a real purpose. And of course another great video! ... Jordan, did you survive this? xD
I'm still here!
Though its old you guys havent reviewed the Nikon AW1A yet. That one is next level.
An EVF would be a big help for canoe or kayaking pictures! I often cannot see the screen on the sunny days and paddlers need a waterpoof camera.
i was fortunate, got the nikon on sale when ebay was doing those coupon sales.
This is so Canadian and I LOVE it
Where is this pond located? I was worried the move to DPR might take away some of the Alberta/Calgary-ness from the videos but I'm stoked to see that's not the case. Nice video as always, lads.
13:22 made my day ^^
I like the Nikon. It's pretty durable, had it for years.
I like to know and see see how much the IQ is improved over the previous models.I use such camera's in the pool to record swimming trainings.
after the tide pod challenge, is this the silica gel challenge??
You missed the Pentax. and the big feature for the TG-5, is the GPS locator.
How about another one like this?
Hey guys long time fan, thanks for all your hard work. Canon ,Nikon, Sigma, Tamron, Sony, Fuji and Panasonic all have 100ish-400mm lenses and nobody has done an online comparison between these lenses. I know me and a lot of other people are looking at at least some of these lenses. Would you consider doing a shootout between them?
So DPR job does not include budget for exotic locations? Did you at least get a little beer money?
So, the only thing you can say about the Fuji XP is that it's cheap? You know, it would be valuable if you can tell us if it absolutely sucks!
Excellent review, thanks.
I prefer the Niken as it has a 25 seconds slow shutter speed compared to the Olympus's 4 sexonds.
Yes! Combine the fishing show with a drinking game. Ice fishing in Alberta, with Chris and Jordan. Drunk!
ua-cam.com/video/prwcceG7U8w/v-deo.html
Keep on going guys... I already sub...
Best regards from Brazil!
you should do a video called "how to stop your camera fogging up" and just do the silica gel tip, would get alot of view just on that
That's a funny looking fly rod Chris.. ;)
I feel dirty. But I didn't want to risk flipping a boat or putting a fly in Jordan.
Chris@DPREVIEW
Great reviews...love you videos
Yay it's Jordan's nightmare episode!
He's seems absolute miserable :((
Yup.
Excellent review!
So he finally got his fishing episode I see ... XD
Cool video :)
Still looking for a decent rugged camera for climbing trip..
Well, I will probably go with the X-T20 and XF 27mm... and pray it does not get crashed !
Come on, 1" sensor to aps-c, fixed lens, rugged. Yes, you can ;)
I've always appreciated that they at least tried with the freeze proofing, but freeze proof to -10 celsius is pretty useless in alberta, or even most mountains in the winter....
Actually helped me out I was kinda torn between the Olympus and the Fuji , I am a point and shoot guy, don't need all the extras on the Olympus and the Fuji for me would be perfect and it does have the WIFI, and definatly helps on the pocket book, I was looking for a all around camera, land and water, thanks for the info, just found your vids in the side menu, thanks guys,,,,Side Note,, What does RAW mean in taking pics,,,sorry, newbie, lolol
Dear Jordan, tnx for the review but I read in the Amazon comments from some customers that bought the TG-5 that it not that waterproof, nor tough. If there is a leakage problem during the warranty period Olympus will not cover this problem and claim that it was misused. I also see that there is an underwater housing for it, I do appreciate that it is for deeper dives but I can'r help to be alarmed. Some report that you have to pay USD 150 to Olympus to waterproof the camera once a year. There are also complaints about its video, not being able to keep zoom with moving objects, noise when recording video and zooming and many more shortcomings. Maybe in the future you could be taking into account in some way such customer experiences when you are doing your reviews.
these are all point and shoot cameras, and the problem with any water proof gear is the company will always try to say it was misused, and half the time they would be right, people don't maintenance the cameras good enough, like Chris said you need to clean them good and keep the rubber gaskets clean, many times when these cameras mess up, it is probably at least part the customers fault, and do you think if your expensive Samsung so called water proof phone stops working because of water that Samsung would relace or fix it for free, i don't think any company would, and I don't think when people do a review that they should include other peoples reviews, because if they haven't seen the problem first hand, it isn't really right for them to talk about it.
These are not point and shoot. Jordan did not alert us to the behaviour you claim from these firms. Also how could Jordan experience such problems with a day out in a lake; esp. if he is unaware of them. I didn't say anything about Samsung or any company, model, or product other than the TG-5. And I certainly do not own "a Samsung phone". If a product review fails to address frequently reported problems from verified buyers then the review is incomplete if not outright partial. You are welcome to follow the conclusions of such reviews at your own peril. You've been warned :-)
That water leakage/misuse problem is people not taking care of the seals where the doors open up. The manual states something about replacing them or some kind of care to be taken at least once a year. Remember how in this video he says to make sure crud, salt and other stuff needs to be clean off, instead of just forgetting about it? I was worried to when I was reading those Amazon reviews...at first, until someone there pointed this out. If you're looking for the best quality pics for a waterproof camera for both underwater and on land, this is the best (though unfortunately not real REEEEAL great), it seems...
I think what breaks it for me is, I look at the reviews too. No manufactured product is lemon free... So what sets me off is no one actually ever says the companies fixed their camera because of a seal defect, it always says the company doesn't cover it... I saw the same for Nikon, Olympus, Fujifilm, and the other big companies that makes these camera.s
Panasonic actually replaced faulty my TS2 with a new one near end of warranty period.
nice review, but I believe that rugged cameras is a particular niche where most of the time, the customer is ready to sacrifice a little bit of quality photo in order to get a more practical and easy to use camera... in this regard the Nikon seems to be the best option, the only feature that Nikon lacks is the ability to shoot RAW files, but apart from that is probably the best option.
It's easy to use, bigger buttons, less complicated menu, can go deeper in water, require less maintenance, it has only one flap...
Olympus has a great quality picture but is more complicated to use and in certain scenarios where you need to use it quickly, this is a big factor.
I bought me a cheap "vacation camera" that would be a simple point just like you're saying but I sold it and upgraded after my first trip with it. As a photographer I can't do without RAW, I just can't anymore.
But beyond my own camera snobbishness I had to chuck every low light picture I took (gorgeous tours of the Wine caves below Napa) because the JPEGs were crap and I didn't have a RAW capture backup to edit on my own when I found that the camera's processor had treated the entire frame as a giant shadow and dumped all the pixels in the garbage.
@ 5:20 - The TG-5 is 12MP instead of 16 on the TG-4 to get increased lowlight performance I believe...
I really would like an underwater camera. Really thinking about a gopro or an Olympus TG-5. Or look into an underwater shell for my DSLR.
You could also drop.both in the pond.
Thanks for the review. I am currently looking at getting a better camera for my scuba diving videos on my channel. Was thinking of Gopro 6 but the TG5 is looking like a much better option, plus the photos look great. Whats your thoughts compared to gopro 6.
Hi Chris,nice review.I'd have loved to be there and push you into the water to see if you're waterproof.I have certain doubts seeing the approach you've followed.Bye!
Thanks for another excellent and totally relevant camera review. I'm considering an underwater camera for a river rafting vacation trip and this review nails it. Thanks again.
What is the best ?
Should I get one of these waterproof cameras, or GoPro instead? Which one is better?
I wonder how the PowerShot D30 waterproof camera would've compared to the reviewed waterproof cameras?
Very funny and informative. Well done.
fuji is the Best mine went threw a house fire and i still used it up tell i lost it and they will send u a new one if anything goes wrong
Great video. I had a question though, how's a camera like this hold up when used in something like a Color Run? Will the sealing be enough to keep the fine colored powder out? Seems like a great solution instead of how I've been doing it with a lot of tape and a rain cover. Obviously quality of the photo will be much lower but could be very convenient. Keep up the great work guys!
Get the TG4 instead. (It's 16 mp). And get the floating wrist strap.
very good
Chris, the packaging says not to eat those... Chris looking sheepish. That's BV why I love them...
Chris! Convince Jordan to shoot a fishing show for you and start a channel on UA-cam! I will subscribe and watch religiously!
Never!!!!!
Thanks, Great review.
My question is if you already have a good compact camera is it better to spend less money than some of these on a waterproof housing, or is the risk of it leaking (and damaging a more expensive camera) plus not having access to all the controls too many disadvantages? Do you find waterproof housings have similar leak issues or do the usual double gaskets sort that? I see there are 7 housings available for my RX100V for example...
Panasonic could, and should, add RAW capability to the TS7 via a firmware update...
It would make it a viable product. I hope they do it. Everyone ahs to step it up if they want to keep selling in this new market of ours.
Chris@DPREVIEW
I don't see how any camera's at those price points don't have the RAW option these days. I can understand the marketing reasoning for dumbing down the camera for the simple point and shoot segment (although they're dying to camera phones anyway); but just make it JPEG by default and power users can turn RAW on if they want it.
Even smartphones have RAW capture now, it's just one more way they're falling behind in the compact market.
Why wasn’t the Pentax offering included?
This was great thank you!
4:37 I was wondering how did you get that fairly stabilised video even in a boat. You have been 'gimbling'! TG-5 is so cool and sharp!
Got a TG4 and love it, but looked into the TG5 and found it has a lower megapixel rate, so how is that an Upgrade? The only thing I really wish the TG 4 had was a locking pin on the outer lens ring that the TG 5 has. The ring gets removed to attach other lenses, but mine came off by just rubbing my fingers on it while snorkeling in the water. No luck finding it.
It would be nice to have rugged camera with EVF and APS-C sensor.
Last year I went scuba diving for the first time. I brought my Yi 4K I bought to be able to capture those moments underwater, but after the trip, I realized that 99% of the pictures sucked. No RAW, so all of the pictures had terrible white balance that I couldn't even attempt to fix. The UWA lens also meant that I had to get right on top of something to shoot it and didn't give me any creative freedom.
So fast forward to this year, and I'm pretty much done with action cameras. Too limited for my tastes. If I were bigger on video, maybe I could find a use for it, but I mostly care about photos. This year or next, I want to go back to scuba somewhere, but the question is what to take? Getting an underwater case for my EM5 II would definitely be the best, but it's not cheap and I'd worry about a leaking seal.
On the other hand, a TG-5 isn't cheap for something that I wouldn't use super often either. Plus it's even more expensive once you add the underwater case for that. But still, it's a bigger peace of mind feeling. Also, there are a few limited other times that I could use it, like pictures when I go skiing or if I can get anybody to do adventure stuff with me, such as rafting.
Either way, it's a hard and expensive choice. I'm really glad that the Olympus comes out on top though. I just switched to Olympus late last year, so I'm developing brand loyalty for them, and I've already looked at the TG-5 a lot.
I find action cams not bad for video, but you are right, not good for stills. It is quite tricky to take good stills underwater in my experience. I've got a similar dilemma to you. Good quality underwater housings are very expensive. The truth is, if you really want top quality images, it is going to be expensive as well as having the risk of leaks. Having said that, I've used underwater housings for years with cheap action cameras and never had a leak. I think you just have to check the condition of the seals carefully, as well as look for any cracks around hinges etc.
Hi, I got the camera to the beach and sand entered under the controls, how could I clean it? (Lumix Ts7)
could you guys do a video about affordable full frame lenses? FF lenses are pricey it would be great to navigate those prices for cost effective buy.
Canon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is great all-rounder lens for Canon on a budget. It has surprisingly good image quality while being very compact for a FF lens. Biggest drawback is lack of image stabilization but hey you can't get everything for such low price.
Got 3 letters for you my friend, KEH. Favorite site to shop for used gear, never had a less than stellar experience. Picked up a Tamron 28-75 2.8 for $150 which feels like it should be illegal for how great it is. Along with a Sigma 20 1.4 for $600. You'll have to do the research on the lenses yourself, but it's worth putting some time into choosing your gear.
it's pretty basic, the slower glass is more affordable, pick the focal range you want and the price you want to spend, or at least give a clue about what you are looking for and what brand you use, there are a million lenses out there
Awesome review!!
This is right up my alley! 😂
Hello.. ( Love your Video's).. I'm looking for a somewhat rugged camera, that shoots decent photos.. Most of the time i'm by myself. And i enjoy putting my camera in trees, on log's where ever(lol).. So please tell me which of these Cameras has the best and easiest to use "Self-Timer"...Thanks.. Michael Z
Would like to see one of these cameras vs a cellphone.
I wonder what the notion/feedback would have been if Nikon would had put the Nikonos name instead of Coolpix on there camera...
Seems like you forgot to grade some parts of the video (for example around 4:30). They look pretty grey and LOG-ish :)
After talking about not wanting to drop your expensive phone in the water at 7:27 Chris' phone looks very precarious in his pocket :-)
RogueSwan haha, I'm surprised it hasn't gone for a swim!
If you guys aren’t going to eat that silica i’ll pick up the shipping to my house if you’d be so kind. Hate to see it go to waste! Let me know.
Sorry. Ate it all.
Chris@DPREVIEW
Nice review.
Unfortunately, where I live, the Olympus isn't available, so Nikon it is.
Hi! Is TG-5 image quality better than smartphones like oneplus 6 or google pixel 2 or iphone 8. I want to shoot good quality family portraits on holidays especially in low light and with depth effect and a decent zoom. I am not an adventure traveller to seek for waterproof, freeze proof and shockproof features.