A few comments from my experience, because there is a big market for these cameras outside of sports and family activities. Building inspectors often shoot 100s of photos on a daily basis and are known to go through a couple point and shoots every year. Unless you have a camera like the TG. I have shot on the same TG for four years. That’s substantial. It shrugs off the abuse that ends a regular point and shoot in 6-12 months. Of course, the photos IQ is very important for professional reports, studying building conditions from the office, and even the capacity to capture images in challenging conditions. For starters, an f/2 lens and a good sensor for low light is critical. Buildings often have dark areas: crawl spaces, attics, no power, mechanical rooms, etc. The TG excels at this. Another great feature is the wifi remote. I often collect photos using the camera mounted on a long stick which enables excellent reach, as well as a safe workspace because I can often avoid ladders. Dial controls are also critical. I have developed was way of shooting using the custom modes where I can alternate between C1 and C2 for flash on and off. It’s fast and easy with gloves on. If I switch to macro mode for a data plate, my familiar settings are still readily available. I can’t say enough good things about the TG, and highlighted it’s advantages at various presentations for professional technical photography such as the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. Excellent camera.
Thanks for your review! I think this is great as the TG is something I'm considering for rough situations, like outdoor camping jaunts in parks and forests, as well as yes... mosh pits.
Mike D Incorrect. Sensor size, with respect to crop factor, will affect depth of field; light transmitted is approximately the same. With respect to sensor noise, smaller photocells, as well as overall technical design, will affect well noice, well capacity, etc. However this “review” was based on experienced in my field, where noise may be acceptable, but motion blur is definitely not, and low light is common. The same could be said for low light activities; where this camera will often be found.
I issued both the TG-6 and TS7 at my work. They get used up to 12 hours a day to take photos of machines. I have taken both of them out of rotation because the plastic cover on the lens gets scratched easily when putting the camera away (in safety vest or tablet chest pack) making the photos unusable. The manufacturers also do not replace the covers, it is cheaper to buy a new camera. The cameras get used in extreme conditions around dirt, sand, and grease which they are not really made for. I am currently buying up all old and refurbished stock of the older TS5 which for us was a superior camera. We are currently testing some of the ruggedized Nikon's and will add the Ricoh to the list but I think it will suffer from the same issues. Love your reviews, thank you!
There just is something unique about Olympus Mju cameras. Honestly, I dont really care which camera is best overall I just always carry an Olympus Mju. In 1994 I bought the Mju II which survived being dropped down a mountain. Fantastic image quality and a perfect second camera to my heavy Nikon kit when I didnt want to risk the expensive kit. In 2004 I went digital with a 3MP Olympus Mju Stylus 200. This camera got replaced 5 years ago by my current gorgeous red TG-3. This provides an indestructible zoom lens to compliment my Panasonic with a prime lens. I know I will always carry an Olympus Mju and they have never let me down once in all that time; they always get the shot and its always useable which isnt something I could say about my Nikons; hence I now shoot Panasonic; on holiday the TG-3 out performed my D7100 and I never used it again. Say what you like about image quality but, regardless of quality a camera always has to deliver a useable image and the D7100 fell a long way short of the TG3 on that holiday, my holiday folder gave the nod to Olympus ;-)
We use TG-4 in vehicle repair workshop to photograph cars (damages and etc.) and it's used by 20 different people, camera gets droped alot and abused in many different ways, TG-4 survived 4 years now and only issue is cable port on the camera already worn (not always connecting) due to frequent connecting to PC to transfer files so we will change it to TG-6. We tried simple camera with 1 inch sensor (for better quality) and it survived few months and was broken to the point where no repair was possible.
I love my new TG-6 for those times when the weather has gone to hell, but I still want a photo and for under water. The macro features are astounding, and not even covered in this review! And I do use RAW files.
Your videos are so great. You always have a very concise, informed and scientific way of comparing videos which so many of us appreciate when making our decisions. Thank you! Although it's funny, I was keeping all 3 options in close debate on this one...until near the end when you mentioned the Olympus was the only one that shot RAW. Made the decision real easy. Haha
I have an opportunity to buy a Panasonic TS7 at a good price. I’m still not sure if it is the best camera for me. However this review was extremely well done and helpful. I like “seeing” the differences rather than just read about them. Thank you!
I've had the TG5 since it came out and like it a lot. It's not my everyday camera but the one I take when I think the elements are going to be rough, wet, or "extreme." It's a nice little camera. I have no plans to upgrade to the TG6.
this is one of the best review videos of any type of product i have seen in a long time, and i have seen a lot!, very thorough review, and the reviewer is quite handsome and naturally well spoken. Man love for the presenter LOL
As a fun camera, the Olympus TG-5 is well specced and a great camera. I borrowed one early this year for a long weekend away, and was very surprised by it's capabilities. I can literally shoot anything, anywhere and whatever I want, from really small insects (great macro), rain (we have lots in the UK), mud, etc. 12MP is more than enough even for cropped A3 sized prints. The RAW capabilities simply is great as I can easily post edit the images.
It's interesting that all the majors seem to have ditched this space. I know it's a small market in the scheme of cameras, but a real winner here could net the right company a tone of revenue it would seem to me.
gotta remember tho you can put a fisheye lens on the TG-6 as well as a flash defuser and a extra telephoto lens all which are also water proof and can be used underwater
Thanks for Putting Together This Video: I have the Olympus TG-830, the Olympus TG-870, and the GoPro Hero 5 Black. Around the winter holiday season of 2018-2019 Focus Camera was selling the Panasonic camera you were just featuring for a pretty good deal. That sale went back off pretty quickly, though. That was the cheapest I have ever seen it. I hope it wasn't used. I think I would like to get the Panasonic camera out of the three you presented. I have the Panasonic ZS-70 which is pretty amazing, although it doesn't have protection against water, impact, etc. like the outdoor cameras do.
I had two Ricoh WG-4, both went out of order for ever after using them under water for a short moment (max 2m deep). Both times I made sure everything is sealed and no water should be able to enter. The second camera was a replacement after the first broke and it took me weeks to get it replaced, because Ricoh told me that I did not handle the camera properly. After the second camera broke and almost ruined my vacation, I stayed away from another Ricoh. I had a Panasonic TS4 before and was really happy for many years. I cannot recommend the Ricoh.
The optical zoom is the only reason I'd use one of these over a phone, my phone has optical zoom but it uses a smaller sensor to do this and the image quality is noticeable. I know using the larger main sensor for optical zoom on a phone means an impractical lens system. Myself I'd opt for the lumix because it's Orange and can be easily seen if dropped. Plus it's got an evf and other features
I have the TG-6. In black. I think of it as a GoPro with zoom and incredible macro. It is not quite as rugged as a GoPro, but overall it is a lot more versatile than the GoPro. Out in nature, both zoom and macro are incredibly useful.
I can’t believe you guys don’t have more subscribers. I enjoy plenty of camera related YT channels, but Chris & Jordan are a cut above the rest. Keep the good work up eh!
because that number of subscribers represent the real people who are actually interested in cameras and photography gear and want to learn more. as opposed to the million subs of other channels who only really want to ogle on the latest tech and satisfy their unboxing cravings. but don't worry, Tim. Chris and Jordan are indispensable.
I am honestly confused. I was going to buy the Olympus until. I saw this really well done review. At that point seeing the evf and the nice quiet Zoom I was completely swayed by you review to look towards the Panasonic period but going to Amazon and looking at the reviews there are just an absolute majority saying that it does not focus well at all. I mean truly disastrous reviews. This is what makes these decisions so hard because your presentation here is incredibly well done. And I do believe it maybe people not really knowing how to use the camera that is causing the other reviewers but I wish I could get some second thoughts on that. I will probably go back to getting the tg-6 because there never seems to be anything really negative and I do usually record my soundtrack separately. I do wish there was a viewfinder but I guess you can't have it all
Last year I decided to sell my Lumix FT7 (TS7), because I am a bit of a kleptomaniac when it comes to cameras, that was a big mistake though. Now I have myself a bike and I'm cycling along the River daily, in wll weathers, I want it back. And of course the price has now doubled for a good second hand one. Hey ho, live and learn.
I was just about to ask but then you mentioned it at the end, how do the best camera phones compare to these cameras purely from an image quality perspective? And if phones are better like you said then how the hell is that? Camera manufacturers complain or even go under because phones are taking away their customers but if a dedicated camera can't do a significantly better job than a phone then they deserve everything they get. But my question is why, are these 3 cameras using crappy old sensors or don't put much effort into optic quality or don't have the power to process images well?
Because shareholders doesnt want to take risk and they are closed for any cooperation with other companies. Sony had Android subsystem on older cameras (all with PlayMemories Apps) and didnt even tried to make their market open to developers. Canon is the same shit, they know they're behind and instead of giving their customers better product they are still using their own stuff. About computing power... newest Canon DIGIC 8 is 2x Cortex A9. Same CPU config as... Galaxy S2. Yea, 8 year phone. Do I need to say more? You have a lot more efficient CPUs now but they designed it god knows how many years ago and still using it because they wont cooperate with anybody. They dont even give you internal memory while its like $2 in production. Even fuckin drones have internal memory now to save your butt... screens are still 800x480 on $2k cameras and you see shit in daylight.
i live in florida, so a waterproof point and shoot is very handy. went to the beach with my canon rebel during dorian, and i was nervous of water damage, plus it is clunky and uncomfortable for a walk. a rugged point and shoot would be great for hikes and beach events, but none i found had a viewfinder. psyched to find out panasonic makes one! thanks!
So... I didn't see any underwater shots. Does 'waterproof' not imply underwater camera? You'd think you could at least see what a photo looks like from a few inches below the surface? Did I miss that section?
Good and detailed comparison 👍 Also want comparison between iPhone 11 pro max vs Olympus TG-6. For photography wheather to buy iPhone or TG-6?? Please help me out.
Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it, but the Olympus has an incredibly robust microscope mode and very close focus distance. I use it for macro photos scuba diving and the included scuba accessories like a housing and lens make it a clear winner for me.
I still USE my TG-3.. doesn't have RAW.. but higher megapixels.. no 4k.. but I mostly take pics.. love the fisheye lens I got for it.. and the micro is always Awesome.. and Wifi is great to have to edit on my phone and post quickly.
Informative review. I've owned the Nikon AW130, for many years. Stayed functional from single-digit temperatures to extreme heat & humidity. It even survived a fifteen foot drop on granite in the Adirondack mountains. Looking forward to using the Nikon W300, for Summer adventures.
Thank you for this review. I was looking at the Oly TG-6 and is is good to see the comparisons. The goal for me is a durable camera for all conditions and one that can take action shots. Would you say the Oly TG-6 covers this? OR do you have a better suggestion? I was originally looking for a good pocket point and shoot and an activity cam (like a gopro style).
Good review thank you! Trying to decide which camera to purchase. Leaning towards the Panasonic, reason Panasonic better telephoto @120 compared to Olympus @100 also water depth Panasonic @100 feet versus Olympus @50 feet. There are times I go below 50 feet. As far as a regular camera raw is not important to me and when you said Panasonic would be your choice if it had raw. Looking at Amazon Panasonic is a little cheaper but Olympus seller has far more options like extra battery and so forth. Also read a negative review on Olympus about the dot that appears, apparently quite common and Olympus denies to fix the issue.
I have the olympus tg2 since launch i love it. Esp the macro mode. But the zoom. They never improved it. Im disappointed that they never imporved that motorized sound when zooming while on video lolz
My first waterproof camera was a olympus tg610 i think(lots of years ago...) i broke it in my activities after 2years , my second was again the same camera, i lost it on the way on some mountains after 2 years. I bought a PANASONIC Lumix (but not the model of your video) but the hi end model of the time that i bought it, very good features, very good price, it supposed that it will be able to follow me in my way of life for years, BUT DID NOT, brand new camera 2 days old the first time it went into the water like half a meter it broke down!!! 350euro CAMERA destroyed in some seconds!!! I went to the official distributor and service of my country and at the end i end up loosing ALL FAKING SUMMER without camera because i was waiting for them to make a conclusion!!! The camera came, fixed, problem with the sealing bla bla so i went soft with the camera from now on(NO WATER, NO TOUGH TERRAIN) things that this camera should follow easy!!! NO, after 6 months sitting in a drawer i decide to use it underwater again, after one minute the camera was dead again... i throw it in the garbage and went and buy an olympus tg850 which believe passed a lot of action, on and underwater, snow, mountains, mud mountain biking and so on!!! NEVER LET ME DOWN IN MORE THAN 5 YEARS i HAD it before i forget her on my car(the second time) and lost it on the way back home(the first i return back to the mountain 90km away to find it and i found it)!!! When it comes to compact waterproof and action cameras (NOT GO PRO!!!) OLYMPUS is 100steps in front from competitors!!! You buy something and you know it will last at least 2-3 years or until you loose it!!! I would buy tg 6 with closed eyes, just because it is an olympus everything else is for the garbage...
Grerat review Chris & Company. Interesting and informative. I learned a gread deal. .I'll watch this again, even though I am not in the market for such a camera. Every so often, when I travel, I think I need one. Where does Nikon stand in this market?
Great video! I'm actually on the market for a waterproof camera. I'm between the Fujifilm xp140, the Ricoh wg60 and the Olympus tg6. What do you think of the xp140? Worth it ?
I've given up on all cameras with less than a 1" sensor. For underwater photography any of these cameras would be fine. But my use is snapping photos of people on tubes, wake boards, etc. being towed behind our boat. This is a place where it is much appreciated to have a waterproof rugged camera. However I need about 5x zoom which some of these don't have. Also the image quality suffers when cropping in post. It really seems the manufacturers are focused on the underwater market vs above water. As none of these three cameras have a larger sensor I bypassed them. We recently bought a much different form factor camera that meets our needs. It is a Panasonic fz1000 bridge camera. It isn't even weather sealed which is a big concern, it is as large as a small DSLR, but in all other ways it is a better choice for us at $350 used on eBay.
I know, i really wish someone would make a rugged weather proof camera with a 1" sensor too. I just think it is too expensive to take the risk for most companies. Also a flip up screen would be nice if it is possible.
Funny that he mentions that in 2019 our phones will capture better images and video (additional onboard processing and access to inbody editing), but no I'd rather not expose my phone to too much water, especially salt water.
Awesome in-depth review and comparison, but I think you buried the lede - the bottom line here is these things have tiny sensors, and your phone probably does a better job 80% of the time. I had a TG-4 and soon got rid of it for this reason. As you say, though, that's not to say that these things don't have their place - just don't expect amazing results.
Another great USEFUL review. Any rumors of a Olympus OM-D E-M5 iii yet? Oh! Can you do something on the best way to clean a sensor..... things TO do and things NOT to do?
I have the Olympus TG-830 and am considering the TG-6. My primary use for it would be stills in cases where I wanted a small and durable camera (hikes, winter shots, beach shots). Underwater and/or video is not important to me. Is the general use stills image quality of the TG-6 much better than that of the TG-830 ?
The video made the TG-6 zoom noise seem worse than it is. I've shot a ton with it, and it is noticeable, but not a game breaker...especially when there is ambient noise like running water. In regards to the TG-6 NR and sharpening for video... you can control that.
We need more larger sensor underwater cameras. The deeper you go the darker it gets and all of these will suffer as light drops off. Why aren’t here more apsc sized sensor cameras other than the XU.
You could probably get something like a6300 and underwater housing. Its a good combo for underwater photography and a6300 is not that expensive anymore, while it has APS-C sensor and good autofocus. Not sure if there are good underwater housings for Fuji APS-C cameras, but that could be another option.
Not a big fan of housings. If they leak (and they do) then you lose the camera. In surf with water pressure from waves I’d prefer something natively waterproof. And I find housings make it harder to dive due to float factor .
@@biglenslittlelens8162 Fair enough. Did you find something you use and meets your needs yet or you are still looking for solution other than the one you suggested?
Speaking of smartphones. Soon will arrive time to talk about new smartphones generation with 48mp. When will arrive new version (compatible with this sensor) of GCam app; which can do wonders like extended HDR+ in RAW files, there will come a question again, do we still need compact cameras? Actually MFT cameras will be in big trouble as well.
what did you shoot this entire review with? The images of you in the woods around 7 min, are so smooth and pleasing. nice wide angle smooth background, reminds me of a canon C200 series, then you punch in close, looks like maybe 16-35mm 2.8 or 17-55? THAT is a very nice looking video image.
Do any of these cameras have manual shutter control. I have the ricoh wg3 with no Manuel shutter control its constantly over exposing images its annoying. Even with low iso have to use the ev compensation turned down a couple clicks. I noticed ricoh changed the arpeture from 2.0 to 3.5 on the w6 not sure why they did this.
I've used the Toughs to shoot surfers which has gotten me some great images but water spots have always been a problem. Does anyone use RainX or would that damage the apparently fragile front lens plastic?
Rugged cameras could be so amazing if there were any forward thinking manufacturers around put put some effort into it. I generally liked my Pentax WG-II back in the day, but 7 years later we are still around the same image quality. That's pretty sad. I guess at the very least the Olympus has a decently fast lens and RAW support.
Okay... serious question, did you notice that the olympus tg 6 had a time limit when filming in 4k, i bought mine after watching this video and bought a really good sd card, samsung evo 256gb, and it would only record for 5mins and 26 seconds, then stop, if i wanted to keep going, which i will, i have to press the record button, wouldnt this have been better if they made it start again automatically? Any thoughts on this? Mike
Sorry guys, the review was great up until 10:50 because the Venus engine in the DMC FT7/TS7 is rubbish at 4k even compared to the old FT5 shooting full HD which had an engine similar to the GH5 I believe. The 4K at say 25p is full of noise even in brightly lit surroundings, the stills picture quality is extremely poor unless shooting at a fixed ISO (say 200) and +4 setting in the Photo Style> SCNY>+4 in the saturation menu to obtain WYSIWYG for stills. The auto exposure modes are extremely slow to respond (if we compare it to say a SONY FDR 3000X-a brilliant camera on all fronts). The TG6 on the other hand is a clear winner IMHO. The only things the FT7 does better (if one can call it that) is a EVF/LVF and proper intervalometer, I don't count the max depth rating as no one will seriously take these kinds of cameras down to 30 odd metres unless in a proper housing or simply use a DSLR in a full one proper housing. The TG6 outperforms the other 2 on all fronts in general and the other thing about the FT7 is that there is no protective lens cap, so once the outer port is scratched that's the end of any quality stills images you can obtain unless one zooms past any scratch but at a cost of composition loss (maybe etc etc.). And of course the Zooming, well that's only for amateurs making holiday snaps/videos, so that is not really an issue as one should never ever zoom whilst filming unless it's not possible to recompose the shot; ok , you already said about the zoom business. It's a pity Panasonic really didn't do much with the FT7 in terms of producing a better camera. i'm not so sure about the Venus engine.
These are meant to be waterproof tough cameras. Should have shown some underwater footage snorkelling or in a pool. Otherwise good comparison and review 👍
Chris: "...but it goes to just beyond..."
Olympus: 5:30 *TEEEEEEEETT~*
Chris: "however..."
Olympus: 5:39 *TEEEEEEEETT~*
Lol ;)
@@PawelChyrowski Lol YES, but in still is the best sound of this three.
@@malraulio1677 I agree :D
Holy YIKES
Urgh, they STILL haven't fixed this >_< I've got a TG-4 and it's the same
A few comments from my experience, because there is a big market for these cameras outside of sports and family activities.
Building inspectors often shoot 100s of photos on a daily basis and are known to go through a couple point and shoots every year. Unless you have a camera like the TG. I have shot on the same TG for four years. That’s substantial. It shrugs off the abuse that ends a regular point and shoot in 6-12 months.
Of course, the photos IQ is very important for professional reports, studying building conditions from the office, and even the capacity to capture images in challenging conditions.
For starters, an f/2 lens and a good sensor for low light is critical. Buildings often have dark areas: crawl spaces, attics, no power, mechanical rooms, etc. The TG excels at this.
Another great feature is the wifi remote. I often collect photos using the camera mounted on a long stick which enables excellent reach, as well as a safe workspace because I can often avoid ladders.
Dial controls are also critical. I have developed was way of shooting using the custom modes where I can alternate between C1 and C2 for flash on and off. It’s fast and easy with gloves on. If I switch to macro mode for a data plate, my familiar settings are still readily available. I can’t say enough good things about the TG, and highlighted it’s advantages at various presentations for professional technical photography such as the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.
Excellent camera.
Thanks for your review! I think this is great as the TG is something I'm considering for rough situations, like outdoor camping jaunts in parks and forests, as well as yes... mosh pits.
Mike D Incorrect. Sensor size, with respect to crop factor, will affect depth of field; light transmitted is approximately the same.
With respect to sensor noise, smaller photocells, as well as overall technical design, will affect well noice, well capacity, etc. However this “review” was based on experienced in my field, where noise may be acceptable, but motion blur is definitely not, and low light is common. The same could be said for low light activities; where this camera will often be found.
The video zoom on the Olympus made me laugh out loud 😂
*lol
Very important everyone know when you laugh.
@@johnsmith1474 Ja ja ja
Joke
It has a small diesel engine to zoom.
Bee Roll is probably the best opening line to a review in quite some time honestly!
Honestly, that’s the worst pun I've heard in a long time.
And not just because I didn’t catch it until now.
Not a single shot under water,
Take them out snorkeling, and show us the results 😊
I issued both the TG-6 and TS7 at my work. They get used up to 12 hours a day to take photos of machines. I have taken both of them out of rotation because the plastic cover on the lens gets scratched easily when putting the camera away (in safety vest or tablet chest pack) making the photos unusable. The manufacturers also do not replace the covers, it is cheaper to buy a new camera. The cameras get used in extreme conditions around dirt, sand, and grease which they are not really made for. I am currently buying up all old and refurbished stock of the older TS5 which for us was a superior camera. We are currently testing some of the ruggedized Nikon's and will add the Ricoh to the list but I think it will suffer from the same issues. Love your reviews, thank you!
lot of info arne....
There just is something unique about Olympus Mju cameras. Honestly, I dont really care which camera is best overall I just always carry an Olympus Mju. In 1994 I bought the Mju II which survived being dropped down a mountain. Fantastic image quality and a perfect second camera to my heavy Nikon kit when I didnt want to risk the expensive kit. In 2004 I went digital with a 3MP Olympus Mju Stylus 200. This camera got replaced 5 years ago by my current gorgeous red TG-3. This provides an indestructible zoom lens to compliment my Panasonic with a prime lens. I know I will always carry an Olympus Mju and they have never let me down once in all that time; they always get the shot and its always useable which isnt something I could say about my Nikons; hence I now shoot Panasonic; on holiday the TG-3 out performed my D7100 and I never used it again. Say what you like about image quality but, regardless of quality a camera always has to deliver a useable image and the D7100 fell a long way short of the TG3 on that holiday, my holiday folder gave the nod to Olympus ;-)
Chris: [does a complete narration about the cam]
Olympus: yall mind if I just *BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ*
We use TG-4 in vehicle repair workshop to photograph cars (damages and etc.) and it's used by 20 different people, camera gets droped alot and abused in many different ways, TG-4 survived 4 years now and only issue is cable port on the camera already worn (not always connecting) due to frequent connecting to PC to transfer files so we will change it to TG-6. We tried simple camera with 1 inch sensor (for better quality) and it survived few months and was broken to the point where no repair was possible.
I love my new TG-6 for those times when the weather has gone to hell, but I still want a photo and for under water. The macro features are astounding, and not even covered in this review! And I do use RAW files.
Can you do underwater shoots without the housing?
Why is this underwater camera has a set of housing sold separately?
Late reply but the camera is waterproof down to 15 meters, the housing is for deeper dives or simply maximum protection underwater.
Your videos are so great. You always have a very concise, informed and scientific way of comparing videos which so many of us appreciate when making our decisions. Thank you!
Although it's funny, I was keeping all 3 options in close debate on this one...until near the end when you mentioned the Olympus was the only one that shot RAW. Made the decision real easy. Haha
I have an opportunity to buy a Panasonic TS7 at a good price. I’m still not sure if it is the best camera for me. However this review was extremely well done and helpful. I like “seeing” the differences rather than just read about them. Thank you!
Love the EVF on the Panasonic, but I don't ever shoot a camera without RAW. Olympus it is then
Just what I needed! I will be at the beach a lot more this summer! Thanks for the review guys, great as always! Love from Sweden.
I've had the TG5 since it came out and like it a lot. It's not my everyday camera but the one I take when I think the elements are going to be rough, wet, or "extreme." It's a nice little camera. I have no plans to upgrade to the TG6.
I wouldn’t either. I prefer the older TGs anyways like the 3 and 4.
Holy crap that olympus zoom is abysmal. What are they using for zooming motors,angle grinders?
To avoid having to extend the lens beyond the waterproof casing, yes, they zoom by using grinders to modify the shape of the lens in real-time.
Thank you Panasonic for keeping viewfinders on your cameras.
this is one of the best review videos of any type of product i have seen in a long time, and i have seen a lot!, very thorough review, and the reviewer is quite handsome and naturally well spoken. Man love for the presenter LOL
As a fun camera, the Olympus TG-5 is well specced and a great camera. I borrowed one early this year for a long weekend away, and was very surprised by it's capabilities. I can literally shoot anything, anywhere and whatever I want, from really small insects (great macro), rain (we have lots in the UK), mud, etc. 12MP is more than enough even for cropped A3 sized prints. The RAW capabilities simply is great as I can easily post edit the images.
Yeah this guy is a moron. It actually works great while diving and has an accessory case to go deeper. Also the phone doesn't take better pics.
My favourite series, thank you.
Absent of nikon W series.
6:10 series of bugs apparition.
Jordan is in love with that music. I have heard it in multiple videos.
I love all of BeatSuite's tracks equally.
It's interesting that all the majors seem to have ditched this space. I know it's a small market in the scheme of cameras, but a real winner here could net the right company a tone of revenue it would seem to me.
My heart skipped when I saw the cameras on the log. Then I remembered why hell I was watching this video.
gotta remember tho you can put a fisheye lens on the TG-6 as well as a flash defuser and a extra telephoto lens all which are also water proof and can be used underwater
Thanks for Putting Together This Video: I have the Olympus TG-830, the Olympus TG-870, and the GoPro Hero 5 Black. Around the winter holiday season of 2018-2019 Focus Camera was selling the Panasonic camera you were just featuring for a pretty good deal. That sale went back off pretty quickly, though. That was the cheapest I have ever seen it. I hope it wasn't used. I think I would like to get the Panasonic camera out of the three you presented. I have the Panasonic ZS-70 which is pretty amazing, although it doesn't have protection against water, impact, etc. like the outdoor cameras do.
I had two Ricoh WG-4, both went out of order for ever after using them under water for a short moment (max 2m deep). Both times I made sure everything is sealed and no water should be able to enter. The second camera was a replacement after the first broke and it took me weeks to get it replaced, because Ricoh told me that I did not handle the camera properly. After the second camera broke and almost ruined my vacation, I stayed away from another Ricoh. I had a Panasonic TS4 before and was really happy for many years. I cannot recommend the Ricoh.
FYI, the word ‘price’ works just as well as ‘price point’ 95% of the time 😘
The optical zoom is the only reason I'd use one of these over a phone, my phone has optical zoom but it uses a smaller sensor to do this and the image quality is noticeable.
I know using the larger main sensor for optical zoom on a phone means an impractical lens system.
Myself I'd opt for the lumix because it's Orange and can be easily seen if dropped.
Plus it's got an evf and other features
Olympus got the best microphone ... until you zoom ... Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr oO
@@chrisklugh In comparison of the presented, it is still the best, nothing else was meant.
When will a company release a 1” sensor underwater camera.
Dreaming about *Sony Rw* (R series Waterproof camera)
It does exist. Look up the Sealife DC2000.
@@Ohnonomomono The DCC2000 has no zoom, poor depth of field and poor dynamic range.
You can buy underwater housing for the Sony RX100 cameras. That's probably your best bet.
@@danieldougan269 It becomes extremely bulky, leave at home camera. Market needs Waterproof great allarounder camera
I C what you did there with the B roll joke...
Ok, I'll see myself out...
I have the TG-6. In black. I think of it as a GoPro with zoom and incredible macro. It is not quite as rugged as a GoPro, but overall it is a lot more versatile than the GoPro. Out in nature, both zoom and macro are incredibly useful.
Tag 5 I have you gave a thumbs up for that and I agree I think the tg6 is a winner again. Nice review Chris as always 👍
I can’t believe you guys don’t have more subscribers. I enjoy plenty of camera related YT channels, but Chris & Jordan are a cut above the rest. Keep the good work up eh!
because that number of subscribers represent the real people who are actually interested in cameras and photography gear and want to learn more. as opposed to the million subs of other channels who only really want to ogle on the latest tech and satisfy their unboxing cravings. but don't worry, Tim. Chris and Jordan are indispensable.
@@yusefcabrera also they have an new channel this DPReview TV channel is now closed
Very tight and succinct video. Thank you so much.
I am honestly confused. I was going to buy the Olympus until. I saw this really well done review. At that point seeing the evf and the nice quiet Zoom I was completely swayed by you review to look towards the Panasonic period but going to Amazon and looking at the reviews there are just an absolute majority saying that it does not focus well at all. I mean truly disastrous reviews. This is what makes these decisions so hard because your presentation here is incredibly well done. And I do believe it maybe people not really knowing how to use the camera that is causing the other reviewers but I wish I could get some second thoughts on that. I will probably go back to getting the tg-6 because there never seems to be anything really negative and I do usually record my soundtrack separately. I do wish there was a viewfinder but I guess you can't have it all
My phone takes better pictures?? That definitely splashed cold water on my impulse purchase. LOL This video just saved me money!
"Bee" roll. Love it.
*WHY DO YOU HATE PENTAX SO MUCH CHRIS*
sorry I couldn't resist
Last year I decided to sell my Lumix FT7 (TS7), because I am a bit of a kleptomaniac when it comes to cameras, that was a big mistake though. Now I have myself a bike and I'm cycling along the River daily, in wll weathers, I want it back. And of course the price has now doubled for a good second hand one. Hey ho, live and learn.
I was just about to ask but then you mentioned it at the end, how do the best camera phones compare to these cameras purely from an image quality perspective?
And if phones are better like you said then how the hell is that? Camera manufacturers complain or even go under because phones are taking away their customers but if a dedicated camera can't do a significantly better job than a phone then they deserve everything they get. But my question is why, are these 3 cameras using crappy old sensors or don't put much effort into optic quality or don't have the power to process images well?
Because shareholders doesnt want to take risk and they are closed for any cooperation with other companies. Sony had Android subsystem on older cameras (all with PlayMemories Apps) and didnt even tried to make their market open to developers. Canon is the same shit, they know they're behind and instead of giving their customers better product they are still using their own stuff. About computing power... newest Canon DIGIC 8 is 2x Cortex A9. Same CPU config as... Galaxy S2. Yea, 8 year phone. Do I need to say more? You have a lot more efficient CPUs now but they designed it god knows how many years ago and still using it because they wont cooperate with anybody. They dont even give you internal memory while its like $2 in production. Even fuckin drones have internal memory now to save your butt... screens are still 800x480 on $2k cameras and you see shit in daylight.
The best, profesional DPReview camera + waterproofb case.
i live in florida, so a waterproof point and shoot is very handy. went to the beach with my canon rebel during dorian, and i was nervous of water damage, plus it is clunky and uncomfortable for a walk. a rugged point and shoot would be great for hikes and beach events, but none i found had a viewfinder. psyched to find out panasonic makes one! thanks!
So... I didn't see any underwater shots. Does 'waterproof' not imply underwater camera? You'd think you could at least see what a photo looks like from a few inches below the surface? Did I miss that section?
Good and detailed comparison 👍
Also want comparison between iPhone 11 pro max vs Olympus TG-6. For photography wheather to buy iPhone or TG-6?? Please help me out.
gracias por la comparativa, tenía mis dudas, así que voy por la Olympus TG-6
Who would shoot 4K with these cameras?
Best review I've ever seen! Thanks for this! I appreciate it.
Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it, but the Olympus has an incredibly robust microscope mode and very close focus distance. I use it for macro photos scuba diving and the included scuba accessories like a housing and lens make it a clear winner for me.
A review of waterproof cameras and NO underwater videos or comments? Really?
I still USE my TG-3.. doesn't have RAW.. but higher megapixels.. no 4k.. but I mostly take pics.. love the fisheye lens I got for it.. and the micro is always Awesome.. and Wifi is great to have to edit on my phone and post quickly.
Informative review. I've owned the Nikon AW130, for many years. Stayed functional from single-digit temperatures to extreme heat & humidity. It even survived a fifteen foot drop on granite in the Adirondack mountains. Looking forward to using the Nikon W300, for Summer adventures.
Filming life to Remember it. The image quality on my W300 is way ahead and the video quality too.... Good buy for me at least
Thank you for this review. I was looking at the Oly TG-6 and is is good to see the comparisons. The goal for me is a durable camera for all conditions and one that can take action shots. Would you say the Oly TG-6 covers this? OR do you have a better suggestion?
I was originally looking for a good pocket point and shoot and an activity cam (like a gopro style).
Good review thank you! Trying to decide which camera to purchase. Leaning towards the Panasonic, reason Panasonic better telephoto @120 compared to Olympus @100 also water depth Panasonic @100 feet versus Olympus @50 feet. There are times I go below 50 feet. As far as a regular camera raw is not important to me and when you said Panasonic would be your choice if it had raw. Looking at Amazon Panasonic is a little cheaper but Olympus seller has far more options like extra battery and so forth. Also read a negative review on Olympus about the dot that appears, apparently quite common and Olympus denies to fix the issue.
I have the olympus tg2 since launch i love it. Esp the macro mode. But the zoom. They never improved it. Im disappointed that they never imporved that motorized sound when zooming while on video lolz
My first waterproof camera was a olympus tg610 i think(lots of years ago...) i broke it in my activities after 2years , my second was again the same camera, i lost it on the way on some mountains after 2 years. I bought a PANASONIC Lumix (but not the model of your video) but the hi end model of the time that i bought it, very good features, very good price, it supposed that it will be able to follow me in my way of life for years, BUT DID NOT, brand new camera 2 days old the first time it went into the water like half a meter it broke down!!! 350euro CAMERA destroyed in some seconds!!! I went to the official distributor and service of my country and at the end i end up loosing ALL FAKING SUMMER without camera because i was waiting for them to make a conclusion!!! The camera came, fixed, problem with the sealing bla bla so i went soft with the camera from now on(NO WATER, NO TOUGH TERRAIN) things that this camera should follow easy!!! NO, after 6 months sitting in a drawer i decide to use it underwater again, after one minute the camera was dead again... i throw it in the garbage and went and buy an olympus tg850 which believe passed a lot of action, on and underwater, snow, mountains, mud mountain biking and so on!!! NEVER LET ME DOWN IN MORE THAN 5 YEARS i HAD it before i forget her on my car(the second time) and lost it on the way back home(the first i return back to the mountain 90km away to find it and i found it)!!! When it comes to compact waterproof and action cameras (NOT GO PRO!!!) OLYMPUS is 100steps in front from competitors!!! You buy something and you know it will last at least 2-3 years or until you loose it!!! I would buy tg 6 with closed eyes, just because it is an olympus everything else is for the garbage...
Grerat review Chris & Company. Interesting and informative. I learned a gread deal. .I'll watch this again, even though I am not in the market for such a camera. Every so often, when I travel, I think I need one. Where does Nikon stand in this market?
Great video! I'm actually on the market for a waterproof camera. I'm between the Fujifilm xp140, the Ricoh wg60 and the Olympus tg6. What do you think of the xp140? Worth it ?
Thank you Chris I like the Panasonic
I've given up on all cameras with less than a 1" sensor. For underwater photography any of these cameras would be fine. But my use is snapping photos of people on tubes, wake boards, etc. being towed behind our boat. This is a place where it is much appreciated to have a waterproof rugged camera. However I need about 5x zoom which some of these don't have. Also the image quality suffers when cropping in post. It really seems the manufacturers are focused on the underwater market vs above water. As none of these three cameras have a larger sensor I bypassed them.
We recently bought a much different form factor camera that meets our needs. It is a Panasonic fz1000 bridge camera. It isn't even weather sealed which is a big concern, it is as large as a small DSLR, but in all other ways it is a better choice for us at $350 used on eBay.
I know, i really wish someone would make a rugged weather proof camera with a 1" sensor too. I just think it is too expensive to take the risk for most companies. Also a flip up screen would be nice if it is possible.
Olympus is winning!
There is also a Pico electric railroad!
I do not know where it was plugged, but you hear it at zooming!
True, nothing else ...
:-)
Funny that he mentions that in 2019 our phones will capture better images and video (additional onboard processing and access to inbody editing), but no I'd rather not expose my phone to too much water, especially salt water.
Why no Nikon Coolpix W series? The W100 and W300 are certainly competitive in this category.
We looked at the W300 last year. It's a nice option, but we didn't feel it was worth revisiting.
th-cam.com/video/L9wcZOExZnI/w-d-xo.html
Awesome in-depth review and comparison, but I think you buried the lede - the bottom line here is these things have tiny sensors, and your phone probably does a better job 80% of the time. I had a TG-4 and soon got rid of it for this reason. As you say, though, that's not to say that these things don't have their place - just don't expect amazing results.
get a decent camera and buy a underwater housing for it! Meikon for instance is quite affordable
Is there still merit in getting these when you have waterproof action cams?
Another great USEFUL review. Any rumors of a Olympus OM-D E-M5 iii yet? Oh! Can you do something on the best way to clean a sensor..... things TO do and things NOT to do?
In the 4k video test, obviously, tg-6 looks like the best one......
I have the Olympus TG-830 and am considering the TG-6. My primary use for it would be stills in cases where I wanted a small and durable camera (hikes, winter shots, beach shots). Underwater and/or video is not important to me. Is the general use stills image quality of the TG-6 much better than that of the TG-830 ?
The video made the TG-6 zoom noise seem worse than it is. I've shot a ton with it, and it is noticeable, but not a game breaker...especially when there is ambient noise like running water. In regards to the TG-6 NR and sharpening for video... you can control that.
We need more larger sensor underwater cameras. The deeper you go the darker it gets and all of these will suffer as light drops off. Why aren’t here more apsc sized sensor cameras other than the XU.
You could probably get something like a6300 and underwater housing. Its a good combo for underwater photography and a6300 is not that expensive anymore, while it has APS-C sensor and good autofocus. Not sure if there are good underwater housings for Fuji APS-C cameras, but that could be another option.
Not a big fan of housings. If they leak (and they do) then you lose the camera. In surf with water pressure from waves I’d prefer something natively waterproof. And I find housings make it harder to dive due to float factor .
And these compacts don’t have much in the way of manual controls .
@@biglenslittlelens8162 Fair enough. Did you find something you use and meets your needs yet or you are still looking for solution other than the one you suggested?
@@biglenslittlelens8162 True.
Thank you. Very helpful. More techie than i can understand, but got your main points.
Speaking of smartphones. Soon will arrive time to talk about new smartphones generation with 48mp. When will arrive new version (compatible with this sensor) of GCam app; which can do wonders like extended HDR+ in RAW files, there will come a question again, do we still need compact cameras? Actually MFT cameras will be in big trouble as well.
Can you remote control the olympus with phone via WiFi?
Awesome video, loved the review.
what did you shoot this entire review with? The images of you in the woods around 7 min, are so smooth and pleasing. nice wide angle smooth background, reminds me of a canon C200 series, then you punch in close, looks like maybe 16-35mm 2.8 or 17-55? THAT is a very nice looking video image.
This was shot on a Panasonic GH5 with the 12-35mm F2.8 lens.
Do any of these cameras have manual shutter control. I have the ricoh wg3 with no Manuel shutter control its constantly over exposing images its annoying. Even with low iso have to use the ev compensation turned down a couple clicks. I noticed ricoh changed the arpeture from 2.0 to 3.5 on the w6 not sure why they did this.
What about lens fogging? Any difference among them. That is the biggest problem I've had with my older Olympus.
TG-6 owner here...I haven't had issues with lens fog.
all can be used as action cameras?
I've used the Toughs to shoot surfers which has gotten me some great images but water spots have always been a problem. Does anyone use RainX or would that damage the apparently fragile front lens plastic?
Nikon w300??!!??!!
You didint take undewater photos and videos...
Rugged cameras could be so amazing if there were any forward thinking manufacturers around put put some effort into it. I generally liked my Pentax WG-II back in the day, but 7 years later we are still around the same image quality. That's pretty sad. I guess at the very least the Olympus has a decently fast lens and RAW support.
Are the add on ring lights waterproof to the rated max depth?
You did a great job
thus i love my olympus tg-870... it has a flip up screen...
Okay... serious question, did you notice that the olympus tg 6 had a time limit when filming in 4k, i bought mine after watching this video and bought a really good sd card, samsung evo 256gb, and it would only record for 5mins and 26 seconds, then stop, if i wanted to keep going, which i will, i have to press the record button, wouldnt this have been better if they made it start again automatically? Any thoughts on this? Mike
Sorry guys, the review was great up until 10:50 because the Venus engine in the DMC FT7/TS7 is rubbish at 4k even compared to the old FT5 shooting full HD which had an engine similar to the GH5 I believe. The 4K at say 25p is full of noise even in brightly lit surroundings, the stills picture quality is extremely poor unless shooting at a fixed ISO (say 200) and +4 setting in the Photo Style> SCNY>+4 in the saturation menu to obtain WYSIWYG for stills. The auto exposure modes are extremely slow to respond (if we compare it to say a SONY FDR 3000X-a brilliant camera on all fronts). The TG6 on the other hand is a clear winner IMHO. The only things the FT7 does better (if one can call it that) is a EVF/LVF and proper intervalometer, I don't count the max depth rating as no one will seriously take these kinds of cameras down to 30 odd metres unless in a proper housing or simply use a DSLR in a full one proper housing. The TG6 outperforms the other 2 on all fronts in general and the other thing about the FT7 is that there is no protective lens cap, so once the outer port is scratched that's the end of any quality stills images you can obtain unless one zooms past any scratch but at a cost of composition loss (maybe etc etc.). And of course the Zooming, well that's only for amateurs making holiday snaps/videos, so that is not really an issue as one should never ever zoom whilst filming unless it's not possible to recompose the shot; ok , you already said about the zoom business. It's a pity Panasonic really didn't do much with the FT7 in terms of producing a better camera. i'm not so sure about the Venus engine.
Great review Chris and Jordan
Hi . is this camera can change shutter speed on video mode ? , example HD 60 fps and 1/120 shutter speed. thanks :)
Jeepers... its a waterproof camera... how come its not showing any underwater footage?
Hi, I got the camera to the beach and sand entered under the controls, how could I clean it? (Lumix ts7
Kickass review as always
These are meant to be waterproof tough cameras. Should have shown some underwater footage snorkelling or in a pool. Otherwise good comparison and review 👍
I still use the Nikon 300 on my Jetski.... it'll hafta do for now.
@9:50 I had the exact same reaction my first time eating rhubarb. LOL
Fun vid guys! Enjoy that great outdoor! J
Does the TG6 have the same autofocus-issue like the TG5? I'm thinking about refunding the TG5 because of this. This totally sucks.
Did Olympus finally manage to remove the pink/purple orb?
It's slight reduced, but still there. www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4287370
Why is Chris doing video section of the review? It’s been a while I have seen Jordan.
I hosted an episode last Thursday!
th-cam.com/video/RGAdQ_83ilE/w-d-xo.html