Olympus TG-2 Review

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Basic Specifications
Full model name:	Olympus Tough TG-2
Resolution:	12.00 Megapixels
Sensor size:	1/2.3 inch (6.2mm x 4.6mm)
Lens:	4.00x zoom (25-100mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	No / OLED
Native ISO:	100 - 6400
Extended ISO:	100 - 6400
Shutter:	1/2000 - 4 sec
Max Aperture:	2.0
Dimensions:	4.4 x 2.6 x 1.1 in. (112 x 67 x 29 mm)
Weight:	8.1 oz (230 g) includes batteries
MSRP:	$380
Availability:	03/2013
Manufacturer:	Olympus
Full specs:	Olympus TG-2 specifications

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12.00 Megapixels	4.00x zoom	1/2.3 inch size sensor

TG-2 Summary

There's a good reason why the Olympus TG-2 is also called Tough; its rugged, element-defying skills are among the best for compact waterproof cameras. The TG-2 also proved a tough act to beat when it comes to controls and customizability, being the only waterproof compact we tested that had a physical Mode dial, providing serious shooters quick access for getting the perfect exposure. And that's suiting since the TG-2 tended to underexpose in Auto mode. But that doesn't mean it takes bad pictures; in fact it printed as well or better than its rivals including 16-megapixel models, and its fast f/2 max aperture at wide angle really helps in low-light situations. Overall, the Olympus TG-2 stands out as one of the best in its class.

Pros

Fast f/2 lens at wide angle; Decent image quality for its class; Excellent waterproof and rugged specs; Solid feature set, including the cool Microscopic Macro function for super closeups; Aperture priority mode; Peppy performance and good battery life; Accepts conversion lenses.

Cons

Tendency to underexpose shots in Auto mode; Aggressive noise reduction smudges fine detail; Poor video quality with lots of artifacts; No built-in Wi-Fi.

Price and availability

Olympus started selling the TG-2 in the U.S. market in March 2013, priced at around US$380. Two body-color options are available: black, or red. Each ships with both black and red lens rings in the kit.

Imaging Resource rating

3.5 out of 5.0

For our review of the Olympus TG-2, see our
2013 Best Waterproof Cameras Shootout,
where we compare the TG-2 against five top competitors
and identify which waterproof camera may be right for you.

Olympus TG-2 Overview

by Mike Tomkins
Updated 10/21/2013

Olympus' latest rugged, go-anywhere camera leads something of a double life. On the one hand, its styling is filled with angles, protrusions, texture variations, and bared screw heads that give the impression of a precision tool crafted to meet a difficult challenge. (And that's an accurate impression, because it's waterproof to 50 feet, shockproof to 7 feet, freezeproof to 14 degrees F, crushproof to 220 pounds, and dustproof. It's also location-aware, and sports an interesting microscopic macro function that brings your subject up close and extremely personal.) On the other hand, it comes accompanied with a pair of lens rings that let you match the color to your personal style, along with what Olympus calls a premium wrist strap to customize the camera's look. The Olympus TG-2 is equal parts technical wizardry and fashion statement.

Built for submersion. Inside its aluminum body, which can be used underwater at depths 10 feet beyond what its predecessor could manage, the Olympus Stylus TG-2 includes not only a built-in GPS receiver and electronic compass, but also a manometer that lets it determine just how far beneath the surface you are. (And it can warn you when that 50 foot depth limit is approaching, so you don't stray too deep.) And if the standard waterproofing depth of 50 feet isn't enough for you, you can take the camera even deeper if you pick up the Olympus PT-053 underwater housing. This will allow use at depths up to an impressive 135 feet (45 meters).

Sensor and processor. There's also the pairing of a 1/2.3-inch, 12.4-megapixel backside illuminated CMOS image sensor, whose pixel pitch is 1.55µm, as well as a TruePic VI image processor. Together, these give a sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 6,400 equivalents. And catering to difficult ambient light, the sensor is mounted on a movable platter to provide for sensor-shift image stabilization, reducing blur from camera shake. Sensor and processor together also allow for some pretty handy speed: 5 frames per second at the full 12 megapixel resolution for as many as 25 frames, and up to 60 fps for as many as a hundred images at a resolution of three megapixels.

Optics. In the center of that colorful, interchangeable lens ring, the Olympus Tough TG-2 features a 4x optical zoom lens with a bright f/2.0 maximum aperture at its 25mm-equivalent wide angle. By the telephoto position of 100mm-equivalent, this falls to f/4.9. The lens design includes nine elements in seven groups, of which four are double-sided aspheric elements. Remove the lens ring altogether, and you can mount your choice of a waterproof fisheye or teleconverter adapter lens, allowing use both above and below water. The lens will focus down to 10cm normally, and 1cm in macro mode -- and unusually you can focus this close at any focal length above ~31mm equivalent. Both face detection and tracking functions are included, and the Olympus TG-2's lens has one more rather nifty trick up its sleeve. A special Microscopic Macro function increases magnification to 14x with "no noticeable loss of image quality" at a distance of just one centimeter from your subject.

Display, exposure and more. On the rear panel, there's a three-inch Organic LED monitor with a resolution of 610,000 dots. Exposure modes include Intelligent Auto, Program, and Aperture-priority (with 3 aperture settings per focal length). Available shutter speeds range from 1/4 to 1/2000s, and can be raised as high as four seconds in night mode. At ISO 1,600 equivalent, a built-in flash has a working range of 7.9 meters at wide angle, and 3.1 meters at telephoto. Interestingly, the flash is capable of wirelessly controlling compatible remote flash units (fixed to Group A, Channel 1). The camera's bright, white LED AF illuminator can also be used in place of the flash, useful for macro illumination.

Special modes. The Olympus TG-2 also has some special modes aimed at providing better ease of use, and some extra creative possibilities. The HDR Backlight Adjustment mode combines multiple, sequential shots to create a single image with greater dynamic range than is possible in a single exposure. Handheld Starlight mode is similar, but raises sensitivity to get a shorter, hand-holdable shutter speed, and then averages the exposures to reduce noise levels. There are no fewer than four Underwater modes (Snapshot, Wide1, Wide2 and Macro), and Intelligent Auto mode has been improved and now recognizes 34 different scene types. An in-camera Panorama mode is also provided.

There's also a selection of 11 Magic Filter effects functions (Pop Art, Pin Hole, Fisheye, Soft Focus, Punk, Sparkle, Watercolor, Miniature, Reflection, Dramatic and Fragmented), plus a Beauty mode that yields more attractive portraits and can simulate details like blush makeup.

Video. As well as stills, the Olympus TG2 also shoots 1080p (Full HD; 1,920 x 1,080 pixel) high definition movies, at a rate of 30 frames per second. These are stored in H.264-compressed .MOV format, and the TG-2 can also shoot high-speed videos in Motion JPEG .AVI format. Two rates are available for high-speed videos: 120 fps for VGA (640 x 480 pixels), and 240 fps for QVGA (320 x 240 pixels).

Storage and power. Images and movies are stored on Secure Digital cards, including SDHC and SDXC types, as well as Wi-Fi capable cards such as those from Eye-Fi and Toshiba's FlashAir line. There's also 22MB of built-in memory. High-speed UHS-I cards aren't supported, however. Connectivity includes both USB 2.0 High Speed data, and a high-def Micro (Type D) HDMI output. The latter requires an optional cable, and supports the HDMI CEC standard for controlling your camera via your TV's remote. Power comes from an LI-90B proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, good for 350 frames on a charge.