The Olympus Tough TG-1 camera

Olympus Tough TG-1: Built to withstand

Rugged and solid, the TG-1 provides peace of mind

by Peter Yeo

04:45 AM Oct 09, 2012

 

SINGAPORE - So you do not climb mountains, dive into oceans or careen down ski slopes at breakneck speeds. Then why would you need a camera like the Olympus Tough TG-1, that is built to suffer knocks, is waterproof and able to withstand temperatures you would freeze in?

Peace of mind, that's why.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 camera. PHOTO COURTESY OLYMPUS

I had the opportunity to test the TG-1 on a beach holiday as well as a trip to New York and having a camera that is better built to take knocks than I was did wonders for my confidence.

My first test was at the idyllic beach resort of Avillion, Port Dickson, where our chalet jutted out over the sea. Knowing the TG-1 was capable of plunging 12m into the ocean gave me the courage to shoot without using a death grip on the camera.

If I had more time at the resort, I would have loved to try shooting from one of the laser dinghies for rent. Shooting at and in the pool was an option but with no art deco mosaic masterpieces carved into the pool, it would have been pointless.

On my New York trip, taking scenic shots from the observatory deck at 30 Rockefeller Center, aka Top of the Rock, left me breathless but not because I was worried about dropping the camera. Of course, the camera would not survive the fall from the building - I doubt many things would - but I did not even flinch when it slipped from my cold fingers - twice! With wind chill, temperatures reached about 15°C.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 is not only tough, it looks the part too. With no lens cap, it stares danger in the face and makes its one-second start-up time feel even faster.

Designed for shots in 12m depths, it works very well under low light conditions, too. On the few occasions that I tried shooting in dim light, it exceeded my expectations. Even though it had a built-in flash, I hardly used it as I wanted to give my shots a more natural feel.

Pictures taken on the TG-1 are vivid and sharp, thanks to its f/2.0 (up to f/4.9) super-bright, high-speed lens, coupled with its TruePic VI image processor and 12-megapixel low-noise, high sensitivity CMOS sensor. Its 3-inch OLED display is bright even on sunny days, 4x optical zoom (equivalent of 25 to 100mm on a 35mm format), GPS, TAP Control Mode - to control the camera when you are wearing gloves - and its myriad automatic and scene functions make the TG-1 even more attractive.

Battery life on the TG-1 was decent and I was able to use it for a week without charging it.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 retails for S$598 at major electronics retailers. PETER YEO

Source:  www.todayonline.com