Olympus TG-1 12 MP digital camera

[treemuncher]

I've had the Olympus TG-1 for about a month. Thumbs and big toes up for this camera! Compact, long battery life (cartridge battery), incredible vibrant colors, 4x optical zoom, fast boot up, weatherproof, shock resistant, gps tracking and easy to use with gloves on hands.

This camera is rated for 40' underwater depths so the waterproof feature is without question. It is rated for a 6' drop for shock-proof reliability. It comes with a sturdy lanyard mount on the right side of the camera. It has the standard threaded mount on the bottom for tripod or Ram-Ball mounting. It has a very large and bright rear screen for easy picture set up. It takes up to 12 MP photos for high quality shots where you can crop out what you want with minimal loss of quality. It even has a built in GPS feature to locate your pics and an option to track your entire trip. I prefer the cartridge battery system that allows you to change out batteries faster and charge them in or out of the camera.

I learned the "camera around your neck" trick from Uncle Phil for one handed point and shoot while riding photography. My former camera of choice for this was a Kodak Playsport that did a great job but only took 5 MP shots with very basic adjustments. The Olympus TG-1 blows away anything else that I have ever used as far as color rendition, ease of use and photo quality. The TG-1 boots up in 1-2 seconds so if you need a shot quickly, this camera won't hold you up. While riding, when I see something of interest, I reach for the camera with my left hand, make sure it's oriented with the buttons to the top of my hand, hit the power button, point and shoot while still under way. There is a little speed blur on some pics, but when I get it programmed for a faster ISO, that should compensate for the bleed.

At $400, it is a little pricey but the performance is well worth the added cost if you want stunning photos from a point and shoot camera. You can also custom program the camera for your own special variations. This has been one of my best purchases lately.

Other opinions: CNET's review or ephotozine review

Samples of my photos taken with the TG-1

SwimSTOC photos with TG-1

ArkanSTOC photos with TG-1

WiSTOC photos with TG-1

Artistic Variations with the camera

 

[scooterdoc]

treemuncher
been looking at this unit as a gift for the wife. couple questions for you
1.) how long of a video can you get with say a 16MB sdcard?
2.) 32mb video?
Not sure if you have done much video with it or not. I've read the zdnet/cnet/amazon reviews and will purchase pretty soon.
tia
sd

 

[treemuncher]

I have about 1100+ pics and maybe 20-25 minutes of video on a 32 Gb card. So far, I've used maybe 25% or less of the available memory. Most of the pics are in high res mode. The video is also in high res.

I do not know the length of time you can fit on the 16Mb - you should be looking at the 32 Gb for about $35 at Walmart. Cheap and lots of storage room. I like to get the biggest card available for a reasonable price per Gb.

 

[Throttlejockey]

I may consider this camera for my next purchase. No lens cover?

 

[spotz]

From the users manual,

To take pictures of your pet’s face, select
([U Pet Mode - Cat]

Ok.. should come in handy

 

[scooterdoc]

I have about 1100+ pics and maybe 20-25 minutes of video on a 32 Gb card. So far, I've used maybe 25% or less of the available memory. Most of the pics are in high res mode. The video is also in high res.

I do not know the length of time you can fit on the 16Mb - you should be looking at the 32 Gb for about $35 at Walmart. Cheap and lots of storage room. I like to get the biggest card available for a reasonable price per Gb.

treemuncher
thanks a lot. sold it for me. you are right on the 32, i wont even waste time with a 16. i was just asking for comparison purposes.
appreciate the info.
sd

 

[Throttlejockey]

How well does the GPS work on it? Does it kill the battery quickly if activated?

 

[treemuncher]

How well does the GPS work on it? Does it kill the battery quickly if activated?

The GPS will drain the battery quicker, that's for sure. I'm not sure how fast but I think about 6-8 hours with lots of photos involved will kill it. I just ordered 3 extra battery packs for under $20 so that I can have a couple spares every day when I'm on a trip. The cartridge style batteries are quicker to change and better than built in units.

Lens cap? There is no lens cap to lose or jam. The lens has a special coating to shed water and dirt.

I would recommend the silicone case to keep from getting your gas tank or the camera banged up while riding. About $20 for an Olympus original on Amazon - 17th Street Photo or something like that. Walmart had a nice belt-clip hard case holster for about $10.

When work slows this winter, I have a pistol grip attachment in mind to make shots faster, easier and more accurate for one handed shooting while riding. The concept is in my head....along with a lot of other crap! I hope that I can get it sorted out and build a prototype.

 

[Throttlejockey]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Gates]

Hello, to anyone looking at this camera, I would suggest the upgraded model TG-2. It has slightly better specs and a few more features. As well, this camera really takes advantage of a FAST SD memory card. Something like a Sandisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I Memory Card. It has the highest read (90MB/second) and write (95MB/second) capability. This really helps take advantage of the camera's fast burst rate, Full HD (1080P) support, and fast shutter speeds for sporting events. Highly recommended.
PS: I'm not employed by Sandisk, I just like the card
Gates

 

[TOS]

Good review Randy. Will probably get a TG-3 soon.
Can the GPS be stopped/turned off, to save battery life?
Thanks,

 

[treemuncher]

Good review Randy. Will probably get a TG-3 soon.
Can the GPS be stopped/turned off, to save battery life?
Thanks,

Yes. Just go into the menu settings on the last page is the GPS settings for on or off. Battery packs will last about 1/2-3/4 day with the GPS on. And that's with my normal rate of 200-300 pictures taken per day on a long trip.

I always prefer battery packs over loose batteries. I've gotten good enough with this camera that I always keep a fresh battery in my left pants pocket and I can change it out while on the straight aways without ever stopping the bike. Thanks to cruise control, of course. I usually charge my batteries every 2 nights or so from the bike. When I get up for a nature call in the middle of the night, I change over to the next in line to be charged.

 

[TOS]

Thanks Randy, I'll probably get a couple extra batteries too. I probably won't take half that many pix in a day, so 1 battery should last me all day easily. Especially if GPS is off.