OM System · Mid-range
A 249-gram rugged compact camera with a 4x, 25-100 mm equivalent f/2.0-4.9 zoom lens, which OM System lists as waterproof to 15 m, shockproof to 2.1 m, crushproof to 100 kg and freeze-proof to -10°C.
Expert pick · Digital Camera World, Oct 2023
Check price on Amazon (affiliate link, opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick our gear
We have not tested it ourselves: strengths and weaknesses below come from the tests cited.
OM System lists the TG-7 as waterproof to 15 m, shockproof to 2.1 m, crushproof to 100 kg, freeze-proof to -10°C and dustproof, and Digital Camera World calls it the best everything-proof camera on the market. TechRadar's tester carried it in a coat pocket for several weeks and took it out on wet and rainy hikes. TechRadar describes its 249 g weight as very pocketable. The camera also logs where a picture was taken: Digital Camera World says its Field Sensor System records GPS location, air and water temperature, altitude or water depth and compass direction with each image and video, which it presents as useful for indexing files and building geotagged itineraries.
The longest focal length is 100 mm equivalent, per OM System, so this is a camera for scenes that come to you, such as platforms, station life and trains passing close, and not a substitute for a telephoto lens. OM System lists bursts of approximately 20 fps with a buffer of 74 JPEG or 46 RAW frames, and TechRadar adds that focus and exposure stay fixed from the first frame throughout that 20 fps burst. Pro Capture starts buffering when the shutter is half-pressed and keeps five frames from before the full press, at 10 fps, per Digital Camera World and OM System. Autofocus is contrast-detect: Digital Camera World shows it can struggle with backlit subjects, and TechRadar saw the focus hunt in night scenes. On handling, Digital Camera World found the record button tiny and tricky to press with gloves on, and TechRadar found the raised buttons easy to use with wet hands but fiddly with gloves. A steeper front grip with textured grooves helps when the camera is wet and fingers are cold, according to Digital Camera World. A switch on top toggles GPS logging, and TechRadar measured about 340 shots on a full battery and about 250 with GPS active. USB-C charges the battery in the camera, but TechRadar says the camera cannot be powered up while plugged in. Remote shooting works through the O.I. Share app or the RM-WR1 wireless remote, per TechRadar. Video runs at 4K up to 30p, including vertical video, though TechRadar found stabilization struggled when walking.
Expert pick · Digital Camera World: Digital Camera World called it the best tough camera on the market, while pointing out that its specifications are almost identical to the TG-6. Read the review
Strengths
Weaknesses
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Lens | 4.5-18.0 mm (25-100 mm equivalent), f/2.0-4.9, 4x optical zoom |
| Burst | Approx. 20 fps (RAW 46 / JPEG 74 frames); Pro Capture 10 fps with 5 pre-shutter frames |
| Video | 4K 3840 x 2160 at 30p or 25p; vertical video |
| Sensor | 1/2.33-inch CMOS, 12 megapixels effective |
| Weight | 249 g (including battery and memory card) |
| Battery | LI-92B lithium-ion, charged in camera over USB |
| Monitor | 3-inch LCD, 1,040K dots |
| Dimensions | 113.9 x 32.7 x 65.8 mm (without protrusions) |
| Durability | Waterproof 15 m (IPX8); shock 2.1 m; crush 100 kg; freeze -10°C; dustproof (IPX6) |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; GPS |
Photographers who want a pocketable backup camera that can be used in rain, snow and dust, and who accept compact-sensor image quality. TechRadar calls it a grab-and-go compact and suggests it for buyers more interested in photos than video, and it advises against it for anyone who wants the best image quality. It is a close-range tool: a 100 mm equivalent lens will not reach a train far down the line.
GoPro HERO12 Black is the action camera TechRadar compares it with: smaller and boxy, with 5.3K video and 27 MP stills, but far fewer controls. Ricoh WG-80 does most of the same things according to TechRadar, and adds six built-in macro lights around the lens.
Image: Canon Europe · source
Canon · Mid-range
A compact 24.2-megapixel APS-C mirrorless camera with a 15 fps mechanical shutter and Canon subject-tracking autofocus, supplied here with the RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM zoom.
Expert pick · DPReview, Apr 2023
Image: Canon Europe · source
Canon · Budget
A compact 24.2-megapixel APS-C mirrorless body with Dual Pixel autofocus, sold with the RF-S 18-45mm kit zoom, for photographing and filming trains from a platform or the lineside on a modest budget.
Expert pick · DPReview, Sep 2023
Photo: D. Benjamin Miller / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 · source
Canon · Premium
A 45-megapixel full-frame mirrorless camera with 30 fps electronic bursts, in-body stabilisation and a subject-detection list that explicitly includes trains.
Expert pick · DPReview, Sep 2024
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we pick our gear
Compare all cameras.
