In cinematography, they call it a crash cam. That’s the biggest word I’m going to use today, by the way. Anyway, the crash cam acts as a sacrificial lamb for capturing dangerous shots, when it doesn’t pay to risk the golden child camera that costs an arm and a leg.
The cheaper crash cam gets the shit jobs that might result in it getting run down by a truck, dropped off the roof of a building, or dropped into a pool.
The OM System Rough TG-7 is like a crash cam for still, point-and-shoot cameras. For certain shots, you put your camera’s survival at risk. But what are you supposed to do, not grab the killer shot? Rough impacts and water deluges are electronics’ sworn enemies, especially delicate cameras. Not the TG-7, though.
a tough customer
While many point and shoots are water resistant to ward off light splashes or drizzles, the Tough TG-7 is waterproof to 15 meters (about 50 feet). Not only that, but it’s freeze-proof to -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) and shock-proof for drops and impacts.
Its 12-megapixel, 1/2.3 image sensor lags behind most point-and-shoot digital cameras in its price range, though, and the rear screen isn’t a touchscreen. But with its rugged features and 4x optical zoom, you’ll get shots other cameras could only wish they could as they sit safely on the sidelines.
I haven’t used the Tough TG-7 (yet). When it comes to its photo quality chops, I’m not expecting much, given its specs. And $500 is still pricey for a camera whose primary function, in my eyes, is to save your more expensive, precious cameras.
Go ahead and plunge into that cenote with the Tough TG-7, though, if you find yourself taking risky shots often enough to justify its purchase. While the other cameras may be snapping pretty pictures of it from above, you’ll be the only one zoomed in on the tropical fish down below.
The post Like Risky Shots? This Camera Is Tough To Kill. appeared first on VICE.
