OM TG-7 Street Photography Preview: My Predictions Before Testing
Why This Camera, Why This Article?
The OM TG-7 is a rugged powerhouse: a compact point-and-shoot camera that’s virtually indestructible. That’s the hype, anyway! It's waterproof, drop-proof, and resistant to cold and fog, making it ideal for street photography during the relentless Mumbai monsoon. As a Mumbai-based photographer, I've found that the less-desirable alternatives on Amazon India, such as the KODAK PIXPRO WPZ2, or the usual set of action cams like GoPros and their knock-offs, don't match its durability and capability to capture quality shots. I prefer a traditional camera I can hold in my hands for street photography, rather than an action cam on a stick or a cheaper alternative like the Kodak. At least that’s what I’m banking on.
Most YouTube reviewers back up the claim of decent image quality despite the TG-7 having a smaller sensor and lacking computational power for image enhancement. That’s the leap of faith I took when ordering it, trusting it would produce decent shots, albeit ones needing serious post-processing to look 'pro.' While the jury’s still out, I’m thrilled to have the camera in hand, charging up for the first time with the USB cable it came with.
This article is partly driven by excitement and partly by the fun of predicting how this camera will perform. I plan to write a full review of the TG-7 after using it for a couple of weeks. Another reason for this article is the lack of thorough reviews or YouTube videos focusing on the TG-7 as a street photography camera. Most videos mention Olympus loaning the camera for a week, with few reviewers actually owning or using it long enough for a proper review. Some videos just show behind-the-scenes footage of street photography with no real insights, which is pretty damn useless in my book. Hence, I want to give my readers a heads-up to expect more articles from me in the future when it comes to all things street photography and the TG-7.
So Until my first review, here are some predictions on how well the camera will perform, based on my limited knowledge and zero hands-on experience. I’m also including a tip for first-time users at the end that may save you a ton of troubleshooting or from having to return the camera. I’ve already experienced both dilemmas! I hope this in itself will justify this “pre-review” for those considering purchasing the OM TG-7.
Prediction 1: Lens and Zoom Capabilities
I predict that the image quality from extreme zooms with the TG-7 is going to be terribly disappointing. How could it be otherwise? This is an extremely compact camera that boasts 25-100mm full frame equivalent focal length. What point-and-shoot camera can you think of that has awesome image quality from such a zoom range? I can’t think of any. This is why I’ll probably use the camera most often somewhere between 25-28mm, my preferred focal range for street photography (actually it’s 24mm at the moment on my full frame camera). I just don’t think I’ll be able to make use of the telephoto range and get sharp, quality images.
Prediction 2: Image Quality
I think the image quality from a 12-megapixel camera will sometimes be an issue, especially in low light. Not that pixels are everything. Modern smartphone cameras cramming 48+ megapixels onto spec sheets is a perfect example of marketing a false equivalence that more megapixels are always better. In reality, that’s often not the case, particularly in low light and with low megapixel counts on full-frame cameras like the Sony A7S III. Anyway, we're dealing with a small sensor size, albeit a Sony sensor. I think the image quality will be okay-ish, maybe on par with high-end smartphone JPEGs when compared to the out-of-camera RAW files of the TG-7. So, I'll need to develop a post-processing workflow to manage this, a workflow that will be necessary for most images I save or share online.
Prediction 3: Autofocus Performance
One reviewer reported that the autofocus was slow for stills and painfully slow for video. Let me be clear: I didn’t buy this camera for video use, and I probably never will use it. Anyone looking for a versatile camera for both stills and video will be disappointed with the TG-7’s video performance. I believe most buyers are aware that video quality and performance can’t be exceptional on such a compact camera at this price point.
That said, I don’t expect to be impressed by the autofocus performance for stills photography. I predict I'll rely on single-point autofocus rather than letting the camera decide what to focus on. But I’ll give the TG-7 a fair shake. I’ll see what it’s capable of with all available settings.
Prediction 4: Low Light Performance
I’ll make this prediction short. Low light performance will be dismal. I’ll have to rely on heavy noise reduction to make low light images work. I had this problem with DSLR APS-C cameras in the past — how can this camera be any better with such a small sensor? We’re talking about physics still, not computational photography and AI.
Prediction 5: Ruggedness and Durability
If I believe the marketing materials and YouTube reviewers, which I do, this camera will be virtually unbreakable and waterproof, perfect for my street photography needs. This is the one unique feature that sets this camera apart from most others on the market. Such durability makes it useful for many genres of photography, including underwater work, construction jobs, and other extreme situations. The TG-7 will certainly handle any street photography challenges I can throw at it.
Prediction 6: Size, Usability, and Ergonomics
Here’s the deal: This is a compact camera. It's going to be more difficult to handle compared to the mirrorless cameras I’m used to. For camera owners who shoot on other systems, a compact point-and-shoot will usually require some getting used to. That being said, I predict that the TG-7 will work out wonderfully for street photography. Its form factor and usability will be advantageous for a camera that I intend to carry with me all the time.
Prediction 7: Battery Life
I haven’t met a compact point-and-shoot yet that didn’t have pathetic battery life. To justify this, when I’m actively shooting street photography, the camera is always on and ready, which drains the battery much faster than many casual users might experience. That’s why I purchased four spare batteries, so I don’t have to worry about it. If it’s anything like my Sony ZV-1, I expect to get around an hour and a half of use from each battery on average.
Prediction 8: For Street Photography Use
The more I shoot street photography, the more I desire a smaller camera with a fixed lens. Ideally, something like a 28mm fixed lens with high performance. There are a few cameras out there that fit this description, like the Ricoh GRiii and the Leica Q3. However, I’m having trouble acquiring battery chargers for the Ricoh GRiii in India. And let’s face it, spending $5,500 on the Leica Q3 based on its current specs isn’t an option. That’s why I’m experimenting with “cheaper” point-and-shoots like the Sony ZV-1 and now the OM TG-7, trying to find my favorite all-around street photography camera!
You can bet I’ll be comparing both cameras for the benefit of a very small and niche audience out there in the near future.
TG-7 User Tip: I Hope This Will Spare You a Lot of Troubleshooting!
When I purchased my first OM TG-7, I couldn’t get the camera to charge via the provided USB cord. I tried different cables, different charging heads, my computer, and anything else I could think of. I hadn’t received my charger at the time and was essentially working with a camera that had to be plugged in to be powered on and couldn’t hold a charge. I tried all the recommended troubleshooting steps and several of my own.
After returning the red version, I decided it must have been a fluke and ordered the black version to avoid the Amazon supplier possibly shipping me the same unit. Once I had the new camera in hand, I experienced the same issue! I went through all the troubleshooting steps again with no success — I couldn’t get the thing to charge, and there was no indicator on the camera that it was charging.
But then I did something I must not have done with the returned camera: I took the battery out, flipped it over, and placed it back inside the camera. To my shock and pleasant surprise, it fit! Never in my photography experience had I used a camera where the battery fits both ways. What kind of crazy nonsense was this? Anyway, the battery indicator came on, and all the USB options appeared on my screen. Like an idiot, I hadn’t inserted the battery correctly.
I hope that if you didn’t get anything else out of this article, this one bit of information proves useful until my later reviews of the TG-7.