Olympus Tough TG-4

The Olympus Tough TG-4 is a compact camera released in 2015. Its weather-sealed body and built-in GPS point it toward hikers, travellers and families who shoot outdoors, since a sealed camera removes some worry about dust and rain on the trail or the beach.

Photography here is straightforward point-and-shoot. The lens is fixed, so there are no lenses to buy or carry, and the 16 megapixel sensor handles snapshots, web sharing and everyday prints.

Carrying it is easy. At 247 g and 112 x 66 x 31 mm, the camera slips into a jacket pocket, so it is far more likely to come along than a larger kit.

Stills start with a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor in the small 1/2.3-inch format. That resolution is comfortable for prints and modest crops, and the small sensor suits the slim body. ISO runs from 100 to 6400, spanning low sensitivity for bright light up to high sensitivity for dim conditions.

The fixed lens keeps things simple: nothing to swap and nothing to forget. In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake, which helps when shooting handheld in fading light. It steadies the frame rather than freezing a moving subject, so it complements careful handheld work instead of replacing a fast shutter.

Burst shooting reaches up to 5 frames per second at its maximum setting, enough to catch a brief moment during an activity. Autofocus uses a single point, so focus placement is limited to that one position. The 1/2000s top shutter speed is ample for ordinary daylight scenes.

The highest resolution available is Full HD, and the top recording rate is 30 frames per second. That is enough for casual clips, family moments and sharing online. Anyone planning heavy editing or large-screen playback will notice the ceiling, but for holiday footage it is a workable limit.

A timelapse function is built in, so the camera can capture a sequence of frames on its own. Drifting clouds, a sunset or a campsite settling into evening are typical subjects, and the finished sequence plays back as motion.

Recording uses H.264, MOV or Motion JPEG. These are common formats that most editing software and sharing platforms handle, so clips generally import without conversion.

Framing and control happen on a 3-inch TFT LCD with touch input. Touch input speeds menu navigation, though the 460,000-dot panel is functional rather than razor sharp for judging fine detail.

The screen is fixed in place, so overhead or waist-level shots mean estimating the angle. For snapshot use on a weather-sealed body, that is a reasonable trade.

Wi-Fi is built in, providing a wireless connection, and GPS records where each photo was taken. Together they suit a traveller documenting trips, and while there is no Bluetooth, Wi-Fi handles the wireless link.

Light comes from the built-in flash alone; there is no way to mount an external unit, so dim interiors rely on that flash or a higher ISO setting.

Photos save to SD, SDHC or SDXC cards, and the camera also carries some internal storage. The internal space is a useful buffer if a card fills up or gets left at home, though a card remains the main working storage.

There is a single card slot, so cards are swapped one at a time and there is no second copy being written in camera.

The LI-92B battery is rated for 380 shots. That is usually comfortable for a day trip, but cold weather and constant screen use can drain it faster, so a spare battery is worth packing for longer outings.

The battery does not charge over USB, so topping it up from a laptop or power bank mid-shoot is not possible. Charging has to happen by another method between outings, which is worth remembering when planning longer days.