Until recently, the definition of “protected camera” necessarily indicated a terrible design and miserable technical characteristics, except with the ability to drown the first and second in a couple of meters under water. Now manufacturers suddenly learned how to equip quite decent protection compacts equipped with advanced electronics and optics, and often even with additional functionality such as GPS-receiver. That’s where the rugged Olympus TG-810 comes in. Not flashy, but as functional as a traditional camera and not afraid of harsh weather conditions.
14 megapixel 28-140 5×3″ $360
The TG-810 can be bumped and thrown from up to two meters , thrown into dust and sand, frozen and submerged into water to a depth of 10 meters this is guaranteed by the manufacturer, but probably the camera can withstand even slightly higher loads , and in addition, the hard materials of the body of the device are not afraid of scratches.
It’s not hard to imagine that buyers of a rugged compact would do all that at home, in the bathroom, for example. So the developers came up with the idea to equip the device with additional useful solutions, aimed at travelers and tourists: GPS-system, electronic compass and even a pressure gauge, defining depth or height of the shooting point in addition to geographic coordinates and direction, respectively .
14-megapixel image sensor with image stabilization and wide-angle 28-140mm 5x zoom lens, as well as advanced electronics. The familiar “smart” automatic is complemented by a tracking focus system, stylish digital effects and portrait enhancement functions. Permanent LED-lighting comes in handy for underwater work.
Movie mode lets you save movies in 720p format and you can output them to your TV through an HDMI interface. And for viewing and shooting, not some tiny porthole, which you would expect to see in a protected apparatus, but a modern 3-inch display with a resolution of 920 thou. points. All in all, you get quite an advanced compact, only with strong armor and diving skills.
This seems like a great camera for outdoor enthusiasts, but I’m wondering how accurate and reliable the GPS, electronic compass, and depth gauge are. Has anyone tested these features extensively? How well do they work in different environments or challenging conditions? Your insights would be really helpful before making a purchase decision.
This camera seems to be packed with great features! However, I’m curious about the practicality of having GPS, an electronic compass, and a depth gauge in a compact camera. Are these features useful for everyday photography, or are they more suitable for specific activities like underwater photography or hiking?
Is the Olympus TG-810 compact camera capable of displaying real-time GPS coordinates on the screen? And how accurate is the built-in electronic compass, especially in outdoor environments? Additionally, does the depth gauge provide accurate readings for underwater photography?