Last Part of the Olympus TG-820 Review

By Chuck Hajdu

The sequential shooting capability of the TG-820 is very impressive. Switching from single shot to burst mode is very simple to select. You just scroll down on the options that are always displayed on the LCD and pick your mode. If you’r shooting a 12MP then you’ll have 5 frames per second and that should work most of the time. If you need more shots just select H1 or H2 for up to 60 fps and the camera automatically downshifts to 3MP. It’s very simple but very effective.

One of the new features is the IHS technology used in the CMOS sensor. It gives the TG-820 dSLR quality and provides greatly improved image quality. Olympus credits it with dramatically improved image quality with great low-light performance and fast autofocus. We must admit that we were very impressed with the performance, it actually is the best we’ve tested in a non-dSLR camera.

If you’re a video shooter then you’ll love the TG-820. It shoots true 1080 HD video and allows you to output directly to a monitor using the included cables. We shot a few short video clips and were very impressed with the quality.

We’re planning taking a once-in-a-lifetime cruise a few days after this issue goes to press and we will be taking the TG-820 with us. It’s a no-compromise camera that any photographer can and should have in their kit.

What we liked:
The retractable lens cover
The heft, size and weight instill confidence
Handling and controls are all very good
The easy of access for normal controls
The double locks on the battery/SD card door
Picture quality  and video quality are both excellent

What we didn’t like:
The flash is a bit too small and under-powered
Battery life could be better
No carabineer strap

Recommendation: The Olympus TOUGH TG-820 iHS is highly recommended as a great digital camera that will not let you down. It’s as tough as any camera we’ve tested and it’s ideal for adverse weather conditions.

Olympus TOUGH TG-820
MSRP is $299.99
www.olympusamerica.com