Olympus Tough TG-830 iHS Waterproof Camera
As an angler and kayaker i get to see some pretty amazing sites - from epic sunrises/sunsets to stretches of stunning coastline and all sorts of weird and wonderful marine life. There is no better way to remember and share the sights i see than by capturing them on camera. Im sure we have all experienced a time whilst fishing or kayaking when we very much wished we had a camera with us! I remember one such boat fishing trip when a Minke Whale breached several times beside the boat - how i wish i had captured that on camera! So it would seem essential that as anglers, kayakers and explorers of the marine environment we all carry cameras to capture any of the extraordinary sites we could potentially see or for when we capture that fish of a lifetime. I participate in the online Kayak Wars competition which requires photo evidence of fish captured taken against a measuring device, which are then uploaded online, so having a camera whilst out kayak fishing is essential for me.
When I first started taking a camera out on my kayak I was using a Sony compact digital that I would keep in a waterproof sealed box when I wasn’t using it. This worked fine for about a year and I would carefully make sure my hands were reasonably dry whilst using it but inevitably it eventually died a watery death back in July! I can’t say I didn’t expect it to happen it was more a case of making it last as long as possible before it happened! It was time to invest in something more reliable.
After researching various cameras online I came across the waterproof/tough/outdoor breed of compact cameras. Eventually after comparing the specifications of various makes and models and looking through many reviews I settled on the Olympus Tough TG-830. At slightly more than I was wanting to payout for a camera I was very much hoping it was going to be the right choice!
When I first started taking a camera out on my kayak I was using a Sony compact digital that I would keep in a waterproof sealed box when I wasn’t using it. This worked fine for about a year and I would carefully make sure my hands were reasonably dry whilst using it but inevitably it eventually died a watery death back in July! I can’t say I didn’t expect it to happen it was more a case of making it last as long as possible before it happened! It was time to invest in something more reliable.
After researching various cameras online I came across the waterproof/tough/outdoor breed of compact cameras. Eventually after comparing the specifications of various makes and models and looking through many reviews I settled on the Olympus Tough TG-830. At slightly more than I was wanting to payout for a camera I was very much hoping it was going to be the right choice!
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The camera boasted some impressive features that would be highly beneficial for use on the kayak: waterproof to 10m, shockproof to 2.1m, freezeproof to -10°C and crushproof to 100kg, HD video recording and one feature which I thought could be very useful – GPS and electronic compass which can geotag your photos with your position and direction you were facing. Other features include a 16 Megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom (up to 10x with digital zoom), Flash, 7.6 cm HyperCrystal III LCD screen, up to ISO 6400 sensitivity as well as a whole load of other promising specs. The camera also comes with 21 in-camera presets including 4 underwater settings, backlit HDR and sunset as well as 11 ‘Magic’ filters including fisheye and dramatic, it can also take panoramic shots.
I’ve been using the Olympus Tough TG-830 for around 4 months now and can say that I definitely made the right decision. It’s a fantastic bit of kit! So much so that even my Nikon D5100 SLR has taken a bit of a backseat! The image quality is nothing short of fantastic for a compact digital. Video quality is comparable than my Go Pro Hero 2. I was fairly worried about the camera letting in water as had read that other makes of 'waterproof' cameras had been anything but waterproof. A quick test in the kitchen sink helped to settle my worries. The battery/memory card compartment and charging port/USB port compartment are waterproofed by decent rubber seals and gaskets. The openings feature a double locking door mechanisms which prevents accidental opening whilst in or on the water.
I’ve been using the Olympus Tough TG-830 for around 4 months now and can say that I definitely made the right decision. It’s a fantastic bit of kit! So much so that even my Nikon D5100 SLR has taken a bit of a backseat! The image quality is nothing short of fantastic for a compact digital. Video quality is comparable than my Go Pro Hero 2. I was fairly worried about the camera letting in water as had read that other makes of 'waterproof' cameras had been anything but waterproof. A quick test in the kitchen sink helped to settle my worries. The battery/memory card compartment and charging port/USB port compartment are waterproofed by decent rubber seals and gaskets. The openings feature a double locking door mechanisms which prevents accidental opening whilst in or on the water.
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Below is selection of photos i have taken using the TG-830 - as you will see it can produce some pretty cool photos in a range of situations and the image quality is very good. On the TG-830's first kayak fishing trip Holly caught a fantastic ballan wrasse of 5lb 9oz and the camera managed to capture a brilliant photo of the fish. It picks up the colours really well!
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It works really well underwater too! The red gurnard was shot in auto mode and the Giant goby was taken in Super Macro mode.
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Kayak shot and an Action shot
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The 'Dramatic' Magic filter can make some pretty cool photos too - the image on the left was taken on auto mode and the image on the right taken on 'Dramatic' mode.
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It takes amazing photos of fish!
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One feature i love on this camera is the panoramic mode - works well on dry land and very calm water - not so well in swell or choppy conditions though!
After 4 months of use both on the kayak and as a general compact camera i am seriously impressed by this piece of kit. I have had the TG-830 sitting in the water of my footwell for the duration of kayak fishing sessions, i have dropped it on the floor, chucked it around, taken photos in a range of situations and conditions and have even been using it at university to take photos down a microscope! Im yet to find any serious problems or faults - ok its not as sophisticated as an SLR but for a digital compact camera which will withstand the abuse of kayak fishing and fishing in general it is fantastic. The battery life is good too and easily lasts an 8 hour kayaking trip with lots of photo taking. I have even used the cameras electronic compass to check which way the wind was blowing! Now for the price..... The TG-830 will set you back around £200 but can be found cheaper online if your willing to have an ex-demo or show model - see price comparison here. Olympus also produce a cheaper TG-630 and a higher priced TG-2 in their Tough range - check them out! I purchased a Polaroid floating wrist strap to go with this camera so even if it gets dropped overboard it wont be plummeting to the depths!
The TG-830 is a great choice for kayak angling - solid construction, waterproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, exceptional image quality for a compact camera, numerous presets and filters, bright high resolution LCD and photo geotagging if enabled. If your in the market for a Tough camera that can withstand the abuse of kayaking and fishing then i highly recommend purchasing the TG-830!
Update - 10 months into using the camera and its still working very well with no signs of failure - all rubber seals and gaskets are in tact and n signs of rust or corrosion to metal components. Im am very happy with this camera and would recommend its use for kayaking and other water sports. I have given this camera a fair bit of abuse and it is still going strong. Whilst i hardly use its videoing capabilities (i now have a Go Pro HD Hero 3 for this) the camera is still capable of taking good videos and has a feature where you can shoot stills whilst filming which is handy. I've briefly used the GPS feature and have managed to get a geographical reference (longitude and latitude) attached to each photo but have yet to transfer this onto a map, but it seems to be a useful feature to pinpoint where you caught a decent fish. The photographic quality is superb.
Update - 2 years and 4 months of use and abuse from kayak fishing, rock pooling, shore fishing and more. It is still going strong!
The TG-830 is a great choice for kayak angling - solid construction, waterproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof, exceptional image quality for a compact camera, numerous presets and filters, bright high resolution LCD and photo geotagging if enabled. If your in the market for a Tough camera that can withstand the abuse of kayaking and fishing then i highly recommend purchasing the TG-830!
Update - 10 months into using the camera and its still working very well with no signs of failure - all rubber seals and gaskets are in tact and n signs of rust or corrosion to metal components. Im am very happy with this camera and would recommend its use for kayaking and other water sports. I have given this camera a fair bit of abuse and it is still going strong. Whilst i hardly use its videoing capabilities (i now have a Go Pro HD Hero 3 for this) the camera is still capable of taking good videos and has a feature where you can shoot stills whilst filming which is handy. I've briefly used the GPS feature and have managed to get a geographical reference (longitude and latitude) attached to each photo but have yet to transfer this onto a map, but it seems to be a useful feature to pinpoint where you caught a decent fish. The photographic quality is superb.
Update - 2 years and 4 months of use and abuse from kayak fishing, rock pooling, shore fishing and more. It is still going strong!
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