Tough in name and in character, the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-2 upgrades on the older TG-1 model and continue to impress.

The TG-2 is no small piece of hardware, it’s bulky in your hand but that’s good at instilling confidence that as you tumble off the back of a horse or jump out of a plane, your digital friend will survive the bumps and bruises.

And its activities like this where the TG-2 shines. Shockproof, freeze proof, crushproof and waterproof, the TG-2 won’t go down without a fight, but you can get these features in some Smartphones these days.

Well the TG-2 has GPS tracking and 240fps high-speed movie recording for super slow-motion playback. Hmmm. Also something some Smartphones can do.

Then it’s on to the party piece. The TG-2 can see better in the dark than a cat on ecstasy. By supplying light to the sensor through a remarkable, extra-bright maximum aperture 1:2.0 high-speed lens, the TG-2 is right at home at 15 meters below the water surface. That’s where the good looking fish like to hide, and it’ll also do amazing close-ups thanks to its 200mm telephoto power, good for as close as 1cm from the subject.

Cameras like the TG-2 are purpose-built for the rough outdoorsy types. Curios then that the buttons are so small and inoperable while using gloves? That’s a small gripe, but important none-the-less.

A bigger issue I think these cameras have to deal with I the onslaught of the tough Smartphone. Sony have made it clear that they can’t compete with Samsung device or Apple’s army, so instead they’re slowly breeding their devices to be tougher than a road tyre. And that means that consumers no longer need to buy two devices when one will do.

But you want a dedicated digital camera for your weekly mountain bike ride, you say. Then why not opt for the Drift HD Ghost or Sony’s new Action Camera? Similar price, but with these you don’t get a “normal digital camera” experience.

Spoilt for choice indeed.

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