OM System TG-7 with DS51 Strobes: Creative Flexibility in a Compact Sy

By Sean Howard

As I took a giant-stride into the clear blue Caribbean waters, the primary thought going through my mind was “why am I holding this little toy and leaving my mirrorless camera and kit on the boat?” This “toy” as I so arrogantly thought of it, would be fun for a few fisheye novelty shots, but otherwise, it would likely not hold up to the more serious photography of my Nikon Z8 system. I was, very happily, proven wrong.

Blue Cod in Portrait – Captured with TG-7 wide angle and one DS51 strobe – New Zealand © Sean Howard

Traveling on Ikelite’s annual photographer’s dive trip, this year to Little Cayman, I’d been enjoying diving, as well as the camaraderie of taking and talking photography with like-minded enthusiasts. Never had I seen 14 different camera systems and housings lining the full length of the dive boat deck.

Ikelite’s John Brigham was shooting the TG-7 and the size, and his admiration of it intrigued me enough to try it out myself, both in macro and wide angle. He graciously lent me the system over four dives and I put it through the paces.

gobi with christmas tree worm image by Sean Howard

Christmas Tree with Gobi – Captured with TG-7 ultra macro and one DS51 strobe - Little Cayman © Sean Howard

For ease of travel, this small system can’t be beat.

Size & Maneuverability

The thing that immediately appealed to me was the size and weight. At just over 8lbs with two lights and a scant 5.5lbs with a one light setup, that provided more than enough power for ultra macro images, it is small enough to comfortably jump into the water, camera already in hand.

The standard kit TG-7 comes equipped with a flat port for excellent macro photography. I tested it as well with the FCON-T02 Kit with Fisheye Lens. Both macro and wide have excellent image quality and provided maneuverability not found with my larger system.

Group eye through sea fan image by Sean Howard

Grouper Eye in Fans – Captured with TG-7 in wide angle with two DS51 strobes- Little Cayman © Sean Howard

DS51 Strobes

I tested the setup with both one and two DS51 lights. These 50 watt-seconds workhorses are TTL enabled and powered by four AA batteries. Though 1/3 the wattage of the next largest Ikelite strobe, they more than adequately provided coverage for macro photography, and when used correctly provided ample coverage in wide situations. Ikelite also created an RC1 Olympus TTL receiver.

Because the lights are small and navigable, and because you can easily hold and shoot the TG-7 with one hand, it is very easy to detach one of the lighting arms from the tray and use it as a hand-held light source. The lights are attached to the housing with a long fiber-optic cable which provides a great range of light source maneuverability for creative lighting possibilities.

Sea Wisp – Back/Side lighting by hand holding the DS51 away from camara body- Little Cayman © Sean Howard

Because the lights are small and navigable... it is very easy to detach one of the [strobe] arms from the tray and use it as a hand-held light source.

Macro Capabilities

For macro, the small size allowed me to get much closer to subjects without disturbing the natural environment. The quality of the macro lens was fantastic, and the diminutive size of the entire systems produced significantly less drag in the water when swimming from location to location.

Red Banded Shrimp on Tube Sponges – Shot with ultra macro TG-7 and one DS51 strobe- Little Cayman © Sean Howard

For macro, the small size allowed me to get much closer to subjects without disturbing the natural environment.

The camera has a very simple and easy zoom mechanism that automatically adjusts the aperture based on aperture priority setting. The wider the angle, the more open the aperture. Conversely, being able to achieve an F18 aperture is only done in the most macro of views. The wide angle plus open aperture provided more than enough light and coverage for schools of snapper. And admittedly this is probably my imagination, but I felt I could approach schools of fish just a little easier with a smaller camera than the big system. They simply seemed less skittish and more willing to play and pose.

Snapper in Three – Captured with wide angle TG-7 with two DS51 strobes- Little Cayman © Sean Howard

FCON-T02 Fisheye Lens

A fun feature about the camera is the ultra-wide fisheye lens. Strictly personal preference on the round fisheye images, but it is an entertaining feature not only underwater but would make a great camera for the beach or pool time with the kids. To be able to immortalize some family memories in a non-traditional round image is a side bonus of this powerful underwater system.

Circular fisheye selfie image by Sean Howard

Fisheye Selfie – Captured with TG-7, ultrawide fisheye and two DS51 strobes- Little Cayman © Sean Howard

To be able to immortalize some family memories in a non-traditional round image is a side bonus of this powerful underwater system.

Viewfinder & Lens Speed

I found the limitations to be in ease of identifying the subject in the viewfinder and the speed of the lens. Images with little contrast between subject and background, such as this goby on the sand, caused some challenge in finding the main subject quickly and clearly. While it was easy to tell when the subject was locked in focus due to the green focus indicator, it wasn’t always easy to find the subject on screen in the first place. The speed of focus, while more than adequate, was not as quick and sharp as a mirrorless camera with the top-of-the-line lens. However, what I gave up in speed of view finding and focus, I more than made-up for in size, maneuverability, and close proximity to the subject without any environmental disruption.

Stingray landing with fish image by Sean Howard

Small Size, Big Memories

Post Little Cayman, I was so impressed with the TG-7, I ordered one for myself. For ease of travel, this small system can’t be beat. I’m blessed with a job that allows me to travel internationally and occasionally have the ability to do one day of diving while on business. While I would never haul 35lbs of my Nikon gear around the world for the possibility of one dive, I happily threw my newly purchased one-light TG-7 setup in my backpack for the trip I just made to New Zealand for a conference.

Prior to New Zealand as I had waited for the TG-7 system to arrive, I dug through old gear for a carrying case and found an old Nikon CoolPix, with Ikelite housing and a single D35 strobe. I’d actually forgotten I had the system which was my first foray into underwater photography. Over the last 10 years, as I became more enchanted with capturing what I saw underwater, I graduated to my larger Nikon array. However, finding the CoolPix took me back to my beginning and gave me one more reason to love the new TG-7 which is simply this: my 18-year-old daughter will happily take the TG-7 down with her on our next family dive holiday. It’s small, it’s powerful, an excellent value at a fraction of the cost of larger, and more intimidating systems, and it’s a perfect entry into what may one day become a photography passion for her, just as it is for her father. For that reason alone, to share the joy of shooting with those I love, I am a fan of the TG-7!

Sean copyright Sean Howard Ikelite Underwater Housings Sean Howard began diving at age 15 in the cold January waters of Idaho’s Snake River Canyon. He purchased his current Ikelite system in 2014 and loves nothing more than trying to capture the beauty and wonder he feels on every dive. He is an advertising executive and lives in Washington DC with his wife and daughter – both of whom are also avid divers. Sean shoots with a Nikon D7100 in an Ikelite Housing with two DS161 strobes. See more of Sean's work on his website.