Tough Tips – Screen Protection

Tips for the Olympus Tough TG-5 rugged camera.

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Tough Tips pages: Filters | Hidden Features | Screen Protection | Menu Settings

Written 30 June 2018 by Ian Mander.

It's not hard to find reviews which say "the screen scratches way too easily." Regardless of whether this is true, considering the battering a rugged camera will get underground, a screen protector seems like a very good idea. There are two main approaches.

1. Soft protector. A thin plastic sheet that directly attaches to the screen with electrostatic attraction, so there is no glue residue left behind when it's peeled off again. These are generally inexpensive, but can be very hard to apply without trapping dust or air bubbles underneath. If you're not a professional, get several so you can try again if your first attempt looks just awful (which is quite likely).

2. Hard protector. A (normally) 0.3 mm thick piece of toughened glass which is applied on a shim around the edge of the screen so it sits above the screen, thus avoiding small air bubbles getting trapped underneath. How this gap will fare underwater remains to be seen – I can imagine it ending up looking like a fish tank. They are said to be easier to apply than soft protectors.

The screen of the TG-5 is completely covered with a flat piece of glass. I've gone for soft protectors because I don't want a fish tank look, and I don't want broken glass in a cave if the camera gets squeezed or struck. I broke the glass back of my cellphone so I know thin glass – especially if unsupported – isn't very strong. Screen protectors are not intended to be tougher or harder than the screen they are protecting; they are intended to be cheaper, and more easily replaceable.

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