OM System PT-059 review: Probably the most popular underwater camera housing in the world

The OM System PT-059 is an underwater housing produced for the OM System Tough TG-7 and older, but nearly identical, Olympus Tough TG-6 Tough compact waterproof cameras.

While both of these compact cameras have a waterproof rating, an underwater housing enables you to take them to greater depths when scuba or free diving. It also adds an extra layer of protection against water entering your camera, which occurs if seals on compartment doors are dirty or the internal seals fail due to age.

An underwater housing doesn’t just increase protection from water, though; it opens up the ability to add more accessories to your underwater photography setup, increasing its capability.

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OM System PT-059: Price

The recommended retail price for the OM System PT-059 is $ 399 / £329 / AU$579 and it is found widely on sale at camera retailers and online stores, as well as from OM System direct – so there is no need to go to a specialist diving shop.

There are cheaper housings available for the TG-6 and TG-7 but, considering the build quality, layout and features, the PT-059 in my opinion is the best value option.

OM System PT-059: Specifications

OM System PT-059: Build & handling

The OM System PT-059 is the lightest underwater housing available for the TG-7, making it ideal for travel. I take mine with the camera in hand luggage when I fly.

That’s paid off on one trip where a bag containing some of my larger underwater camera equipment was delayed; I still had a camera and housing to shoot with for the first day diving while the bag caught up with me.

Despite being lightweight, the PT-059 is robust and hardwearing. I’ve taken mine on a lot of diving trips and so far it has functioned perfectly.

The low weight is achieved by the housing being predominantly made from polycarbonate plastic, which is strong enough to protect your camera down to 45m / 147ft. For most recreational divers this is enough depth – and certainly for me it is. As an underwater photographer, I seldom venture below 25m / 82ft.

Plastic housings can be less long-lived than metal ones. In particular, if sand gets into a button or dial and you don’t remove it, the surrounding plastic can be worn away – causing an irreparable leak.

The lens port is scratch-resistant coated glass and is recessed in a metal surround, so you have to be trying pretty hard to get it scratched.

The ports on plastic housings are more prone to fogging up than on metal ones, but the PT-059 has a recess for a silica gel pack to help prevent that.

A front grip for your right middle, ring and little finger, and a raised thumb rest on the rear make it easy to hold. All the controls can be operated while the camera is in the housing, and I find that I can adjust most of them with my thumb while I keep my index finger on the shutter release.

With the camera inside, the PT-059 is almost exactly neutrally buoyant. If you let go of it when it isn’t attached to you it will sink pretty slowly, so you’ll have a good chance of getting it back.

There’s an attachment fitting for a pair of fiber optic strobe cables, which neatly clips onto the diffuser for the camera flash.

An included wrist lanyard is what I use for securing the housing when I’m using it on its own or as part of a small underwater photography setup.

The included port cap is something of nuisance in the water, and I’d suggest taking it off completely when in use and not having it drifting around on the cord it comes supplied with.

OM System PT-059: Performance

For me, being able to use the built-in flash as a light source when the camera is in the housing is a major advantage that the PT-059 has over most other TG-7 housings.

You do have to be quite close to subjects to light them using the camera flash (I’d suggest getting within about 50cm or less), but for close-up and macro photography it does a reasonable job.

When starting out taking underwater pictures, it’s a wise move to get used to taking photos using the built-in flash or ambient light before adding the bulk and added task load of using an external strobe.

A cold shoe mount facilitates the attachment of a focusing light or action camera to the top of the housing. You could add an external strobe or video light to this mount on a short arm but, with the mount being screwed onto the body of the housing, I’m a little wary of putting too much weight and leverage on it in case it breaks off.

The housing base has a plate with three tripod-sized screw holes, enabling you to mount it on a tripod or a lighting tray with handles for attaching strobes or video lights.

With a single strobe attached to a tray with a left handle, the controls are easy to operate. But with a two-handle tray you may find operating the shutter release lever while holding the right handle is too much of a stretch.

You can hold the side of the housing with your hand between it and the right handle, but that can be uncomfortable. A third-party extension for the shutter release lever or trigger style attachment will enable you to take shots while holding the right handle.

A 52mm screw thread on the housing port makes it possible to attach wide-angle wet lenses by brands such as Inon, Aoi and Weefine. Inon and Nauticam also make specific quick-change bayonet mounts to fit the PT-059, so their bayonet-fitting wet lenses can be used.

Being able to quickly remove or fit a wide-angle lens while underwater enables you to switch between taking pictures of large marine creatures, like turtles and sharks, over to the tiniest of animals.

You do have to take some care when using the PT-059, though. While the waterproof nature of the camera provides extra protection, a severe leak of your housing at depth can still kill your camera.

A visual check of the O-ring for debris should be done before every use, and you should ensure that the O-ring that seals the door is kept suitably lubricated.

OM System PT-059: Verdict

The OM System PT-059 does an excellent job as an underwater housing, combining good build quality with a reasonable cost. It’s comfortable to use on its own and readily expandable with a large range of third-party accessories available from quality underwater photography brands such as Inon, Nauticam and Aoi.

It would take a really impressive housing at the same or lower price point to persuade me to stop recommending the PT-059 to my customers and students.

OM System PT-059: Alternatives

Almost every manufacturer of underwater photography gear produces a housing for the TG-7. The Nauticam NA-TG7 is an aluminum housing with a depth rating of 100m. If you want to take your Tough to depths below 45m, this is the housing I’d recommend. Being aluminum, it’s less prone to having the housing port fog up and harder wearing. But it costs nearly three times what a PT-059 will.

The Ikelite TG-7 housing is less refined looking than the PT-059 lacking the grips, cold shoe, and flat diffuser. I’m not a fan of it but it does provide one thing that other housings don’t. You can fit a dome port and therefore use the FCON-T02 Fisheye Converter on your TG-7. Having that very wide angle of view is great for taking shots of large subjects or big scenes and the dome is ideal for doing split shots at the water surface. But you are tied to doing wide-angle photography throughout a dive unlike when using a flat port and a wide-angle wet lens.

Check out our guide to the best underwater housings for other cameras and phones