Capable of working down to 50 feet of water, the Olympus TG-6 is an incredible modular point and shoot camera.
The Olympus tough camera lineup has always been pretty darned good for what they are, and the new Olympus TG-6 is promising to be even better–if not take it over the top. The company’s latest offering is pretty much as modular as a DSLR or Mirrorless camera without being a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Instead, Olympus allows photographers to have all the accessories they could possibly want. This camera is designed for the enthusiast that is afraid to bring their phone back from a swim and also always to be able to shoot great images underwater. However, it’s also a great, pocketable option for the photographer going on an excursion of some sort into more remote regions. Unfortunately, Olympus hasn’t given the camera a Four Thirds sized sensor; which is what I really wanted personally. However, it looks like it’s very capable of taking stunning photos. There are lots of other great things going on here.
Olympus TG-6 Tech Specs
- 12MP 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS sensor
- ISO 100-1600 natively
- Operational to 14°F
- Can resist 220lbs of weight
- Can be dropped from 7 feet high
- Lens has anti-fog coatings as well as 25-100mm f2-f4.9 range
- Close focusing range of 0.1m.
- 25 focusing points
- Built-in flash
- $449.99
From the Press Release
Variable Macro System
Conquer macro photography and creatively capture intricate detail using any of the four shooting modes, opening a new world of macro shooting. This close-up shooting performance allows high-quality image capture of the microscopic world that the human eye cannot see. The closest focusing distance of 1cm is possible for close-up shots even in Program and Aperture modes for more flexible photography.
The Flash Diffuser FD-1 (sold separately) uses the in-camera flash to illuminate the subject, offering a significant increase in the amount of light. This increase in light allows for usage of lower ISO settings and faster shutter speeds, as well as an increased working distance. The FD-1 can also be utilized under water.
Microscope Mode
With Microscope Mode, users can capture high-quality, detailed images of tiny subjects that are difficult to see with the naked eye, such as the antennae and feet of insects, the veins of a leaf on a tree, snowflakes, etc. A maximum shooting magnification of 7×8 is possible when the optical zoom is set to the telephoto end and the subject is 1 cm away from the front of the lens, delivering magnified shots similar to using a microscope.
Microscope Control Mode
Switch display magnification ratios with the press of a single button similar to switching microscope objective lenses for observing and photographing subjects at 1x, 2x, and 4x. When the subject is 1 cm from the front of the lens while using this mode, the image on the rear LCD monitor can zoom in up to 44.4x.
Focus Stacking Mode9
Focus stacking mode captures multiple shots while automatically shifting the focus from the foreground to the background. Only the areas in focus are extracted and merged, resulting in a full pixel photo with a deep depth of focus. This is particularly effective for macro shooting when shots have a shallow depth of field and a narrow range of focus. Between 3 and 10 shots can be set on the Tough TG-6 so users can fine-tune settings for different subjects and precision in their finished image.
Focus Bracketing Mode
With a single shot, this function captures up to 30 images while shifting the focus from the foreground to the background. Three levels of focal shift and the number of shots can be selected to perfectly match the subject and shooting conditions. This feature is convenient for instantly setting the focal position when shooting flower petals or the wings of insects, etc.
Five Underwater Modes
ï· Underwater Wide: Optimized for shooting in dim underwater conditions and capable of shooting in deeper water.
ï· Underwater Snapshot: Records subjects using the natural lighting in pools and other shallow water for natural-looking photos.
ï· Underwater Macro: Perfect for close-up shots of small subjects such as little fish.
ï· Underwater Microscope: Captures even smaller subjects up to 1 cm from the front of the lens.
ï· Underwater HDR: Dramatically recreates the scene without losing details in dark areas.
Three Underwater White Balance Modes10
ï· Underwater Shallow: Recommended for use in water depths up to approximately 10 feet deep to improve the red tones that tend to occur in shallow water.
ï· Underwater Mid-Range: Optimally tunes the color for general use in water from 10-50 feet deep.
ï· Underwater Deep: For use with the new Underwater Case PT-059 (sold separately) in water
deeper than 50 feet, particularly for improving the blue tones in photos.
Field Sensor System
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is equipped with a Field Sensor System, using tracking information obtained from various sensors in the camera to record data, including the GPS11, manometer, temperature sensor, and compass. Data can then be synced to photos and video and viewed in the free Olympus Image Track (OI.Track) smartphone app. Simply press the INFO button, even when the camera is off, to display data.
Pro Capture Mode
Never miss a shot! Pro Capture Mode shoots sequentially at 10 frames-per-second (fps) for 0.5 seconds before the shutter button is pressed fully, making it perfect for capturing shots where timing may be difficult, such as an insect in flight or a drop of liquid splashing.
Sample Images
