The latest in the popular line of Olympus Tough cameras, the Tough TG-6 is scheduled for local release in early July 2019.


Angled front view of the new Tough TG-6 camera, red version. (Source: Olympus.)
Waterproof to 15 metres as well as dustproof, shockproof to 2.1 metres, crushproof to 100 kgf and freezeproof to -10°C, the new model will be offered in black or red. It features a dual-pane protective glass construction for excellent anti-fogging performance plus anti-reflective (AR) coatings have on both sides of the new hi-speed back-lit CMOS image sensor to minimise ghosting and flare. As in the TG-5, the sensor in the TG-6 provides an effective resolution of 12 megapixels, assisted by the TruePic VIII processor, which is also used in the Olympus OM-D E-M1X professional camera. The new camera also supports ORF.RAW file recording and images can be edited with the bundled Olympus Workspace image editing software.


Front and rear views of the Tough TG-6 camera, black version. (Source: Olympus.)

The new rear LCD monitor now features a 1.04 million pixel high-definition resolution for better visibility. The brightness and colour saturation have been optimally tuned for use outdoors.

The 4.5-18.0mm 4x optical zoom lens (approximately 25-100mm in 35mm format) has a maximum aperture of f/2.0 and the Variable Macro System has been improved, with the microscope mode supporting close focusing to within one centimetre of a subject, yielding a maximum magnification of 7x.  when the optical zoom is at full telephoto extension and the subject is one centimetre from the lens. In this mode, users can switch display magnification ratios to observe subjects at 1x, 2x and 4x magnification and the image on the monitor can be zoomed in up to 44.4x.

A new focus stacking mode captures multiple shots while automatically shifting the focus from the foreground to the background. Only areas that are in focus are merged. Users can set the camera to record between three and ten shots. Focus bracketing is also supported, with three levels of focal shift and up to 30 images per burst can be selected to match the subject and shooting conditions. The TG-6 also offers five pre-configured underwater modes, including Underwater Wide, Underwater Snapshot, Underwater Macro, Underwater Microscope, and Underwater HDR.  The popular Underwater White Balance mode has been expanded to three options, providing appropriate colour adjustment for shallow, mid-range and deep water shooting.

Like the TG-5, the new model supports 4K Movie recording at 25 frames/second, along with the standard FHD 50/25p and HD 50/25p resolutions. High-speed movie recording is available in FHD and HD resolutions, with fps in high-quality Full HD, 240 fps at HD size, and 480 fps at SD (Standard Definition) size.

Also included in the TG-6 is the Olympus Pro Capture Mode, which records sequentially at 10 fps for 0.5 seconds before the shutter button is pressed fully, enabling unpredictable subjects to be captured.  The new camera is equipped with the Field Sensor System, which uses tracking information obtained from various sensors on the camera, including the GPS, manometer, temperature sensor, and compass to provide a realistic display along with images in the Olympus Image Track (OI.Track) smartphone app. It is accessible by simply pressing the INFO button even when the camera is off to display data. Date/time embedding is also available in the menu settings.


The Tough TG-6 camera fitted with the new FCON-T02 fisheye conversion lens. (Source: Olympus.)

A new fisheye converter lens (FCON-T02) that supports circular fisheye photography has been added to the accessory options, which includes tele and wide converters, external flashes, straps and underwater housings. The Converter Adapter CLA-T01 (sold separately) is required to attach this lens. A new optional lens barrier LB-T01 is available to protect the lens surface from scratches and dirt. Olympus also offers a new Silicone Jacket, CSCH-127 to protect the body of the camera against scratches and provide a firmer grip when the camera is used during winter sports and water sports. a special underwater case, PT-059, is available for photographers who want to use the camera at greater depths. It is designed for use down to a depth of 45 metres.


The PT-059 underwater housing, which allows the TG-6 to be used at depths up to 45 metres.  (Source: Olympus.)

The Tough TG-6 will be available in Australia from early July, 2019 at an RRP of AU$649. Click here for full details.