Olympus has released details of its latest Tough camera, the Tough TG-5, which features a fast f/2.0 lens, a new back-lit CMOS sensor and the latest TruePic VIII image processor.
Angled front view of the new Olympus TG-5 Tough camera, red version. (Source: Olympus.)
Like its predecessor, the TG-4, the TG-5 will be available in red or black. It is waterproof to 15 metres, dustproof and can withstand a drop of 2.1 metres. It is also crush-proof and able to withstand loads up to 100 kgf as well as freeze-proof to -10 degrees Celsius. Dual-pane construction inside the lens prevents condensation created by significant temperature differences. A key feature of the new camera is the inclusion of 4K movie recording, in addition to Full HD and a new high-speed movie function that records FHD movies at 120 fps for playing back in slow motion.
The resolution of the 6.12 x 4.51 mm sensor has been reduced to 12 megapixels to improve low light performance. Noise level has been reduced by one step for improved shooting in the standard ISO sensitivity range and in low light levels. The TruePic VIII image processor is the same chip as used on the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Its high speed enables more complex calculations and enables a new maximum ISO sensitivity of 12800 and supports RAW file recording.
The 4x optical zoom lens covers focal lengths equivalent to 25-100mm in 35mm format. Its optical design consists of 9 elements in 7 groups, with DSA (Dual Super Aspherical), HD (High Refractive/High Dispersion), and HR (High Refractive Index) elements to minimise aberrations. Maximum apertures range from f/2.0 to f/4.9 and the minimum focus is 10 cm, using the 25-point CMOS contrast detection AF system. Built-in sensor-shift stabilisation provides a shutter speed correction of 2.5EV at the longest focal length setting.
Rear view of the Olympus TG-5 Tough camera, black version. (Source: Olympus.)
No viewfinder is provided. Shooting modes include Intelligent Auto (iAUTO), Programme Auto (P), Aperture Priority (A), Custom1, Custom2, Underwater, Microscope plus 16 Scene pre-sets (SCN). Shutter speeds range from 1/2 to 1/2000 second with up to four second exposures available in Night Scene mode. Continuous shooting is supported at up to 20 fps with the buffer memory capable of storing up to 14 raw frames in high-speed mode or 49 frames with low-speed recording. JPEGs can be recorded to card capacity. The built-in TTL auto flash can synch with all shutter speeds.
The TG-5 is equipped with four macro modes with a maximum shooting magnification of 7x for capturing microscopic subjects that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Accessories such as the LED Light Guide LG-1 and Flash Diffuser FD-1 expand shooting possibilities. Users can also connect the camera to a large-screen monitor via HDMI to observe tiny subjects in high-quality images.
The TG-5 comes with a built-in GPS sensor plus a new Field Sensor System that integrates a number of sensors used to display tracking information on the camera or on a smartphone along with recorded images in the Olympus Image Track (OI.Track) app. Users can simply press the INFO button to display longitude and latitude, altitude and water depth, air and water temperature and compass directions.
The Olympus Tough TG-5 will be available in red and black for an RRP of AU$649 from June 2017. For more information, visit https://www.olympus.com.au/Products/Compact-Digital-Cameras/T-Series/TG-5/Overview.
