A compact camera with a 12Mp 1/2.33-inch sensor is the Olympus Tough TG-6. Its ability to withstand extreme conditions—including being dropped from 2.1 meters, crushed by 100 kilogrammes, frozen to -10 degrees, and submerged 15 meters below the surface—makes it unique. You can use it on the beach and not be concerned if you drop it because of the waterproofing, which also makes it dust-proof. The TruePic VIII processing engine and the Tough TG-6’s sensor have been matched by Olympus. The Olympus OM-D E-M1 II uses the exact same engine. It permits an ISO 100–12,800 sensitivity range in the Tough TG-6. The TG-6 has a lens with a focal length range equivalent to 25-100mm, just like the TG-5 it replaces. The maximum aperture of the lens is f/2.0 at the wide-angle end and f/4.9 at the telephoto end. With the large aperture, the shutter speed can be maintained even in low light or while submerged in water, making that a useful range for general photography.
Olympus Tough TG-6 review: Design
Thanks to its visible faceplate screws, the Olympus Tough TG-6 has a stylish combination of industrial and sporty design that should appeal to adventure seekers and photographers looking for the best of both worlds. At no point does its internally stacked 25-100mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens protrude from the body and potentially put you in danger. It feels sturdy in the hand and fits comfortably in a pocket. If you want something that looks less sporty and more subdued, you can also get it in all-black livery like our test unit has. You won’t feel out of place operating this camera on dry ground as well as in the wet because the top-plate operational buttons are on the large side but not particularly large. The backplate controls are essentially the same as those on a non-ruggedized camera: tiny lozenge-shaped buttons, a shooting mode wheel, and a four-way navigational control pad with the well-known “OK” activation button in the center. All of these controls require fingertip or thumbnail operation. Because manual options are few and difficult to find in the menu, the Tough TG-6 is primarily intended to be used automatically.
Features
The TG-6’s USP is how tough it is. It offers anti-fogging, crush proofing, crush proofing to 100 kg, freezeproofing to -10 degrees, and waterproofing for 15 meters. This camera has excellent all-around tough credentials, but if you need something that can dive deeper than 15 meters, check out the Panasonic FT7, which offers waterproofing to a depth of 31 meters, or the Nikon Coolpix W300, which offers waterproofing to a depth of 30 meters. you can read our article on Olympus Tough TG-6 review. Although 15 meters should be sufficient for most users, unless you specifically require it, the TG-6’s other features usually make it worth the trade-off. A PT-059 Underwater Case, which increases the TG-6’s underwater capabilities to 45 meters and supports external flash units, is also an option. The TG-6’s high-quality lens, which has a maximum wide aperture of f/2.0, is one of its most notable features. When taking pictures underwater, where the light level is lower than it might be on the surface, this is especially helpful. For some underwater subjects, the underwater macro and telescope modes’ macro focusing capabilities are also incredibly helpful. At this point, it’s important to mention that in addition to the underwater case for the TG-6, there are a number of other underwater accessories available for purchase. This consists of a fisheye (ultra wide) lens and a teleconverter to extend the 4x zoom lens’s reach. Your shot composition is done on a 3-inch LCD monitor. Although it isn’t touch-sensitive, this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker if you plan to use the camera primarily underwater.
Olympus Tough TG-6 review: Image quality
A toughened camera’s image has never been able to compete with a DSLR or mirrorless model that costs about as much, and the same is true here. When shooting up close at this widest setting, the TG-6’s wide-angle 25mm-equivalent view inexorably produces a slight fisheye effect, and we discovered that in particularly bright and sunny conditions, images are dangerously close to overexposure, with a loss of highlight detail. Naturally, if you realize this at the time of shooting, you can manually reduce exposure or change the ISO setting. However, bright lighting also affects the LCD screen’s visibility, which is problematic. While having a zoom lens is useful, the available range is limited, and we discovered detail suffered when shooting handheld and at the maximum telephoto setting. The user must be cautious to prevent errant fingertips or the camera strap from encroaching on the edges of shots, as is the case with any camera in which the lens is internally stacked.
Video quality
With excellent quality that is roughly on par with that of a good smartphone, the Olympus Tough TG-6 can record 4K video at 30 frames per second. This sixth instalment of the series is even more intriguing due to the inclusion of several high-frame-rate modes. It can record video at a super-slow frame rate of 480 frames per second when the resolution is reduced to 720p or lower, which is perfect for the kind of extreme sports shooting for which this camera is already well-suited. Frame rates of 120 fps are capable of being recorded for full HD video. Despite the audio being quite noisy, the Olympus Tough TG-6 captures a lot of detail in 4K video mode. There is a hissing sound in addition to any handling or zooming sounds. This means that you should probably replace it on any videos unless the audio is incredibly loud and cancels out the hiss. also, you can learn our article on Olympus Tough TG-6 review.
Olympus Tough TG-6 review: Performance
These catches, which we found to be unusually small for a camera of this type and required precise fingernail operation, would be impossible to use while wearing thick gloves, but on the plus side, there’s little chance of you opening anything by accident. As with most modern compact cameras, the camera starts up quickly from a cold state and quickly finds focus with a half-press of the shutter-release button. Instead of a separate mains charger being provided, the battery is charged while it is housed inside the camera using a USB lead and mains plug connector. This lowers the cost and makes it possible for the device to be charged from a laptop while in use. The Olympus Tough TG-6 has a pleasant sense of immediacy to it. A fisheye converter, silicon jacket, and additional waterproof housing to extend use down to 45m all expand your shooting options and support the manufacturer’s claim that this is not simply a camera, but rather a system – albeit at a price. Within a few seconds of turning, it on, it is ready to shoot. This camera isn’t for those who like to fine-tune their exposures because the manual control of the shooting settings is quite limited. You only have three aperture settings and a few situation-specific auto modes. We would characterize the image quality of the Tough TG-6 as adequate but not outstanding after using it for a prolonged period of time both on land and in the water. The 1/2.3-inch sensor, as previously mentioned, is roughly the same size as one found in a smartphone, and without the numerous digital smoothing techniques that modern smartphones come loaded with, they will initially appear slightly less impressive than the images you get from your phone. However, your phone cannot survive 15 meters of water, so there’s that.
Conclusion
Although the TG-6 doesn’t offer a significant improvement over the TG-5, it still fills a market niche. Additionally, it is simple to use and can produce high-quality images under various circumstances. However, it pays to monitor the exposure and adjust it downward if the images are too bright if you’re using it for general photography away from the beach or ocean. Even though the TG-6 comes with some entertaining new features, if you already own the TG-5, there is no need to upgrade. The best everything-proof camera available is this one, though, if you have an older Tough or are looking for one that can take pictures and videos even in subzero temperatures while submerged in water, covered in sand, or dropped onto concrete.
