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While the top-plate operational buttons are on the large side, they’re not especially outsized, so you won’t feel out of place operating this camera on dry land as well as in the wet. For example, when shooting from as close as 1 cm to the subject, a 1 mm subject can be magnified to up to 44 mm on the monitor. Olympus offers a huge number of accessories, including an underwater housing that lets the camera go 15 meters (50 feet) deeper, wide-angle and fisheye conversion lenses, the ability to wirelessly fire Olympus's flashes (which need to be in housings too, of course) and much more.
The combined SD card and battery compartment at the TG-6’s base, and the side compartment that houses HDMI and USB ports, are protected by doors with a double-catch mechanism to prevent them from being opened accidentally underwater, or at another inopportune moment. The only major advance from previous Tough model is arguably the ability to shoot video at up to 4K resolution at 30fps, although there are also new underwater modes (three choices, rather than just one), macro photo options (allowing captures as close as 1cm), plus an improved LCD screen resolution at 1.04 million dots.
OM System Tough TG-6: Build and Handling
Tough cameras, Oly and other brands, show mushy details that look really bad even without enlarging, specially in foliage and other fine structures. While the image quality from the TG-6 is fine, modern smartphones will surpass it in most situations, though once downsized to social media resolutions, it's less noticeable. But, remember, your phone isn't exactly rugged. While out-of-camera JPEGs have pleasant colors *, the lens just isn't very sharp and too much noise reduction is applied. Turning down the 'noise filter' option helps a bit, but if you're up to the challenge of processing the results, shooting Raw is the way to get the most out of the TG-6. The in-camera flash offers 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. The camera's closest focusing distance to the subject is 2cm. The camera is up and running from cold in a couple of seconds, and finds focus with a half-press of the shutter-release button in the blink of an eye – as with most compact cameras nowadays.
Its waterproof, drop-proof, crushproof and freeze-proof qualities aside, on first inspection the TG-6 doesn’t offer a massive amount more than those non-toughened compacts of old, the kind that smartphones gradually wiped out. The OM System/Olympus Tough TG-6 was launched in 2019 and it’s still available from OM Digital Solutions which acquired Olympus’s imaging division in 2021. It is widely regarded as one of the best underwater / adventure compacts on the market. The latest addition to the Olympus Tough line-up is the recently announced OM System TG-7, which at first glance works with very similar specs as the TG-6.The waiting time, number of shots and focus steps can be set after selecting in the sub mode. In (Shooting menu 2), select Focus BKT. You can change the magnification level to 1x, 2x or 4x by pressing the arrow pad Right button. Up to 44.4x (35 mm equivalent: 28x) is possible when using the zoom simultaneously.
For those in the first group, the TG-6's auto mode can handle just about every situation, and its numerous scene modes are well organized. Going underwater? Just choose the 'fish' spot on the mode dial, where you'll find five choices that match the situation you're in. It is a shame that Olympus did not create a simplified version of its menu system for more novice users, who are likely to be overwhelmed by the options and organization. Pop Art (I, II), Soft Focus, Pale&Light Color (I, II), Light Tone, Grainy Film (I, II), Pin Hole (I, II, III), Diorama (I, II), Cross Process (I, II), Gentle Sepia, Dramatic Tone (I, II), Key Line (I, II), Watercolor (I, II), Vintage (I, II, III), Partial Color (I, II, III) Pop Art (I, II), Soft Focus, Pale&Light Color (I, II), Light Tone, Grainy Film (I, II), Pin Hole (I, II, III), Diorama (I, II), Cross Process (I, II), Gentle Sepia, Dramatic Tone (I, II), Key Line (I, II), Watercolor (I, II), Vintage (I, II, III), Partial Color (I, II, III), Bleach Bypass (I, II), Instant Film My solution was to keep using iPhones 8/8+ for most situations and a GoPro Hero5 for those moments when using the iPhone could be dangerous. The TG-6 is a bit of an outlier in that Olympus continues to use a 12 Megapixel sensor, rather than the 16 or 20 Megapixel sensors found on its competitors. On a chip this small, the TG-6’s lower pixel count might help its performance at higher ISOs, but the much bigger benefit is its lens’ ability to go to F2.0 at its widest-angle setting, letting in twice as much light as its closest rivals will. And, for most purposes, a 12 Megapixel sensor is more than enough.While the TG-6's rugged specs are very impressive, when it comes to going underwater, several of its peers can go quite a bit deeper, with the Nikon Coolpix W300 (arguably the TG-6's closest competitor) able to function down to 30 meters (100 feet). If you're a snorkeler, that's no big deal, but for scuba it's a very desirable trait. The lens ring on the TG-6 is only cosmetic and has no effect on the waterproof or dustproof ability of the camera.
The Olympus Tough TG-6 boasts an attractive mix of sporty and industrial design courtesy of visible faceplate screws, which should appeal to photographers and action junkies wanting the best of both those worlds. In addition to lighting your subject while the image is taken, the LG-1 also assists in composing your image, as the constant light source illuminates the subject. When using the LG-1 the camera's closest focusing distance is 1 cm, allowing the camera to lay flat on the subject and still focus. Pro Capture mode saves photos before and after the shutter release is pressed, to help you capture the right moment At the end of his review Jeff Kellers conclusion is "Not good for those who want smartphone IQ or better...", completely agree.
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Simplicity –In an age where we’re constantly demanding more from our tech, the TG-6 revels in its set-and-forget mentality. The options are there if you need them, but you can easily get away with choosing a single mode and snapping until your heart’s content. Focusing is nice and snappy and the LCD screen has fair visibility in bright light, with easy menu navigation. It's not a touchscreen, but then this isn't something we expect to see on underwater cameras. When the following setting is On, the Date Stamp function is turned off. The Date icon on the monitor disappears. (The Date Stamp cannot be set to On in the menu.)
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