The Just announced Olympus TG-Tracker Action Camera is something of a cross between an ultra-portable camcorder and a Sony Action Cam. It has a flip LCD screen, 4k 30p video, built in LED light at 30 Lumens Continuous, GoPro Mount compatibility, No need for a housing, Sensors that record vector data much like the Garmin VIRB of last year and pretty good ruggedness.
The action camera space is getting more crowded and the Olympus TG-Tracker must work overtime to get attention away from Sony and GoPro Hero as the established leaders. As to the ruggedness of the camera Olympus claims 100ft water tightness which may seem optimistic but doable.
What about slow motion?
The frame rates are respectable but not class leading as the top Full HD 1080p frame rate is 60fps while the 240fps is in HD 720p resolution as well as in 480p. It would have been a slam dunk to get 120fps in Full HD At least considering most action cameras have this feature as a given in the high end. The camera however has a lot going for it with GoPro mount compatibility, fast lens, accelerometer, GPS and the LCD screen that flips if needed plus what we feel is a killer feature if done properly 5 axis optical stabilization. Problem is the camera does this only electronically which means it is not optically compensated so you will loose resolution and have crops plus artifacts in heavy motion.
Olympus thinks that the average user will not mind the electronic part in stabilization but for pro adventure seekers that demand the utmost quality; a crop of the frame to stabilize could be a deal breaker. However if you look at the competition, Sony is doing it close to the same way and GoPro as of now doesn’t have any stabilization to list. So in the end it is nice to have rather than not.
Olympus TG-Tracker Key Specs:
- Lens: 204° angle of view; f2.0 fixed focus
- Image Sensor: 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS
- Image Processor: TruePic™ VII for 4K
Video Quality:
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4k 30p
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1080 60p/30p
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720 240p/120p/60p/30p
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480 240p/120p/60p/30p
Waterproof: 30m (100ft) without housing
Shockproof: 2.1m (7ft) without housing
Freezeproof: -10°C (14°F) without housing
Crushproof: 100kgf (220lbf) without housing
Dustproof
Monitor Type: 1.5″ Tilt-Out LCD Display
Action Track Sensors: GPS, e.Compass, Accelerometer, Barometric Pressure Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Water Sensor
Special Features:
- Data logging function,
LED Headlight
- 60 lumens Flash Mode
- 30 lumens Continuous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxEkxY4rsw
Olympus Description: ULTRA HD 4K.
Record your adventures with so much vivid detail you’ll feel like you’re watching real life. That’s the amazing resolution you get with Ultra HD 4K 30p video. Besides 4K, Olympus TG-Tracker gives you shooting options in Full HD 1080, HD 720, and standard definition, each with several frame rate options. Use the High Speed HD Video mode for slow-motion playback and the 4K Time Lapse Video mode to record captivating short video of long periods of time. The Loop Recording mode shoots continuously in 29 minute increments. Even still photos are covered with TG-Tracker’s Still Shot mode.
HSC- All in all it seems the Olympus TG-Tracker Rugged Action camera is a jack of all trades option for the adventure crowd. If you own a GoPro camera and feel the need for an LCD screen, vector data, an LED Light and a host of other features that easily adapts to your GoPro Standard Mount “three prong kind” plus a standard 1/4″ screw adapter, this camera is a very worthy option.
Price: $349.99
Expected availability: July 15th 2016
Pre Order Now Open at Adorama!
Adorama TV: TG Tracker Overview Video: