Adding to the list of worries for GoPro, Olympus has just announced its own rough and ready action camera and it looks like a beast. Unlike any of GoPro’s offerings (which usually need additional waterproof housing and rugged cases to survive the elements), the new Olympus Stylus Tough TG-Tracker will take a beating right out of the box.
The Stylus Tough TG-Tracker (yes, that’s actually the official product name) also comes with a specs array that your average swiss army knife would be envious of.
Equipped with a fixed f/2.0 13.9mm equivalent lens, it’ll take 8MP stills with a 1/2.3″ sensor and records 4K video at 30fps or 1080p video at 60fps.
The camera is rated as waterproof up to 30m/100ft, shockproof from 2.1m/7ft, freezeproof to -10C/+14F and crushproof to 100kgf/220lbf, making it one hardy piece of kit. The Stylus Tough TG-Tracker also boasts WiFi, built-in GPS, a barometric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a compass and an accelerometer.
In short, this is the Bear Grylls of cameras, and Olympus is practically daring us to shoot it from a cannon or drive over it in a steamroller. Don’t they know we have a history of that kind of behaviour?
For those who want to explore caves or film at night, a built-in lamp is included, which can also be used as a flashlight. The gun-like grip can be used to take shots from a variety of angles, and although the 1.5″ flip-out screen doesn’t rotate, Olympus have included a tiny mirror on the grip to help with selfies.
Once you connect this camera to your phone via WiFi, you can also track your route and elevation, time elapsed, distance traveled and average speed. This GoPro on steroids will set you back just US$349.99 when it hit shelves in June, and will be available in green and black finishes.
Source: Bokeh
