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If you want a slow shutter speed to capture motion blur then you need to understand how to force the camera to produce a slow shutter speed. At the maximum zoom setting (100mm), the aperture is f/4.9 at its brightest. There's a dip in resolution, 1,872 lines, but it's still a good result for this type of camera. You should avoid using the f/6.3 and f/18 apertures, as diffraction softens images to a not-so-great 1,577 lines. Optimized for underwater photography that uses natural light. (e.g. in swimming pools or shallow waters)
At the 2x zoom (50mm equivalent) setting, the maximum aperture has dropped to f/3.2. The resolution drops a little bit, to 1,936 lines. You can stop down to f/4.5 and get a little more detail (2,013 lines). There's an f/13 setting, again, it's just the f/4.5 aperture with the dimming ND filter added into the optical path. 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 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.
Unrivaled macro system for excellent close-up shooting capabilities up to 1 cm from the subject
For me, it’s a great secondary camera to take places where I just don’t want to risk my Sony a7 III. I need to spend some more time learning it’s deeper functions, but that’s ok too.
When the mode dial is already set to (Microscope mode), press the arrow pad Left button to select other sub modes. Where most cameras limit themselves to a GPS, the TG-6 has an altimeter/depth gauge, compass, accelerometer and even a thermometer. Putting the camera up against a high-end smartphone will likely result in very similar images – indeed, sometimes the smartphone’s computational wizardry might even give it the edge. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of scenarios that you wouldn’t be able to take the smartphone to in the first place – diving 15 metres underwater, for example – and smartphones also generally can’t take great macro shots without additional lenses.
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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. The battery is rated for 340 shots by CIPA standards, but I found that you'll get a bit less than that in practice if you utilize the GPS and Wi-Fi features. Thankfully, you can recharge via USB, so it's easy enough to top off while on the go—assuming you don't mind carrying a power bank in addition to a point-and-shoot. The TG-6 is a pretty standard point-and-shoot from a handling perspective. Its handgrip is decently deep, and the camera ships with a cloth wrist strap that you can use on land and under water. There have been several references to smartphones throughout this review, and to be clear, the TG-6 isn't meant to replace one. Rather, it's designed to withstand exactly what you don't want happening to your smartphone: being dropped, stepped on, or dunked in water.
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