Olympus Stylus Tough TG-4 shoots RAW

Olympus Imaging Australia has announced a new flagship model for its Tough range, the Stylus Tough TG-4, with RAW shooting capability, an f2 25-100mm lens, a new underwater high dynamic range feature, and a price tag of just $499.

The waterproof (to 15 metres), dustproof, shockproof, crushproof and freezeproof Stylus Tough TG-4 features Underwater High Dynamic Range (UW HDR) shooting, RAW file recording, and a dedicated UW setting on the mode selector dial.

It also includes a new Live Composite shooting mode for long exposures, Autofocus (AF) point selection and improved telephoto macro capabilities. It has a fast f2 zoom lens for better low-light performance.

The UW HDR multi-shot setting assures that details in the dark shadows and bright highlights of high contrast underwater scenes can be clearly captured when they are usually lost in normal exposures. Olympus says it delivers underwater images closer to what you’d see with the naked eye.

For editing flexibility, the new RAW picture format enables fine-adjustments to photos using Olympus’ Viewer app, available for both Mac OS and Windows. The camera’s dedicated UW shooting mode accessible via a dedicated setting on the TG-4’s mode selection dial; optoimises all camera settings including white balance and colour for clear underwater photography.

The TG-4 enables better long exposure pictures with its new Live Composite feature.This combines multiple shots taken over a long exposure so that, for instance, dark night skies remain dark while bright star trails and firework bursts optimally exposed. The camera’s AF point is now selectable using the 5-way toggle pad for accurate focusing on off-centre subjects.

Olympus is positoning the TG-4 as ‘the supreme macro imaging compact camera’. It has a dedicated Variable Macro System (VMS) and a Microscope Mode provides sophisticated image stacking for enhanced depth of field, focus bracketing for pin-point subject isolation and even manual focusing. Close-up pictures can be taken of a subject just 1cm away from the front of the lens across wide-angle to 30cm away at maximum telephoto range (100mm).

The camera can even be used as a pocket sized digital microscope with up to 44.4x magnification in its Microscope Control mode.

Other features include built-in GPS and Wi-Fi, enabling convenient geo-oriented imaging and social picture sharing with smartphones running Olympus OI.Track and OI-Share apps (iOS and Android). Outdoor multi-functions include an electronic compass, barometer and altimeter. Camera shooting can also be remotely controlled from a smartphone via WiFi with the OI.Share app.

Optional waterproof 0.74x fisheye lens (18.5mm) and 1.7x telephoto lens (170mm) converters can be attached to the front of the camera’s lens via a bayonet mount.

The Olympus Stylus Tough TG-4 will be available from May in a choice of red or black at RRPs of $499 (Aust) and $579 (NZ).

Click here to access the full press release.