Olympus' Tough Tracker action cam is stronger and smarter than the competition

After years of making the most rugged point-and-shoots available, Olympus is finally using that know-how to take on GoPro.

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice

Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.

Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials

More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.

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Joshua Goldman

May 23, 2016 11:00 p.m. PT

2 min read

Even without a housing, the Olympus Tracker is tougher than most action cams.
Olympus

Some action cams are only as tough as their housings. But the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-Tracker on its own -- no housing -- is waterproof to depths of 100 feet (30 meters), dustproof, shockproof from 7 feet (2.1 meters), freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) and crushproof up to 220 pounds of force.

That makes the Tracker nearly as waterproof as the standard GoPro housing (rated to 40 meters), except without the fear of it accidentally opening up and destroying the camera within. Perhaps what's more impressive than its durability, though, are the sensors inside the camera that help it know where you are even if you don't.

A flip-out LCD and included handgrip make it easy to shoot at different angles.
Olympus

Olympus calls the set a Field Sensor System, which includes GPS (with Glonass and QZSS functionality), an e.Compass, temperature, barometric pressure and accelerometer sensors. Combined they capture all kinds of data -- position, speed, water and air temps, altitude and water depth -- that can be viewed on the camera's flip-out display or on its companion smartphone app. The camera can even keep collecting data when you're not recording.

Other key features include:

4K-resolution video capture at 30fps
240fps, 120fps high-speed video at 720p resolution
8-megapixel stills
204-degree angle of view f2.0 lens
Built-in LED light that doubles as a flashlight
Time-lapse and loop movie recording modes
Five-axis electronic image stabilization
Flat-lens cover included for underwater shooting
Built-in Wi-Fi for mobile transfers and remote control
Supports microSD cards up to 128GB

The Olympus Stylus Tough TG-Tracker (because just one name wasn't good enough) will be available in June for $350 -- that's about £240 or AU$485. You can find more details on Olympus' site.