The Olympus Tough TG-6 Camera Has Been Discontinued
The Olympus, now OM System, Tough TG-6 is no longer being actively produced and is no longer avaiable from OM System in Japan. The popular waterproof point-and-shoot is still available in the United States and it is unlikely that this will be the end for the product line.
The TG-6 is one of the most rugged cameras currently available. The $500 camera is waterproof down to 15 meters (50 feet), shockproof to falls of up to 2.1 meters (seven feet) high, can survive crushing pressure of up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of force, and can withstand temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius. It is also dust-proof rated as IPX6. The front lens is sealed with double-pane glass to prevent fogging and condensation as well, making it one of the most robust camera bodies on the market.
The camera features a 12-megapixel backside illuminated sensor that is supported by OM System’s TruePic VII image processor that allows it to shoot up to 20 frames per second continuously in RAW. It can also shoot 4K video at up to 30 frames per second and full HD footage up to 12 frames per second.
As reported by Asobinet, the Japan-based OM System official store shows the near indestructible TG-6 is no longer being sold (specifically, “online store sales completed”). It is still available to buy directly from the OM System store in the U.S. and very likely exists on store shelves around the world.
OM System explains to PetaPixel that it will only categorize a camera as discontinued once it has fulfilled all shipments of stock of the cameras from its warehouses, which is why it does not yet appear on OM System’s discontinued products list. However, it is PetaPixel‘s understanding that the camera is no longer being actively manufactured.
Regardless, “discontinued” doesn’t mean that the camera will no longer be supported nor does it mean that it won’t be purchasable — it only means that current stock is finite.
The TG-5 was announced in 2018 and was quickly followed by the TG-6 the next year. Olympus, now OM System, regularly updated the camera series up to that point, but it has now been four years since the last one was released and the system is due for a refresh.
Even though the camera might be on its way out, it is highly unlikely that OM System lets this system go the way of the dodo. Not only is it considered one of the best choices for underwater photography, OM System is still creating new products that actively build on the system.
Earlier this year, the company announced a new housing for the TG-6 that is designed for the medical space and can be autoclaved, meaning it can be fully sanitized after use. That casing was even mainly focused on use in Japan, so it would be even more unusual for the company to discontinue the line there now.
What is more likely is that OM System is planning a new TG-series camera that will use the same body design but make upgrades to the sensor or processor. The TG-5 and TG-6 changed little from the previous two iterations of the camera and both those point-and-shoots use the exact same camera casing down to the millimeter. Additionally, the button arrangement for the TG-5 and TG-6 is identical, meaning there is precedent that OM System has no problem upgrading the interior of the camera but keeping the exterior the same.
That is, of course, speculation at this point.
With all that in mind, expect to continue to find the TG-6 available to purchase around the world until stock on store shelves is depleted. Additionally, it would not be too far outside the realm of possibility to expect OM System to announce a new TG-7 camera sometime soon that uses the same body design and button layout of the TG-6.
Image credits: OM System
