Olympus TG Tracker
A RUGGED HANDICAM-STYLE COMPANION.
THERE ARE CAMERAS that will record your adventures, then there’s a particular group that are probably better described as ‘adventure companions’. This nuggetty cam is one of the latter, as it not only tracks your location via GPS, but also your vertical gain. An electronic compass also comes in handy for when you go well off the beaten track, and it’ll continue to track your location even when the camera’s turned off (though this drains the battery).
It rivals the Sony (right) in terms of sheer volume, but feels like the most robust camera here — not surprising considering Olympus’ history with tough cameras. You also benefit from a company that knows how to produce a pleasing image, and the Tracker offers bright footage in Full HD — especially 30fps, though 60fps strikes a sweet spot. 4K video loses clarity when flitting between high and low contrast areas, but it’s not alone in the category (GoPro shows everyone else how it’s done).
It’s a unique device, not only because of the tracking tech, but because of its flip out screen (though sadly this doesn’t rotate) and the included hand grip that also acts as an extension to give it more reach. A standard quarter-inch thread — and an adaptor that offers a GoPro bracket — opens up plenty of mounting options.
Olympus recently updated its smartphone app to overlay tracking info, but it’s neither intuitive nor attractive compared to what Garmin’s newer camera offers. Still, shop around, and if you spy it for less than $400, we suggest you grab it.