A ‘full-spectrum’ OM-1 (digital) camera

Abstract

This page collects notes I have written about an OM-1 digital camera that was converted by IRrcams to full spectrum in 2026. The notes were originally intended for my own use as an aide-memoire. I have added some explanations so that they can be also useful to others. I update this page from time to time, tracking firmware updates and the experience gained in various types of UV and NIR photography (not video).

Code

library(photobiologyFilters)

Loading required package: photobiology

Loading required package: SunCalcMeeus

Documentation at https://docs.r4photobiology.info/

Code

library(ggspectra)

Loading required package: ggplot2

Introduction

I have had an Olympus OM-1 digital camera converted to full spectrum by replacement of the original filter stack by a filter HEBO UV 280 (HEBO Spezialglas, Aalen, Germany), similar to Schott WG-280. The conversion was done by IRreCams Lamprecht (Dreschvitz, Germany).

Now I have two identical cameras, one in its original condition, and one converted to full spectrum. Please, see the page “Notes on the OM-1 (digital) camera for my notes on the use of the camera with its original sensor filter. OM-System has announced an original variant of the OM-1 Mk II for IR photography with a sensor filter that block UV but transmits VIS and NIR. Last year a variant of the OM-3 camera for astrophotography, also with a non-standard sensor filter, with enhanced sensitivity in the red.

First quick tests

General

Hand-held sensor-shift high resolution mode works normally in NIR and UV. This not only increases resolution but helps reduce sensor noise at high ISO.
Sensor-based image stabilization also seems to work normally. Thus by setting focal length also with adapted lenses.
Capture One’s 16.8.x enhanced denoise works well with NIR and UV ORF raw files. Tested at ISO 12800.
The sensor is clean and the filter has no defects. Tested with a pinhole lens (Thingyfy Pinhole Pro, in MFT mount) with a focal length of 26 mm and the aperture set to its minimum of 0.1 mm (f:260). This is the most stringent test possible as such a small aperture brings the sensor filter into focus.

UV

UV sensitivity is good and reaches to short enough wavelengths for RAW files taken with a Soligor 35 mm f:3.5 “classic” lens and a TSN340 filter from Tangsinuo (SBW1 8.3 mm-thick) to be predominantly yellow before white balancing. In contrast under the same conditions, the TSN340 does not let through enough light for taking an image with the Nikkor AI . With the StrightEdgeU filter from UVROptics the RAW files are bluer and similar with the Nikkor and Soligor Lenses.

NIR

NIR sensitivity is high, as expected.

VIS

With a QB21 filter auto white-balance works fairly well in sunlight/daylight, even without using a white or grey card. CCT seems correct but with the tint slightly too green.

TSN340 filter

In a discussion about this filter at https://www.Ultravioletphotography.com the possibility of the yellow tint in photographs taken with the TSN340 filter being due to a red-NIR leak was considered. The difference between the Soligor 35 mm f:3.5 and the Nikkor lens when using this same filter indicates that the colour is most likely from the shorter UV wavelengths tarnsmitted by this filter.

Code

autoplot(filters.mspct[c("Tangsinuo_ZWB1_TSN340_8.3mm_52mm",
                         "UVROptics_StraightEdgeU_Mk_I_5.0mm_52mm",
                         "Baader_U_filter_1.0mm_48mm",
                         "Tangsinuo_Venus_2mm_30.5mm")],
         range = c(250, 450), geom = c("spct", "line")) + 
  theme_bw() +
  theme(legend.position = "top")

Discarding heterogeous 'filter.descriptor' attributes!!

Code

autoplot(filters.mspct[c(#"Tangsinuo_ZWB1_TSN340_8.3mm_52mm",
                         "UVROptics_StraightEdgeU_Mk_I_5.0mm_52mm",
                         "Baader_U_filter_1.0mm_48mm",
                         "Tangsinuo_Venus_2mm_30.5mm")],
         range = c(425, 800), 
         ylim = c(NA, 0.002),
         geom = c("spct", "line")) + 
  theme_bw() +
  theme(legend.position = "top")

Discarding heterogeous 'filter.descriptor' attributes!!

Reuse

CC BY-SA 4.0

--- title: "A 'full-spectrum' OM-1 (digital) camera" subtitle: "Notes on its use and performance" author: "Pedro J. Aphalo" date: "2026-10-12" date-modified: "2026-10-12" toc: true categories: [cameras] keywords: [OM-1 digital, BSI sensor, full-spectrum] format: html: code-fold: true code-tools: true image: images/OM-1-menu.jpg lightbox: auto license: "CC BY-SA" abstract: "This page collects notes I have written about an OM-1 digital camera that was converted by IRrcams to full spectrum in 2026. The notes were originally intended for my own use as an aide-memoire. I have added some explanations so that they can be also useful to others. I update this page from time to time, tracking firmware updates and the experience gained in various types of UV and NIR photography (not video)." draft: true --- ```{r} library(photobiologyFilters) library(ggspectra) ``` ## Introduction I have had an Olympus OM-1 digital camera converted to full spectrum by replacement of the original filter stack by a filter HEBO UV 280 ([HEBO Spezialglas](https://www.hebo-glass.com/en), Aalen, Germany), similar to Schott WG-280. The conversion was done by [IRreCams Lamprecht](https://irrecams.de/en/) (Dreschvitz, Germany). Now I have two identical cameras, one in its original condition, and one converted to full spectrum. Please, see the page ["Notes on the OM-1 (digital) camera](OM1-notes.qmd) for my notes on the use of the camera with its original sensor filter. OM-System has announced an original variant of the OM-1 Mk II for IR photography with a sensor filter that block UV but transmits VIS and NIR. Last year a variant of the OM-3 camera for astrophotography, also with a non-standard sensor filter, with enhanced sensitivity in the red. ## First quick tests ### General - Hand-held sensor-shift high resolution mode works normally in NIR and UV. This not only increases resolution but helps reduce sensor noise at high ISO. - Sensor-based image stabilization also seems to work normally. Thus by setting focal length also with adapted lenses. - Capture One's 16.8.x enhanced denoise works well with NIR and UV ORF raw files. Tested at ISO 12800. - The sensor is clean and the filter has no defects. Tested with a pinhole lens (Thingyfy Pinhole Pro, in MFT mount) with a focal length of 26 mm and the aperture set to its minimum of 0.1 mm (f:260). This is the most stringent test possible as such a small aperture brings the sensor filter into focus. ### UV - UV sensitivity is good and reaches to short enough wavelengths for RAW files taken with a Soligor 35 mm f:3.5 "classic" lens and a TSN340 filter from Tangsinuo (SBW1 8.3 mm-thick) to be predominantly yellow before white balancing. In contrast under the same conditions, the TSN340 does not let through enough light for taking an image with the Nikkor AI . With the StrightEdgeU filter from UVROptics the RAW files are bluer and similar with the Nikkor and Soligor Lenses. ### NIR - NIR sensitivity is high, as expected. ## VIS - With a QB21 filter auto white-balance works fairly well in sunlight/daylight, even without using a white or grey card. CCT seems correct but with the tint slightly too green. ::: callout-note # TSN340 filter In a discussion about this filter at [https://www.Ultravioletphotography.com](https://www.Ultravioletphotography.com) the possibility of the yellow tint in photographs taken with the TSN340 filter being due to a red-NIR leak was considered. The difference between the Soligor 35 mm f:3.5 and the Nikkor lens when using this same filter indicates that the colour is most likely from the shorter UV wavelengths tarnsmitted by this filter. ```{r} autoplot(filters.mspct[c("Tangsinuo_ZWB1_TSN340_8.3mm_52mm", "UVROptics_StraightEdgeU_Mk_I_5.0mm_52mm", "Baader_U_filter_1.0mm_48mm", "Tangsinuo_Venus_2mm_30.5mm")], range = c(250, 450), geom = c("spct", "line")) + theme_bw() + theme(legend.position = "top") ``` ```{r} autoplot(filters.mspct[c(#"Tangsinuo_ZWB1_TSN340_8.3mm_52mm", "UVROptics_StraightEdgeU_Mk_I_5.0mm_52mm", "Baader_U_filter_1.0mm_48mm", "Tangsinuo_Venus_2mm_30.5mm")], range = c(425, 800), ylim = c(NA, 0.002), geom = c("spct", "line")) + theme_bw() + theme(legend.position = "top") ``` :::