OM System launches infrared OM-1 Mark II for industrial users in Japan

OM Digital Solutions has turned the OM System OM-1 Mark II into something far more specialized than a standard mirrorless body. The new OM-1 Mark II IR is a factory infrared model sold only in Japan, and OMDS is restricting orders to corporate customers and sole proprietors through the OM Business Store.

That narrow channel is the story. The camera went on sale on April 9, with the lens kit set for mid-May 2026, but OMDS is treating it like a professional tool rather than a mainstream product. Buyers must sign a purchase confirmation form, and the company says the camera is meant for industrial and scientific work such as non-destructive testing and research.

The specifications make clear why a factory-built infrared body matters. The OM-1 Mark II IR covers roughly 800nm to 1100nm and uses magnetic interchangeable IR and UV/IR-cut filters, so users can switch between infrared and visible-light shooting without turning the camera into a one-way conversion project. OMDS also says the system supports tethered shooting through OM Capture and OM Workspace, can generate up to about 80-megapixel equivalent high-resolution images, and includes depth compositing. For labs, museums, inspection teams and document specialists, that is the difference between a novelty and a workflow tool.

OMDS is also warning buyers not to expect the same image quality performance it guarantees in its regular cameras for general photography. That caution matters because it shows exactly where this body fits: not in a weekend IR landscape kit, but in controlled environments where repeatability, spectral behavior and integration with existing software matter more than casual use.

The OM-1 Mark II IR is not OMDS’s first infrared special. The company previously sold infrared versions of the OM-D E-M1 Mark III and OM-D E-M1X in 2023, also in Japan and also aimed at business use. This latest model continues that line, but with the newer OM-1 Mark II platform and the same idea at its core, a compact, purpose-built body for specialists who need infrared capture without a messy DIY conversion.

It also follows a pattern the camera industry is quietly embracing. Fujifilm has already offered infrared versions of the GFX100 II and X-H2 with buyer agreements attached, showing that manufacturers still see a business case for niche infrared systems when the audience is narrow but serious. For photographers outside Japan, the practical takeaway is simple: OM System’s infrared body exists, but access is tightly limited, and the factory route remains the cleanest way to get a supported infrared camera when the work demands one.