It looks like OM System could be about to take a page out of Leica's playbook: a rumor is doing the rounds that an OM System OM-3 Monochrome is on the way.
In case this all sounds a bit strange to you, let me explain.
While most cameras have a monochrome mode (and, obviously, you can perform a conversion in post), the best cameras for black-and-white photography have a dedicated mono sensor – as in, a sensor that only shoots black-and-white.
A few years ago this was an incredibly niche idea. But since Leica kickstarted the idea in 2012, there have been over half a dozen black-and-white cameras – including some of today's hot sellers like the Leica Q3 Monochrom and Ricoh GR IV Monochrome.
Still, it's quite a boutique idea – so you won't see Canon, Nikon or Sony releasing such a camera, but that leaves the door wide open for OM System (which has already launched a niche model of the OM-3 in the form of the OM System OM-3 Astro).
If true, this would turn my favorite feature of my favorite camera into a dedicated product. After all, the OM-3 already has the best mono profile of any camera out there – at least, in my opinion. But see for yourself:
I can hear some of you asking, "If the OM-3 already has a great mono mode, why do we need a mono-only version of the camera?"
Well, obviously if you shoot color then you probably don't want one. But if, like me, the majority of what you shoot is black-and-white, there are some huge advantages for a monochrome sensor.
Mono sensors eschew the Bayer filter found on color sensors. This employs demosaicing and interpolation to produce color data – but does so at the expense of both resolution and clarity.
As such, a mono sensor produces images that are crisper, clearer and cleaner – the latter being having the most profound impact, as noise is reduced enormously even when shooting at higher ISO levels.
There are a couple of trade offs – the lack of color data means that there's less leeway to recover highlights, and mono sensors make it hard to implement phase detect AF – but I can live with this in return for flawless mono files.
While this is all far from official, 43 Rumors reports that an OM-3 Monochrome could be released this year. And if it is, I predict that it will be one of 2026's best-selling bodies.
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Psst – if you like the above OM-3 mono images, the same profile can be found in both the Olympus PEN-F and the Olympus PEN E-P7!
