This old-looking camera has been updated to capture the stars

The most notable upgrade to the OM-3 Astro is the new IR-cut filter located in front of the camera’s stacked 20.37-megapixel back-illuminated sensor that has “optical properties that are optimally tuned to achieve nearly 100% transmission of Hα wavelengths.” Almost every digital camera uses an infrared filter to reduce infrared light and improve color accuracy, but the camera in the OM-3 Astro specifically allows dark-red hydrogen-alpha light to pass through, which is what gives red nebulae their distinctive colors and shapes.

One of the OM-3’s best features when it launched last year was a dedicated control dial for quick access to simulated movie appearance profiles, and the ability to create easily accessible custom profiles. The OM-3 Astro comes with three of these pre-programmed profiles for astrophotography. Color1 is optimized for images of red nebulae, Color2 is optimized for night sky photography that combines stars and landscapes, and Color3 is designed for handheld star photography. according to Petapixel.

The Astro version of the OM-3 also carries other features found on the standard model that are useful for capturing stars and celestial objects. Starry Sky AF locks onto stars using auto focus. It’s not as fast as standard autofocus, but it will save you the need to zoom into the sky and make focus adjustments manually. There is also a night vision mode for the OM-3’s LCD preview screen. It will enhance everything on screen with exaggerated contrast so you can properly frame your shot or make focus adjustments in the middle of the night. The mode will also reduce the intensity of the screen to help preserve your night vision so you can operate the camera without having to reach for a flashlight.