5 JPEG Recipes for the OM System OM-3

A family trip, lost gear, and the joy of committing to color in-camera.

In my latest YouTube video, I walk through five custom JPEG looks I built for the OM System OM-3: four color profiles and one bold black and white. All were tested on a chaotic, beautiful family trip to Oregon.

Here I am going to do a full breakdown of all five JPEG profiles so you have an easy reference and understanding of how to go about setting them up. These recipes are built for straight-out-of-camera shooting using the Creative Dial and saved into Custom Modes (C1–C5) so you can flip between them like film stocks.

Recipe 1: OMTC Warm

Vibe: Golden, punchy, rich skin tones. A bit of that Kodak warmth.
Best for: Cool early morning or midday sun, beachy or dappled light, clean outdoor scenes
Avoid in: Indoor tungsten or golden-hour light. It gets too warm.

• Creative Dial Position: Color

• Color:

  • Color 1 (any color setting will be fine since we will be customizing)

    • Yellow +2

    • Yellow Red +2

    • Red +3

    • Pink 0

    • Magenta 0

    • Pink Purple 0

    • Blue Purple +4

    • Blue +2

    • Aqua +5

    • Green +3

    • Lime 0

    • Yellow Green -1

• Curve:

  • Shadow -1

  • Midtone (press info button to access) +2

  • Highlight -2

• Shading: 0

• Sharpness: -1

• Contrast: +2

• White Balance:

  • Keep Warm Color - Off

  • Shift: WB Auto - A4, M1

Recipe 2: OMTC Cool (only change is WB Shift)

Vibe: Clean, neutral, contrasty but calm. Think Fuji Provia or 400H.
Best for: Sunset, travel, versatile light
Avoid in: Flat or overcast light. It can look a little lifeless.

• Creative Dial Position: Color

  • Yellow +2

  • Yellow Red +2

  • Red +3

  • Pink 0

  • Magenta 0

  • Pink Purple 0

  • Blue Purple +4

  • Blue +2

  • Aqua +5

  • Green +3

  • Lime 0

  • Yellow Green -1

• Curve:

  • Shadow -1

  • Midtone (press info button to access) +2

  • Highlight -2

• Shading: 0

• Sharpness: -1

• Contrast: +2

• White Balance:

  • Keep Warm Color - Off

  • Shift: WB Auto - A2, M1

Recipe 3: OMTC Soft

Vibe: Meyerowitz/Cape Light. Soft, dreamy, pastel with luminous highlights.
Best for: Overcast, open shade, late afternoon or blue hour
Avoid in: Harsh sunlight. It washes out fast.

• Creative Dial Position: Color

• Color:

  • Color 1 (any color setting will be fine since we will be customizing)

    • Yellow -1

    • Yellow Red 0

    • Red -1

    • Pink -2

    • Magenta 0

    • Pink Purple -1

    • Blue Purple -2

    • Blue -1

    • Aqua +1

    • Green -2

    • Lime +1

    • Yellow Green -3

• Curve:

  • Shadow +2

  • Midtone (press info button to access) 0

  • Highlight -6

• Shading: 0

• Sharpness: -2

• Contrast: +2

• White Balance

  • Keep Warm Color - Off

  • Shift: WB Auto - A2, M0

💡 Slightly overexpose for a softer feel.

Recipe 4: OMTC Chrome

Vibe: Slide film feel. High punch, crisp edges, moody shadows.
Best for: City scenes, golden hour, strong shapes
Avoid in: Overcast or extreme contrast without careful metering

• Creative Dial Position: Color

• Color:

  • Color 4 (any color setting will be fine since we will be customizing)

    • Yellow 0

    • Yellow Red +1

    • Red +2

    • Pink +5

    • Magenta -1

    • Pink Purple -1

    • Blue Purple +5

    • Blue +4

    • Aqua 0

    • Green +5

    • Lime +2

    • Yellow Green -2

• Curve:

  • Shadow +2

  • Midtone (press info button to access) 0

  • Highlight -3

• Shading: 0

• Sharpness: -1

• Contrast: +2

• White Balance

  • Keep Warm Color - Off

  • Shift: CWN 5600K - A1, M2

💡 Slightly underexpose and use your histogram. This one can clip highlights fast.

Recipe 5: OMTC Mono

Vibe: Tri-X pushed to 800. Bold, punchy, rich texture.
Best for: Textures, architecture, dramatic light
Avoid in: Honestly? Nowhere. It’s versatile.

• Picture Mode: Mono 2

• Color Filter: Blue +2

• Curve:

  • Shadow 0

  • Midtone (press info button to access) -2

  • Highlight -3

• Shading: 0

• Sharpness: +1

• Contrast: 0

• Grain Effect: Low

• Monochrome Color: Neutral

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How to Set These Up Using the Creative Dial and Custom Modes

The OM-3's Creative Dial is where all these JPEG stylings live. But in order to lock in your exact white balance shift and other settings, you'll need to save each recipe to a Custom Mode (C1–C5) on the Mode Dial. Here's how to do that:

Step 1: Select a Creative Dial Mode

Turn the Creative Dial (below the main Mode Dial) to any the Color or Mono position and plug in the settings above. This is your starting points for building JPEG profiles.

Step 2: Save to a Custom Mode

Once your look is dialed in:

1. Press Menu > Camera 1 > Custom Mode

2. Save it to C1–C5

3. Name it if you like (e.g., "OMTC Warm")

Now just turn your main Mode Dial to C1–C5 to switch between looks instantly. Each one will remember your exact Creative Dial setting, white balance shift, and exposure mode (I use Aperture Priority) and exposure compensation.

Final Thoughts

Each of these looks was born out of a specific need: a kind of light, a mood, a moment I wanted to photograph more intentionally. They’re not meant to be universal. They’re tools. You can start with mine, then adjust to make them your own.

Let me know if you try any of these or if you build something better. I’d love to see what you make!

xAli