Press Releases

PALATINE, IL – October 8, 2025 – Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt®), a global leader in machine vision filters, is proud to announce the release of its new NX Series Neutral Density (ND) Filters. Engineered for broadband light control across the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrums (400–2000nm), the NX Series provides smooth, consistent attenuation for today’s most demanding imaging systems.

Developed for CMOS, InGaAs and CQD sensor technologies, NX Series Filters are ideal for applications requiring longer exposure times, reduced depth of field or precise illumination control. With transmission options of 6.25%, 12.5%, 25% and 50%, the series delivers reliable, repeatable performance across a wide range of environments.

“Broadband imaging applications need filters that can deliver uniform attenuation without sacrificing clarity or stability,” says MidOpt® President Mike Giznik. “The NX Series provides engineers and integrators with a versatile, high-quality solution that works seamlessly from the visible into the short-wave infrared spectrum.”Key Features of the NX Series

• Spectrally Flat Performance: Absorptive coating, color-neutral transmission from 400–2000nm
• Broad Range of Optical Densities: 0.3 to 1.2 (50% to 6.25% transmission)
• High-Quality Construction: Precision-polished B270 glass ensures consistent thickness and excellent image quality
• Durable Coatings: Low-profile gray / black finish minimizes reflections for discreet imaging
• Flexible Integration: Rugged metal filter mounts with matching male and female threads (M13.5-M105)
• Custom Formats Available: Sizes up to 165mm square in 1mm or 2mm thickness

The NX Series is also available as custom-cut filters for integration with broadband light sources or large-format optical systems. With their rugged design and exceptional optical performance, NX Series Neutral Density Filters expand the MidOpt® portfolio of innovative solutions for machine vision, inspection, surveillance and scientific imaging.

To learn more about the NX Series or the full line of MidOpt® machine vision filters, visit midopt.com/filters/neutral-density or contact us at info@midopt.com or +1.847.359.3550.

PALATINE, IL – August 6, 2025 – Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt®), a global leader in machine vision filters, is proud to introduce the new BP610 Green-Red Bandpass Filter, engineered to block blue light while transmitting green and red wavelengths. Designed for optimal contrast and clarity, the BP610 is ideal for a wide range of imaging applications, from aquatic to agriculture.

Optimized for Critical Imaging Needs
The BP610 is especially effective in oil spill detection, where water naturally reflects blue light and oil suppresses it. By reducing glare and enhancing contrast, the BP610 helps clearly differentiate clean water from oil-covered areas – ideal for use with multispectral cameras on drones or boats.

In underwater imaging, where blue light scatters rapidly and reduces visibility, the BP610 significantly improves image clarity. When paired with green and red LED lighting, it enables better contrast and detail in murky environments – making it a valuable solution for marine research and underwater drone systems.

For vegetation health and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) imaging, the BP610 improves detection of stressed or dying plants by eliminating blue light scatter, allowing clearer contrast between healthy and unhealthy vegetation.

Built for Performance
The BP610 features proprietary MidOpt® StablEDGE® technology, minimizing angular shifting when placed in front of short focal length lenses; a broad Gaussian passband to match the full output of common LED lighting; double-side polishing for superior optical flatness; and anti-reflection (AR) coating to reduce glare and improve transmission.

BP610 Technical Specifications:

• Useful Range: 520-690nm
• Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM): 190nm
• Peak Transmission: ≥90%
• Surface Quality: 40/20
• Wavelength Tolerance: ±15nm

To learn more about the BP610 or the full line of MidOpt® machine vision filters, visit midopt.com/filters/bp610 or contact us at info@midopt.com or +1.847.359.3550.

PALATINE, IL – [May 1, 2025] – As thermal imaging becomes increasingly important across industries like defense, industrial inspection, medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring, the demand for high-performance optical components in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) range (8-12µm) is growing rapidly. Traditionally, germanium has been the go-to material for LWIR optics, but its high cost and supply limitations present significant challenges – especially for large-scale and cost-sensitive applications.

MidOpt® is proud to introduce SiLWIR™: Silicon LWIR Protective Windows for thermal imaging, a rugged, economical alternative that delivers excellent performance in LWIR systems. While silicon has often been overlooked for infrared optics, it offers exceptional value when a pure-grade form is combined with proper coatings, including diamond-like carbon coating and double side anti-reflective (AR) coating.

Why Silicon for LWIR?

• High LWIR Transmission: Pure-grade silicon with DLC and double-side AR coatings provides outstanding LWIR light transmission, with only a 10% difference in spectral response compared to germanium.
• Cost-Effective: Silicon is abundant, affordable and benefits from decades of refined semiconductor manufacturing processes, making it ideal for high-volume production.
• Durable and Tough: With excellent mechanical strength and impact resistance, silicon performs reliably in harsh environments like military and aerospace applications.
• Efficient Thermal Management: Its superior thermal conductivity helps protect internal system components by efficiently dissipating heat.
• Readily Available: Mature supply chains and manufacturing capabilities ensure consistent quality, shorter lead times, and stable pricing.

Protective windows are essential to shield internal optical components while maintaining image clarity. With silicon’s unique combination of transparency, toughness and thermal stability, SiLWIR™ windows provide an optimal balance of performance, durability and cost.

To learn more about MidOpt® SiLWIR™ and explore how these protective windows can enhance your LWIR imaging systems, visit midopt.com/silwir or contact us at info@midopt.com or +1.847.359.3550.

Aimed to Boost Production and Meet Rising Demand for Optical Filters

PALATINE, Ill. (October 20, 2023) – Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt®), an industry leader in machine vision filters and optical solutions, announced the opening of its second location, a manufacturing facility in southeast Wisconsin.

With over three decades of experience and innovation in optical design, fabrication, and inspection, MidOpt® has been at the forefront of providing high-quality products designed specifically for machine vision applications. The new facility is part of the company’s strategic expansion plan to meet the growing demand for their products worldwide.

“We are thrilled about this significant milestone,” said MidOpt® President Mike Giznik. “The new manufacturing facility will not only allow us to increase our production capacity but also enhance our ability to deliver innovative and customized solutions faster.”

The new state-of-the-art facility features advanced machinery and technology that will enhance all facets of production from prototyping to large volume manufacturing runs. This includes the manufacturing of proprietary MidOpt® StablEDGE® Filters, which offer superior wavelength control at any angle – critical as machine vision imaging moves toward more compact inspection layouts.

“Expanding our operations signals our commitment to serving our customers better by ensuring we can meet their needs quickly and efficiently,” Mike added. “We look forward to continuing to produce cutting-edge optical filter technologies that elevate machine vision capabilities across the industry.”

About Midwest Optical Systems

Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt®) has more than 30 years of experience and innovation in the fields of optical design, fabrication, and inspection. As a worldwide leader in machine vision filters and optical solutions, they are represented in over 30 countries and offer more than 3,000 cutting-edge products. From optical bandpass filters to custom optics, MidOpt® is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in optical technology. For more information, visit midopt.com.

Palatine, Ill. (May 11, 2021) – MidOpt® has received ISO 9001:2015 certification, the world’s most widely recognized quality management standard. In order to receive ISO Certification, MidOpt® underwent a strict evaluation process that reviewed our business practices and product quality guidelines.

Achieving ISO certification shows our commitment to effectively providing a quality management system that will continue to improve our products, services, and internal processes. We look forward to continuing to work with our global partners. Thank you for choosing MidOpt®.

New MidOpt® BP450 Indigo Bandpass Filter and BN450 Narrow Indigo Bandpass Filter

Palatine, Ill.

Enhance the viewing of subjects illuminated by a 450nm blue LED or laser light source. Both the BP450 and BN450 are each designed as a bandpass filter for 450nm blue light sources to better see results in applications such as UV fluorescing.

MidOpt® introduces the BP450 Indigo Bandpass and the BN450 Narrow Indigo Bandpass, two new filters designed for multi-application use.

The MidOpt BP450 Indigo Bandpass Filter is commonly used in fluorescence applications with an emission ranging from (430-460nm). It is suitable for use with LED or laser diodes with higher than normal ambient lighting conditions.

Blue LED Illumination and UV Excited Blue Fluorescence Applications:

The BP450 is an excellent choice for enhancing viewing of subjects illuminated by a 450nm blue LED. For UV Fluorescence applications, its broad bandwidth and high peak transmission results in significantly brighter, higher contrast images.

Blue Laser Applications:

The BN450 Narrow Indigo Bandpass is a great choice for use with 3D blue laser triangulation systems used for measuring position, distance, level, displacement, proximity and profiles of objects. This also includes industrial process automation and control, as well as for test and measurement in process monitoring and validation. It is also highly-effective when used in applications with higher than normal ambient lighting conditions.

StableEDGE® and A/R-Coated:

As with all MidOpt optical bandpass filters, the BP450 and BN450 are both manufactured with MidOpt StablEDGE® technology making them less sensitive to angle of incidence variations than traditional interference filters. They are also both coated with the MidOpt BBAR Anti-reflection coating. Both filters are available with standard lens mounts ranging from 13.25mm to 105mm. They are also available in unmounted sizes up to a 165mm square

The MidOpt LP8000 Germanium Window has a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating that is abrasion-resistant and can withstand harsh environments. It has a 7.5–12.5 micron useful range and is an ideal protective window for thermal camera enclosures. It also has an anti-reflection coating to maximize transmission when thermal imaging in the LWIR (long-wave infrared).  

The LP8000 has a very durable surface to withstand harsh environments and is designed to be resistant to corrosion, chemicals, alkalis and most acids.  It also serves to protect against abrasive airborne particles, salt water and high humidity.

Germanium is produced in single or poly crystalline form. It is a vital element used for semiconductors and IR optical components. Germanium is also widely used as a substrate in optical filters for manufacturing a versatile and very durable front optic.

LP8000 features:

Like most MidOpt filters, the LP8000 is manufactured using StablEDGE™ Technology, making it far less susceptible to effects from angular shifting seen when optical filters are placed in front of short focal length (<12mm) camera lenses.

The LP8000 also comes with an Anti-reflection (A/R) coating. When a ray of light passes through a glass surface, a portion of the light is reflected, resulting in a 4% transmission loss per surface. MidOpt uses anti-reflection coating on all filter designs, reducing surface reflection to less than 1%. This improves the efficiency of the vision system by increasing transmission, enhancing contrast and eliminating ghost images. The LP8000 can also transmit wavelengths in the LWIR.

LP8000 applications:

• Thermal Imaging
• Medical
• Automotive
• Pyroelectric/Thermopile
• Flame Detection
• Defense & Space

For more information about the LP8000 click here.

Click here to locate a distributor.

Palatine, IL. (May 28, 2020) – MidOpt introduces Protective Windows, designed to shield lenses and enclosures from dirt, dust, liquids, impact and harsh environments without sacrificing image quality. Protective Windows are useful for imaging in the ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectrums. MidOpt offers a variety of glass and acrylic Protective Windows, depending on the application and environment.

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Palatine, IL. (May 28, 2020) – The Backlight fluoreSHEET™ by MidOpt is used to provide affordable, indirect illumination for machine vision applications. Unlike other backlighting technologies, the Backlight fluoreSHEET™ does not require power input. A backlighting effect is created when an orange Backlight fluoreSHEET™ is coupled with a blue LED light and a MidOpt Orange Bandpass Filter. The fluoreSHEET™ emits an orange fluorescence when a blue LED shines on it from the front. The Bandpass Filter captures the orange emission and blocks the blue LED excitation, resulting in a bright white diffuse background within a monochrome image.

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Palatine, IL. (October 24, 2018) – Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt), a worldwide leader in manufacturing machine vision filters specially designed to enhance contrast and image quality, will showcase their new Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) Filters and Wire-Grid Polarizers November 6 through 8 at VISION Messe Stuttgart booth #1G53. SWIR Filters enhance the image quality of InGaAs camera technology for a variety of machine vision applications and are useful for applications imaging from 900-2300nm. Wire-Grid Polarizers are effective in both the visible and infrared, ranging from 400-2000nm.

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Palatine, Ill. (August 8, 2017) – Testing is now easier than ever with the MidOpt NS100 Neutral Density (ND) Filter Swatch Kit. ND Filter Swatch Kits include all of the most popular ND Filters and allow you to stack multiple ND Filters to achieve a custom optical density. The NS100 is a great tool to have in the field or in a laboratory to test the effects of ND Filters, solve applications quickly and improve image quality.

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Palatine, Ill. (May 25, 2017) – Triple Bandpass Filters are tools that allow users to go above and beyond traditional Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) indicators to reinvent the way crop health is monitored and to collect more information than ever before. Traditionally, true NDVI was used to determine plant health, which incorporates a camera with a red and (near-infrared) NIR filter and the equation NDVI = (NIR – Red) / (NIR + Red).

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Palatine, Ill. (January 19, 2017) – MidOpt announces the availability of three new imaging filters primarily intended for blocking unwanted near-infrared light. Filters include: SP635 Absorptive Visible Shortpass/Near-IR Block Filter, SP644 Near-IR/Mid-Red Dichroic Block Shortpass Filter, and AB555 Acrylic Absorptive Near-IR/UV-Block Visible Bandpass Filter.

“Mounting solutions are also available to help customize any imaging application,” says MidOpt Founder Barry Warzak. MidOpt’s unique filter mounting options include: Standard Threaded Mounts, Slip Mounts that easily adapt to lenses without filter threads, the exclusive 25.4™ C-Mount for easy installation into cameras, and custom fabrication of unmounted shapes and sizes.

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MidOpt offers new optical filters mainly intended for plant health surveillance. Filters include Bi725 Red Edge Bandpass Filter and three multi-band visible + infrared filters: DB550/850 Dual Bandpass Filter, TB475/550/850 Blue+Green+NIR Triple Bandpass Filter and TB550/660/850 Green+Red+NIR Triple Bandpass Filter. “All of these filters were specifically designed to help distinguish thriving from stressed vegetation,” says MidOpt Founder Barry Warzak.

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Palatine, Ill. (August 9, 2016) – Festo, a worldwide leader in automation (pneumatic and electrical control), technical training and development, has successfully implemented the first ever eMotionButterflies which show how several autonomous flying objects can move independently in an enclosed space without colliding.

“With the use of MidOpt BN850 Near-IR Bandpass Filters, active markers (850nm IR LEDs) and a 10 infrared camera set-up, Festo has demonstrated how the use of an indoor GPS and infrared cameras could be used as a guidance and monitoring system in factories of the future,” says MidOpt President Barry Warzak.

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Palatine, Ill. (April 27, 2016) – Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt) announces the release of a broad range of StablEDGE™ filters. StablEDGE™ is an innovative hybrid filter design that maintains critical spectral performance in imaging applications with short focal length lenses (<12mm) or angular-dependent lighting. In traditional filter designs, as the angle of light reaching the filter changes, the passband exhibits “short shifting,” and image contrast can be significantly degraded. Because the use of shorter vs. longer focal length camera lenses now predominates the market, MidOpt’s StablEDGE™ filter designs surpass those of all major filter suppliers in maintaining a desired width of passband in all applications, transmitting desired LED/laser diode illumination while blocking interfering light.

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