Free online OIB to OME.TIFF converter

OIB files often need conversion when microscopy software, image-analysis pipelines, or repositories require the more interoperable OME-TIFF format. OME-TIFF preserves multidimensional microscopy data and standardized metadata for use across compatible applications.

What the OIB format is

OIB is Olympus Image Binary, a proprietary container used by Olympus imaging systems and software such as cellSens and older Fluoview workflows. It can contain one or more image series with channels, z-stacks, time points, positions, and acquisition metadata.

OIB files are commonly encountered after receiving data from an Olympus microscope. Some datasets also contain an accompanying OIF directory or related files; keep the complete original dataset until the conversion has been checked.

What the OME-TIFF format is

OME-TIFF stores TIFF image data together with OME-XML metadata describing dimensions, channels, physical pixel sizes, time points, and other microscopy properties. It is supported by applications and libraries including Fiji, ImageJ, QuPath, napari, OMERO, and Bio-Formats.

Use OME-TIFF when a receiving application requires an open microscopy format, when the data must be deposited in an image repository, or when a processing workflow needs standardized metadata. It is not automatically smaller than OIB; compression and pixel type determine the resulting size.

How to convert OIB to OME-TIFF

Using Bio-Formats command-line tools

Bio-Formats is the most direct option for preserving OIB dimensions and microscopy metadata. Install the Bio-Formats command-line tools, then run:

bfconvert -overwrite input.oib output.ome.tiff

Replace input.oib with the source filename and output.ome.tiff with the destination filename. The .ome.tiff extension selects OME-TIFF output.

For a large dataset, request BigTIFF output:

bfconvert -overwrite -bigtiff input.oib output.ome.tiff

To convert only one series from a multi-series OIB file, specify its zero-based index:

bfconvert -overwrite -series 0 input.oib series-0.ome.tiff

Inspect the Bio-Formats log or open the result in Fiji to verify that the expected series, channels, z-slices, and time points were exported. If the input contains several series, convert each required series separately when the destination application does not handle multi-series OME-TIFF files reliably.

Using Fiji

In Fiji, open the file through File → Import → Bio-Formats, select the required series and dimension settings, then export through the Bio-Formats exporter or save using an OME-TIFF-compatible option. Avoid opening the file as a plain 2D image if the z, channel, or time dimensions must be retained.

Converting online

You can also use the free converter on 101convert.com without installing software. Upload the OIB file, choose OME.TIFF as the output format, start the conversion, and download the result after processing.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

Keep the original OIB because some Olympus-specific acquisition details, annotations, objectives, or proprietary settings may not have direct OME-XML equivalents. Bio-Formats generally transfers standard dimensions and metadata, but conversion cannot guarantee preservation of every vendor-specific field.

Check the output for channel order, z-spacing, time intervals, pixel calibration, bit depth, and image orientation. Do not select 8-bit conversion unless the receiving workflow requires it; reducing a 12-bit, pued 16-bit, or floating-point image can discard intensity information. Lossless compression is preferable for quantitative analysis, while lossy JPEG compression should be avoided.

Very large OME-TIFF files may require BigTIFF support in the viewer. Some programs support only single-series or single-file OME-TIFF, so a multi-series OIB may need separate outputs.