Olympus & Panasonic Announce Micro Four Thirds System

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/0...ofourthirds.asp

"Olympus and Panasonic have announced a new, mirrorless format / lens mount based on (and compatible with) Four Thirds. The Micro Four Thirds system uses the same sensor size (18 x 13.5 mm) but allows slimmer cameras by removing the mirror box and optical viewfinder. The new format has three key technical differences: (1) roughly half the flange back distance (distance from mount to the sensor), (2) a smaller diameter lens mount (6 mm smaller) and (3) two additional contact points for lens-to-body communication (now 11 points). Removing the mirror mechanism allows this shorter flange back distance, meaning lenses for the new mount can be considerably smaller than current Four Thirds designs. The format will require framing to be carried out using Live View on either the LCD monitor or an EVF. Existing Four Thirds lenses can be used on Micro Four Thirds cameras using an adapter."

If I understand this all correctly, what this means is that we're going to see cameras from Olympus and Panasonic that will be real DSLRs insofar as they have removable lenses, but they'll be potentially quite a bit thinner. So take something like the Sigma DP1 and improve it by making it lens-swappable. Sounds pretty tempting doesn't it? A camera that's almost as small as a point and shoot, but with the high-quality sensor of a much bigger camera is quite appealing. I've found in my tests with the Nikon D60 that the camera can rapidly become awkward to use when you take a small-body camera and put a big lens on it, but a small prime of even a pancake lens would fit nicely and allow for a small overall package.

The biggest disadvantage seems to be the fact that you lose the optical viewfinder. I've gotten used to not having an optical viewfinder on my small P&S cameras, but on a DSLR? That would be much harder to adapt to, especially when you combine the physical zoom of a big lens with having to stare at the screen - that just screams awkward to me. We'll see how the designs of these micro four-thirds cameras turn out...

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/0...ofourthirds.asp

"Olympus and Panasonic have announced a new, mirrorless format / lens mount based on (and compatible with) Four Thirds. The Micro Four Thirds system uses the same sensor size (18 x 13.5 mm) but allows slimmer cameras by removing the mirror box and optical viewfinder. The new format has three key technical differences: (1) roughly half the flange back distance (distance from mount to the sensor), (2) a smaller diameter lens mount (6 mm smaller) and (3) two additional contact points for lens-to-body communication (now 11 points). Removing the mirror mechanism allows this shorter flange back distance, meaning lenses for the new mount can be considerably smaller than current Four Thirds designs. The format will require framing to be carried out using Live View on either the LCD monitor or an EVF. Existing Four Thirds lenses can be used on Micro Four Thirds cameras using an adapter."

If I understand this all correctly, what this means is that we're going to see cameras from Olympus and Panasonic that will be real DSLRs insofar as they have removable lenses, but they'll be potentially quite a bit thinner. So take something like the Sigma DP1 and improve it by making it lens-swappable. Sounds pretty tempting doesn't it? A camera that's almost as small as a point and shoot, but with the high-quality sensor of a much bigger camera is quite appealing. I've found in my tests with the Nikon D60 that the camera can rapidly become awkward to use when you take a small-body camera and put a big lens on it, but a small prime of even a pancake lens would fit nicely and allow for a small overall package.

The biggest disadvantage seems to be the fact that you lose the optical viewfinder. I've gotten used to not having an optical viewfinder on my small P&S cameras, but on a DSLR? That would be much harder to adapt to, especially when you combine the physical zoom of a big lens with having to stare at the screen - that just screams awkward to me. We'll see how the designs of these micro four-thirds cameras turn out...

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

These will not be DSLRs.

SLR = Single Lens Reflex

As stated in the announcement, these cameras will not have a reflex mirror, thus disqualifying them from labelling them as a SLR.

I know most people think that SLR cameras = interchangeable lenses, but that's a pretty common misconception. A camera with a fixed lens but a single reflex mirror is a SLR, just like Olympus's old IS series of cameras. What makes SLRs great to use (and a bane to design for) is that reflex mirror that gives TTL viewing.

Good chance that these will also come with EVFs, so at least you don't have to hold them at an arm's length. Of course EVFs aren't as great, but better than nothing, I'd say.

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

I know most people think that SLR cameras = interchangeable lenses, but that's a pretty common misconception.

Umm...yeah, I guess that would be me falling for that misconception. So they'd just be called...digital cameras with interchangeable lenses? We need a shorter name for that type of camera.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

EVIL? :P

Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng

EVIL? :P Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens

Haha...I've yet to see an EVF that isn't complete crap, so that might work.