4/3 camera: Can someone explain a 4/3s camera to me please. Thanks...

adolphjohn2

Can someone explain a 4/3s camera to me please. Thanks

Frapha Loc: Tulsa, Oklahoma

adolphjohn2 wrote:

Can someone explain a 4/3s camera to me please. Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Thirds_system

http://www.four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/

http://www.four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/body.html

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Short version is that it is a system of camera bodies and lenses from Panasonic and Olympus where everything is smaller and lighter than full sized Nikon and Canon cameras. The reason is the sensor, with a 4:3 ratio, is a lot smaller.

I just bought one to hold a 100-300 zoom lens that shoots the equivalent of 14 pound Canon and lens combo. It weighs about 2 1/3 pounds.

As near as I can tell, photo quality up to about 13x17 prints will be nearly identical. Perhaps not for 30x40 prints.

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

It's a system that's 4/3 better than APS-C.

No, seriously, you have full frame (35 mm), APS-C (half the size sensor of full frame) and 4/3 (half the size of APS-C). Bridge cameras and point and shoots are less than 1/6 the size of 4/3.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

bsprague wrote:

Short version is that it is a system of camera bodies and lenses from Panasonic and Olympus where everything is smaller and lighter than full sized Nikon and Canon cameras. The reason is the sensor, with a 4:3 ratio, is a lot smaller.

a very short version indeed.

To give you a sense of the sensor size in the quote above, here is a link (about 1/2 way down on the page is the chart).

http://www.gizmag.com/camera-sensor-size-guide/26684/

While it is a smaller sensor, I can say for certain, that it still a very capable sensor (having shot them since 07).

If considering purchasing a 4/3 system, I would opt for what is actually the m4/3 system. The standard 4/3 system is being discontinued as the manufacturers of 4/3 system are shifting toward the excellent size weight benefits of the micro system. However, the latest Olympus OMD EM1 body is able to take better advantage of the regular 4/3 lenses (some of the best lenses were produced by Olympus for the 4/3 system were the 7-14mm and 12-60mm, which I still use today), with the use of an adaptor between the lens and the body.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

adolphjohn2 wrote:

Can someone explain a 4/3s camera to me please. Thanks

As others have pointed out 4/3 is obsolete replaced by M4/3.

The best M4/3 cameras and lenses will not technically match the best APS cameras and lenses but they come so close you may not notice the difference in every day shooting.

The real advantage is the IQ for the size, weight and cost. No other interchangeable lens system has a zoom lens equivalent to 200-600mm for under $500. Will it match a Canon or Nikon 600mm...no but at $8-$10K you would expect better performance.

There is nothing close to it for the money.

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

You get weather sealing, image stabilization premier lens quality, premier camera engineering, premier image quality (up to about 20x30 with the OMD-EM1) and light weight with excellent ergonomics. And, for what you get you can't beat the price. Oh yeah, the video isn't bad either.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

lukan wrote:

You get weather sealing...

m4/3 bodies:
EM5, EM1

m4/3 lenses:
60mm, 12-35, 12-40, 35-100, Future 40-150

4/3 lenses (with mmf-3 weather sealed adaptor)
Pretty much all of them, outside of the kit lenses...too many to list.
http://www.four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/lens_chart.html
this might be better:
http://hazeghi.org/mft-lenses.html

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Cdouthitt wrote:

m4/3 bodies:
EM5, EM1

m4/3 lenses:
60mm, 12-35, 12-40, 35-100, Future 40-150

4/3 lenses (with mmf-3 weather sealed adaptor)
Pretty much all of them, outside of the kit lenses...too many to list.
http://www.four-thirds.org/en/fourthirds/lens_chart.html
this might be better:
http://hazeghi.org/mft-lenses.html

Cdouthitt: That's what I love about you! You have the most organized posts in terms of listing which models have what features (like weather-sealing). I was too vague and generally inclusive when I made that statement, and shouldn't have been. Sorry, I also should have known better, since some very smart people read and contribute to this forum! I should have mentioned that some OLYMPUS bodies have these features...

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

No problemo...I'm just a photo nerd who sits at a computer M-F with access to google :-) and just a bit of knowledge when it comes to olympus.

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Cdouthitt wrote:

No problemo...I'm just a photo nerd who sits at a computer M-F with access to google :-) and just a bit of knowledge when it comes to olympus.

I think we both know that Oly Rules (at least the 4/3 format, and on the innovation front). If Oly had an entry in the Full Frame category, it would certainly rule there as well.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

IMO It does rock.

At the very least, 4/3 and m4/3 is an underestimated/misunderstood format by those that are not familiar with it...but I'm done getting into pissing matches with those that shoot "larger" sensors.

As to if Olympus had a FF sensor, as long as I could still use my current lenses, I'd be cool with that, otherwise the few 30 x 40 prints that I've done here at work look pretty darn nice. I've even had one of 5-shot stitched photos printed 3' x 10' wide at a friend's vineyard. Of course having the extra pixels to crop in on a object would be nice too.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Great forum at this site:
http://www.mu-43.com/

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Great forum at this site:
http://www.mu-43.com/

Lots of knowledge there...micro only though...I'm there too...

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Cdouthitt wrote:

Lots of knowledge there...micro only though...I'm there too...

I've been looking wayyyy too much lately.