Four-Thirds Camera??? What in the world is a four-thirds camera?

patrick28 Loc: Port Jeervis, NY

What in the world is a four-thirds camera?

Falcon Loc: Abilene, Texas

An excellent question. I have wondered about that myself. I'll bet we soon get a good explanation.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Slightly smaller sensor than an APS c ( Canon rebel) smaller body.

Google, (I'm sure some of you have heard of it), got this along with TONS of other hits.

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

Anyone out there use one?
Look great for travel, with thier smaller components.
Been around a while.
Here's one by Panasonic:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2009/9/2/panasonicdmcgf1

A whole forum devoted to it here:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1041

There are also video cameras using the same size sensor.

Guy Johnstone Loc: Ocean Shores WA

It's the most fun ever. And part of the reasons you can't buy obsolete lenses cheap. They make adapters that allow you to put just about any lens in front of that relatively large sensor. The format has given new life to all those old East German Zeiss, leica and canon screw mount lenses. the Russian screw mount lenses are still a bargain. And since they don't rely on a rangefinder to focus they can be incredible performers.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Thanks! looks like figuring out the crop factor is easy.
2x

tomfr Loc: Brevard N.C.

I sold ALL my Nikon DSLR stuff and bought an Olympus, PL3. The size and performance are amazing. That being said, it is a hard switch, since using full size gear for over forty years. My current system consists of the PL 3 body,14/42 mm lens, 17mm lens. An electronic viewfinder,a flash unit, macro adapter, remote cable release, and a very basic set of Cokin "a" series filters. I forgot to mention, I also have an Olympus macro light set up. This all fits in a Tanmrac bag 4" wide 6" long and 8" high.
If this topic gets farther along, I am sure there will be a good deal of noise about sensor size and image quality. I, am personally very pleased with my results, I am not making poster sized prints. Also, on the 4/3 sites, there are galleries containing a good sampling of what these cameras can do. Thereis a growing community of professional photographers, using these little dynamos,

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

Sounds like another marketing gimmick to sell something with a prefix "amazing new" or "sensational new". Salesmen love these new marketing labels. It allows them to confuse an unknowing customer to buy something supposedly better.
It's bad enough having 2 different APS-C formats and an APS-H thrown in. What's next...9/8ths?...7/6ths?
There always has to be some comedian in marketing.

tomfr Loc: Brevard N.C.

Actually the "new gimmick" four thirds system has been around for about three years. Because Olympus, Panasonic and Sony are not "big" names in the mainstream camera market, they get very little notice.
Thank goodness that the "new gimmicky" horseless carriage made it.

tomfr

RobertW Loc: Breezy Point, New York

Using an Olympus Pen EP3 with the kit lens at 14-42 and also bought the 12mm f2.0 lens-which is AMAZING! Needed to change to system with more portability..Previously used Leica M with several lenses, Nikon D80 (used many Nikons starting with Nikon F), am retaining a Leica VLux1 for long shots....but 4/3 is here to stay...I have all the same capability in a little backpack as I had before with a huge bag...Quality so far is outstanding with the 12mm-f2.0 lens

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

RobertW wrote:

Using an Olympus Pen EP3 with the kit lens at 14-42 and also bought the 12mm f2.0 lens-which is AMAZING! Needed to change to system with more portability..Previously used Leica M with several lenses, Nikon D80 (used many Nikons starting with Nikon F), am retaining a Leica VLux1 for long shots....but 4/3 is here to stay...I have all the same capability in a little backpack as I had before with a huge bag...Quality so far is outstanding with the 12mm-f2.0 lens

I also picked up this camera and lens (Olympus Pen EP3 with the kit lens at 14-42 ). I was looking for something lightweight to pack. The camera has some limitations but given it's size - awesome images come from it.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

rayford2 wrote:

Sounds like another marketing gimmick to sell something with a prefix "amazing new" or "sensational new". Salesmen love these new marketing labels. It allows them to confuse an unknowing customer to buy something supposedly better.
It's bad enough having 2 different APS-C formats and an APS-H thrown in. What's next...9/8ths?...7/6ths?
There always has to be some comedian in marketing.

Actually good salesmen aren't in to gimmickry anymore than you are. Our goal is NOT to confuse, our goal is to take the "unknowing customer" and educate them as to what is available and help the customer determine if a new offering might satisfy or meet a specific need. You have obviously a limited perspective of what "salesmen" do.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Pepper wrote:

quote=rayford2 Sounds like another marketing gimm... (show quote)

Actually I felt a little bad after I hit the send button and thought about my response. I really cant blame people for the attitude they have toward salesmen after all there are a lot of them out there trying to sell you what they know you dont need or want. Thats just not the type of sales Im involved with nor is it ever my intent to sell a customer a product or service they dont need or want. The sales approach used by the sell them anything bunch would not survive in my little corner of the world. Again I apologize for my remark.

MtnMan Loc: ID

While the picture of the sensor size posted above is excellent it may not convey that the "four thirds" is because the picture is 3x4, vs. the 4x6 standard proportions of 35mm film.

The second big thing about these cameras that also leads to the small size is that they do not have a mirror as the SLR does. That is a good thing. The mirror of dSLRs is really kind of pointless...other than protecting the sensor when you change lenses. Something mechanical to break.

Most of these presently don't come with a viewfinder. (One Sony design does.) I wouldn't have one without a viewfinder because I shoot outdoors in bright sun a lot and often can't see the LCD screen on my otherwise excellent P&S.

Don't get me wrong...I love the articulated LCD on my D5100 for when it is needed. I just don't think it alone is enough for a primary camera.

Note that the happy campers above got one with a viewfinder. There is an optional add-on for some cameras.

Nikon now has two offerings...but without viewfinder.

As of now I'd buy one of the $500ish high end high zoom non-intechangable lens cameras over one of these.

But I do think the mirrorless design will eventually do away with the dSLR.

patrick28 wrote:

What in the world is a four-thirds camera?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Just checking around and saw that the Nikon V1 is not a 4/3rds camera, though it looks like one. (adding yet another format to the mix) Do they make one?
http://www.dpreview.com/products/nikon/slrs/nikon_v1

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/9716229576/why-make-a-small-sensor-mirrorless-camera.

From Digital Photography Review

Turbo Loc: Raleigh, NC

The 4 /3rd system is a nice alternative ( to complement a real DSLR set of cameras). It is light and easy to carry around.

The quality of the pics is very nice as well.

As far as implying that it can or will replace conventional DSLRs, it is a bit of a stretch.

Smaller sensors are just not quite up to the task.

We can bend the laws of Physics a bit but we can't break them.

Take a full frame sensor ( Nikon D3 ) and compare with a D7000.

The D3 can function up to 100,000 ISO and the D7000 up to 12,800

Does that mean that the D7000 is worthless ?

The D7000 is no slouch but it is not as powerful as a D3.

The 4/3rd cameras are yet a step ( or two ) lower in capabilities