Micro 4/3 Come Of Age!!

 Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood.

The Micro Four Thirds system (MFT) is a standard created by Olympus and Panasonic, and announced on August 5, 2008, for mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras and camcorders design and development. However, unlike the preceding Four Thirds System, it is not an open standard.

MFT shares the original image sensor size and specification with the Four Thirds system, designed for DSLRs.

Unlike Four Thirds, the MFT system design specification does not provide space for a mirror box and a pentaprism, allowing smaller bodies to be designed, and a shorter flange focal distance and hence smaller lenses to be designed.

Virtually any lens can be used on MFT camera bodies using the proper adapter. For instance, Four Third lenses can be used with auto focus using the adapters designed by Olympus and Panasonic.      - Wikipedia

Looking at the sensor size chart, you will notice the popular 4/3 and M4/3 sensor are only half that of the full-frame; three years ago if you tell your photographer friend that a "half size" sensor can be as good as a full frame, he will think you are loosing it ;)

Today, thanks to Digital Photography Review; we are able to compare performance of different digital cameras under a standard studio scene comparison.

DpReview also inform us that all the shots are taken from exactly the same tripod position. Lighting: daylight simulation, >98% CRI. Crops are 100%. Ambient temperature was approximately 22°C (~72°F).

Standard studio review set up at DpReview.

You are also able to download the test images to your computer and compare!

This I did :) Below are crops of the studio test taken by Olympus OM-D, Canon G1-X, Canon 5D MkII and Nikon D800  at ISO 1,600 and 6,400.

Look carefully, it look to me the half size Olympus OM-D is as good a full frame?

ISO 6,400 and more than 200% crop!  Wow!

The perfectly usable ISO 6,400 image produced by a M4/3 says it all, the half-frame finally come of age!

Famous Last Word...

Another beauty of the M4/3 format... virtually any lens can be used on MFT camera bodies using the proper adapter!

This portrait of Christian Sandström was shot with my Olympus E-P2 and a 25 year old 35/1.4 Leica Summilux-M. And below is a 400% crop from this shot.

Viva La Micro Four Thirds!