Why do most posters say "M43"?

[xpatUSA]

The question is a little tongue-in-cheek. But, having done most of my Engineering work in metricated UK, I just find it a little odd. My suspicion is that the acronym started right here in the USA, a country noted for it's blatant disregard of metric units and a continuing fondness for units like "MMSCFD" in gas pipelines or "MFD" of capacitance where, in the one, M means one thousand and, in the other, M means one millionth.

While realizing it's too late for μ4/3" or even u43 to be generally acceptable, one can but dream . . . ;-)

--
Regards,
Ted http://kronometric.org
SD9, SD10, EF-500, GH1.

 

[sgoldswo]

xpatUSA wrote:

The question is a little tongue-in-cheek. But, having done most of my Engineering work in metric UK, I just find it a little odd. My suspicion is that the acronym started right here in the USA, a country noted for it's blatant disregard of metric units and a continuing fondness for units like "MMSCFD" in gas pipelines or "MFD" of capacitance where, in the one, M means one thousand and, in the other, M means one millionth.

While realizing it's too late for μ4/3" or even u43 to be generally acceptable, one can but dream . . . ;-)

 

[Kung Pao Panda]

Dude,

Too much time in underpants sitting in front of computer?

Go out and take pictures.

 

[MAubrey]

How many people care enough to take the time to figure out how to type the letter μυ? Beyond that, are you aware that capital "m" is identical to capital "μ"? Which means that M43 is perfectly fine.

 

[Art_P]

instead I'll use m43
(note that Olympus uses m.Zuiko to designate their lenses for this format, but they use the longhand micro 4/3 to describe the mount)

But it really comes down to (for me at least, but I suspect others as well) that there's no μ key on my keyboard, and what would u stand for, 'under'?

In the early days, I recall some discussion here on what to call the format, and some did put forth μ43. and some preferred MFT (and still do)

Whether or not m43 is 'proper', it's easy to type and most people here know what you're talking about

 

[David 247]

xpatUSA wrote:

While realizing it's too late for μ4/3" or even u43 to be generally acceptable, one can but dream . . . ;-)

--

Just laziness. Too much effort to look up and type a special character like µ and m4/3 is as easy and seems to be more logical to non-scientific minds then u43

 

[Joel Halbert]

I understand that this bothers you somewhat, but I don't think it should. I also like accuracy in units and abbreviations, and I have sometimes written "μ4/3". But to be perfectly correct about this, the official name of the system is:

"Micro Four Thirds"

and the logo that appears on all cameras and lenses has the word "MICRO" spelled out.

Therefore, I would say that MFT, M4/3 or just M43 are all perfectly accurate and sensible abbreviations, arguably more accurate than "μ4/3", and usually easier and faster to type.

In English, the prefix "micro" means "very small"; sure it comes from Greek, but most words come from some other language. One would not expect to see the shorthand forms "μscope", "μnesia" or "μeconomics" as being preferred forms, so why would one think that "μ4/3" is required? And I would say the "u43" is, if anything, less correct than "M43". The Greek letter "mu" or "μ" corresponds to the modern letter "m", not "u".

Finally, drawing an inference that residents of the USA are backward because they don't bother to write "μ", or because they haven't adopted the metric system in daily life, is inaccurate, unfair and unnecessarily elitist. You are obviously a thinking individual; I'd suggest you re-think this one.

--

JoelH

 

[RoelHendrickx]

... but probably not always.

You can check and analyze my posting history for a scientific survey.

 

[Alexis D]

Because we are sick of awkward to type names like OM-D, E-M5, Micro Four Thirds, E-PL5, E-P5 ... ...

 

[Guy Parsons]

xpatUSA wrote:

The question is a little tongue-in-cheek. But, having done most of my Engineering work in metricated UK, I just find it a little odd. My suspicion is that the acronym started right here in the USA, a country noted for it's blatant disregard of metric units and a continuing fondness for units like "MMSCFD" in gas pipelines or "MFD" of capacitance where, in the one, M means one thousand and, in the other, M means one millionth.

While realizing it's too late for μ4/3" or even u43 to be generally acceptable, one can but dream . . . ;-)

In truth it is 'Micro Four Thirds', and the easy abbreviation for the word 'micro' is 'M' or 'm' for most people, then the 'Four Thirds' bit comes from the proper size of the sensor which is the stupid old method of sizing Vidicon tubes back in the 1950's where our sensor size is actually rated as four thirds of an inch. Howzat for a metric thinker to digest?

For me "M4/3" works fine and I'm sticking with that.

Regards...... Guy

 

[Chris Noble]

The format is called "Micro Four Thirds". That is a (trade) name, not a measurement. M43 is an abbreviation of that name (the name is derived from the aspect ratio of the sensor and the proximity of the lens-mount flange to the sensor).

If the size of the format was "a millionth of four-thirds" (of something), a shorthand for that size using mathematical symbols could be μ4/3.

Go back to taking pictures!

 

[GeorgianBay1939]

OP: The question is a little tongue-in-cheek. But, having done most of my Engineering work in metricated UK, I just find it a little odd. My suspicion is that the acronym started right here in the USA, a country noted for it's blatant disregard of metric units and a continuing fondness for units like "MMSCFD" in gas pipelines or "MFD" of capacitance where, in the one, M means one thousand and, in the other, M means one millionth.

The term "Micro" has many meanings in addition to the SI meaning of the term (10^-6). See this:

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

Alas, I have also been guilty of using µ4/3, a transliteration, and meaningless reference to Micro Four Thirds. Upon thinking about it I realized that referring to 0.000000133333 as a camera system was sorta dumb. So I use MFT or M4/3 or even M43, all having nothing to do with the metric system.

Also, alas, Micro Four Thirds has a typo here: Micro four-thirds

But Wiki corrected itself here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_four-thirds

"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 all is not clear in the MFT world. Try to find MFT here:

http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/index.html

or here:

http://www.getolympus.com/ca/en/digitalcameras.html

an indication of branding issues with MFT?

Joel Halbert wrote:

I understand that this bothers you somewhat, but I don't think it should. I also like accuracy in units and abbreviations, and I have sometimes written "μ4/3". But to be perfectly correct about this, the official name of the system is:

"Micro Four Thirds"

and the logo that appears on all cameras and lenses has the word "MICRO" spelled out.

Therefore, I would say that MFT, M4/3 or just M43 are all perfectly accurate and sensible abbreviations, arguably more accurate than "μ4/3", and usually easier and faster to type.

In English, the prefix "micro" means "very small"; sure it comes from Greek, but most words come from some other language. One would not expect to see the shorthand forms "μscope", "μnesia" or "μeconomics" as being preferred forms, so why would one think that "μ4/3" is required? And I would say the "u43" is, if anything, less correct than "M43". The Greek letter "mu" or "μ" corresponds to the modern letter "m", not "u".

Finally, drawing an inference that residents of the USA are backward because they don't bother to write "μ", or because they haven't adopted the metric system in daily life, is inaccurate, unfair and unnecessarily elitist. You are obviously a thinking individual; I'd suggest you re-think this one.

Perhaps the OP, an expat engineer now in TX, could be forgiven for noting "it's blatant disregard of metric units and a continuing fondness for units like "MMSCFD" ....." when it is known which countries are somewhat slow in adopting (arguably) world standards for units of measurement in science and engineering.

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

Second paragraph:

The metric system has been officially sanctioned for use in the United States since 1866, but it remains the only industrialised country that has not adopted the metric system as its official system of measurement. Many sources also cite Liberia and Burma as the only other countries not to have done so. Although the United Kingdom uses the metric system for most official purposes, the use of the imperial system of measure, particularly in unregulated sectors such as journalism, is widespread.

I don't think that he implied " that residents of the USA are backward". You inferred that.

--

JoelH

Please forgive this dual post. I got waylaid with I started to look at the OP's background:

http://tcktek.blogspot.ca/

and decided that this might be the most efficient way to communicate with you two Texans.

In the meantime, I learned a lot.

Many thanks,

Tom

 

[Guy Parsons]

Chris Noble wrote:

The format is called "Micro Four Thirds". That is a (trade) name, not a measurement. M43 is an abbreviation of that name (the name is derived from the aspect ratio of the sensor.......

No, no, it's because it is a four thirds of an inch sensor size ! Check out about Vidicon sizing in my post above.

I was here from the beginning of Four Thirds so know what the name is, somewhere along the line people mistakenly started thinking it came from the aspect ratio.

It's all a bit like most people thinking Bokeh means something other than what it really means.

Regards.... Guy

 

[herebefore]

Most people (at least in the US) don't know how to get the "μ" from the keyboard (or they do know,and cant be bothered) and just call it m43 or M43 or Micro 43, just as Olympus does.

Seriously.. If I write that I just bought an M43 camera, do you miss understand what I meant.

There are times you need to be "precise & deliberate". I dont think this is an example where "precise & deliberate" makes a big difference.

--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Connecticut
Be Careful, sleep can be a symptom of caffeine deprivation
..
I figured out why I cant lose weight! The only exercise Im good at is CHEWING
..
Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does
..
In all matters of opinion, our adversaries are insane.
Oscar Wilde

 

[bluelemmy]

Isn't it because the official name of the standard is Micro Four Thirds Specification, jointly introduced by Olympus and Panasonic as an extension to the Four Thirds System previously drawn up by Kodak, Olympus and others?

It is hard to think of a more logical shorthand for micro four thirds - 17 characters - than M43, 3 characters. And unlike the 'correct' designation, all characters available on the normal keyboard without special key presses.

 

[herebefore]

Guy Parsons wrote:
In truth it is 'Micro Four Thirds', and the easy abbreviation for the word 'micro' is 'M' or 'm' for most people, then the 'Four Thirds' bit comes from the proper size of the sensor which is the stupid old method of sizing Vidicon tubes back in the 1950's where our sensor size is actually rated as four thirds of an inch. Howzat for a metric thinker to digest?

For me "M4/3" works fine and I'm sticking with that.

Regards...... Guy

Jeez Guy.. you make me feel bad.... I usually leave out the "/" between the 4 and the 3... (mostly because Im lazy). I feel bad when Im reminded just how lazy I am.

 

[Chris Noble]

Guy Parsons wrote:

It's all a bit like most people thinking Bokeh means something other than what it really means.

Yes, isn't that amazing? You and I know that it is a side-dish served in a Belarus sweet-sixteen dinner... Those silly photographers...

 

[GeorgianBay1939]

bluelemmy wrote:

Isn't it because the official name of the standard is Micro Four Thirds Specification, jointly introduced by Olympus and Panasonic as an extension to the Four Thirds System previously drawn up by Kodak, Olympus and others?

Yes

It is hard to think of a more logical shorthand for micro four thirds - 17 characters - than M43, 3 characters. And unlike the 'correct' designation, all characters available on the normal keyboard without special key presses.

Yes

the 'correct' designation ?? do you mean µ4/3?

Check http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/51998757 to see just how incorrect it is to apply the symbol µ instead of the M in MFT.

Those who insist on using the symbol µ in this context would be well advised to check this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_(letter)#Usage_as_symbol

Tom

(a previous µ user who has seen the light, as a photographer (pun intended)).

--
David
www.dthorpe.net

 

[Jeff Tokayer]

Wrong. Up to 4/3 size sensor, all sensors use an industry standard of measurement. That's why a 2/3 sensor is 4 times smaller in area than a 4/3 size sensor.

The aspect ratio is just a carryover from the vidicon days, not necessarily strictly enforced (GH-x).

Wikipedia

 

[offtheback]

If I remember correctly from the 4th grade,it should be M 1+1/3.Not too cumbersome,eh.