Micro 4/3

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

I have just discovered there is an even smaller sensor system than APS-C which is called micro 4/3. Apparently, this dispenses with the prism and mirror altogether and uses an electronic viewfinder only to save size and weight.

So I am puzzled as to why the olympus OM-E shown in the wikipedia entry as an example of this type of camera clearly has a pentaprism/pentamirror shaped lump on top!

Micro Four Thirds system - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Can anyone explain this?

baloo_buc · Nov 11, 2016

You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania

sirhawkeye64 · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
I have just discovered there is an even smaller sensor system than APS-C which is called micro 4/3. Apparently, this dispenses with the prism and mirror altogether and uses an electronic viewfinder only to save size and weight.

So I am puzzled as to why the olympus OM-E shown in the wikipedia entry as an example of this type of camera clearly has a pentaprism/pentamirror shaped lump on top!

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

Can anyone explain this?

It has more to do with the design aesthetics than function. There is no prism, what you see in the viewfinder is a processed view just like with a normal mirrorless. They did this in honor of their old SLR days. That was sort of their signature body construction from what I've read. There is no prism in the top.

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

baloo_buc said:
You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

sirhawkeye64 said:
StuartT50 said:

I have just discovered there is an even smaller sensor system than APS-C which is called micro 4/3. Apparently, this dispenses with the prism and mirror altogether and uses an electronic viewfinder only to save size and weight.

So I am puzzled as to why the olympus OM-E shown in the wikipedia entry as an example of this type of camera clearly has a pentaprism/pentamirror shaped lump on top!

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

Can anyone explain this?

Click to expand...

It has more to do with the design aesthetics than function. There is no prism, what you see in the viewfinder is a processed view just like with a normal mirrorless. They did this in honor of their old SLR days. That was sort of their signature body construction from what I've read. There is no prism in the top.

thanks. That explanation never occurred to me!

sirhawkeye64 · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
baloo_buc said:

You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

Click to expand...

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

sirhawkeye64 said:
StuartT50 said:

baloo_buc said:

You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

mostlyboringphotog · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
baloo_buc said:

You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

Click to expand...

Dutch Newchurch · Nov 11, 2016

It makes it look like the OM4 with which I used to shoot Kodachrome.

It's a cool feature (but makes no difference to its ability to take pictures).

baloo_buc · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
baloo_buc said:

You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania

Click to expand...

he he. Except I have a new Canon EOS1300D as my entry into the digital world, so I shall not be purchasing a micro 4/3. I am already slightly bothered that my sensor is less than full frame (therefore less detail). I certainly don't want to go to an even smaller sensor!

I was just curious really.

Olympus has a sensor that is at par with the one in your Canon. But you have a good lens for Canon so stick with the brand. I would look at Canon 80D which is the first real step forward in IQ for more than 8 years in the Canon world.

--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

baloo_buc said:
StuartT50 said:

baloo_buc said:

You have just discovered America.

The sensor is four thirds. The Micro 4/3 is the mirrorless mount.

FYI there are mirrorless with even smaller sensors (1" sensor, like Nikon 1).

Regarding the shape of the OM-D series it is just esthetic so to look alike the old OM SLRs (that had pentaprism).

--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania

Click to expand...

he he. Except I have a new Canon EOS1300D as my entry into the digital world, so I shall not be purchasing a micro 4/3. I am already slightly bothered that my sensor is less than full frame (therefore less detail). I certainly don't want to go to an even smaller sensor!

I was just curious really.

Click to expand...

Olympus has a sensor that is at par with the one in your Canon. But you have a good lens for Canon so stick with the brand. I would look at Canon 80D which is the first real step forward in IQ for more than 8 years in the Canon world.

--
Victor
Bucuresti, Romania

thanks. what is IQ?

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

mostlyboringphotog said:
You could stitch two APS-C images, then you could get the same result as from the FF. Of course, it's more work I realize.

You mean shoot half the scene, move the camera and shoot the other half?

How would I shoot the images though? I'd somehow need to get the angle, perspective, camera movement exactly right so the images could be stitched together without mismatching

mostlyboringphotog · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
mostlyboringphotog said:

You could stitch two APS-C images, then you could get the same result as from the FF. Of course, it's more work I realize.

Click to expand...

You mean shoot half the scene, move the camera and shoot the other half?

How would I shoot the images though? I'd somehow need to get the angle, perspective, camera movement exactly right so the images could be stitched together without mismatching

Well, if it was easy, no one would need 8x10 view camera :-D

However, with PP perspective control, a seamless and accurate perspective stitching is possible.

I believe in camera panoramic mode does this pretty well.

BTW, it's not like FF does not have lens distortions and aberrations and what not. A photographic image is still a 2-D approximation of the 3-D world.

baloo_buc · Nov 11, 2016

IQ is the abbreviation for Image Quality.

It is quite personal indicator but there are some metrics that can help define the IQ like the DR (Dynamic Range), Color depths, ISO that has a SNR of 30 dB. These metrics refer to various usages of the camera (the first is most useful for landscape, the second is for portraits, the last id useful for sports or low light).

FF have an advantage in the latter at the expense of DoF (Depth of field).

Here is a sample of high ISO of APS-C:

Loading…

goo.gl

Porky89 · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
I have just discovered there is an even smaller sensor system than APS-C which is called micro 4/3. Apparently, this dispenses with the prism and mirror altogether and uses an electronic viewfinder only to save size and weight.

So I am puzzled as to why the olympus OM-E shown in the wikipedia entry as an example of this type of camera clearly has a pentaprism/pentamirror shaped lump on top!

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

Can anyone explain this?

Just discovered? Nice troll!

By the way, the viewfinder, and pop-up flash if fitted, has to go somewhere. Thus the viewfinder shaped hump on the top of many mirrorless cameras.

Porky89 · Nov 11, 2016

StuartT50 said:
sirhawkeye64 said:

StuartT50 said:

I have just discovered there is an even smaller sensor system than APS-C which is called micro 4/3. Apparently, this dispenses with the prism and mirror altogether and uses an electronic viewfinder only to save size and weight.

So I am puzzled as to why the olympus OM-E shown in the wikipedia entry as an example of this type of camera clearly has a pentaprism/pentamirror shaped lump on top!

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

Can anyone explain this?

Click to expand...

It has more to do with the design aesthetics than function. There is no prism, what you see in the viewfinder is a processed view just like with a normal mirrorless. They did this in honor of their old SLR days. That was sort of their signature body construction from what I've read. There is no prism in the top.

Click to expand...

There is no prism in the hump, but there is a viewfinder. Where would you put it? It has got to go somewhere. Why not in a housing on the top of the body?

Porky89 · Nov 11, 2016

Dutch Newchurch said:
It makes it look like the OM4 with which I used to shoot Kodachrome.

It's a cool feature (but makes no difference to its ability to take pictures).

It makes a difference if you need a viewfinder. Where else is it going to go. In an extreme corner of the body? That would be horrible.

Dutch Newchurch · Nov 11, 2016

Porky89 said:
Dutch Newchurch said:

It makes it look like the OM4 with which I used to shoot Kodachrome.

It's a cool feature (but makes no difference to its ability to take pictures).

Click to expand...

It makes a difference if you need a viewfinder. Where else is it going to go. In an extreme corner of the body? That would be horrible.

Yes, very true.

But, I was referring to the retro styling, rather than the VF.

I do like it when people think I'm using a 35mm film slr.

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

baloo_buc said:
Here is a sample of high ISO of APS-C:

https://goo.gl/photos/aXTTwCbbfKzUiFtG9

what camera was this taken on? Was it the 80D you mentioned? it has nice quality for high ISO

StuartT50 · Nov 11, 2016

Porky89 said:
There is no prism in the hump, but there is a viewfinder. Where would you put it? It has got to go somewhere. Why not in a housing on the top of the body?

So it does have a 'look through' viewfinder? I assumed that micro 4/3 used an electronic viewfinder only (the LCD screen). But perhaps I have misunderstood

Micro 4/3

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