By Leonard Goh
06/08/2008
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39001469,62044619,00.htm

The Four Thirds Standard was announced in 2002 by Olympus and Kodak, and the then new imaging format rocked the industry because the system was built from the ground up and optimized for digital photography. Not too long after, we saw the Olympus E-1, the first dSLR to utilize the new standard with Kodak's 5-megapixel sensor. Soon, companies such as Fujifilm, Sanyo, Sigma, Panasonic and Leica showed support for the standard, too, and began to roll out products to be used with it.

Yesterday, Olympus and Panasonic unveiled their latest brainchild built upon the previous system. Called the Micro Four Thirds System, it is set to reinvent how dSLRs and their lenses could be designed, and the predicted profile of cameras using this new format is expected to be much smaller as well. Our sources told us Panasonic may be launching a new dSLR during Photokina in September, and we wonder if the new format will take center stage then. We'll find out next month.

Interestingly, Olympus told us that cameras utilizing the Micro Four Thirds standard are not called dSLRs, but rather "interchangeable lens camera systems". And the reason for the conception of this format is because previous surveys showed that people refrain from buying dSLRs due to the complicated operation or bulk and weight. Thus, the new standard aims to bridge that gap, which makes up a huge chunk of the market.

The Japanese firm also said that the target audiences for the Micro Four Thirds system are "current compact camera users, novice photographers, women and senior citizens". Snappers using the new format will not be competing against dSLRs, but rather acting as supplements to the big guns. The current Four Thirds system retains the integrity of dSLRs, but the Micro Four Thirds standard brings the same performance, image quality and operation to a more compact scale while incorporating new features.

The new format has a similarly-sized sensor (approximately 18mm x 13.5mm) used in current Four Thirds-based shooters, but the camera's internal infrastructure have been reengineered so the mirror, prism and optical viewfinder will not be required for photo-taking. This provides three main benefits.

1) Approximately 50 percent shorter distance between lens mount to sensor.
This means cameras using this standard can be more compact and lightweight than the Olympus E-420, which is currently touted by the company as the world's smallest and lightest dSLR.

2) Lens mount diameter to shrink by 6mm.
Bulky lenses will be a thing of the past, even for optics that cover a long focal length such as 300mm.

3) Increase of electrical contact from 9 to 11 points.
More functions can be built into the lenses, and while it was not mentioned what it would be, our guess is probably an optical image stabilizer system, or high-speed focusing motor as seen in Canon's USM lenses.

It was also mentioned on the Four Thirds System's Web site that the new technology will incorporate video capture function, something that current dSLRs is not able to achieve.

So far, the benefits seem promising, but shutterbugs have raised concerns over the lack of an optical viewfinder. Some photographers feel that using the LCD to frame shots (akin to Live View) look unprofessional, and the lag from electronic viewfinders (EVF) may cause them to miss the shot. What this means for manufacturers is a challenge to develop an alternative or improve on the current EVF.

The mirror's removal means photographers can shoot at lower shutter speeds without worrying that the flipping action may cause vibrations that blur the shot. This will also make snapping shots a quieter affair without the loud sound produced when the mirror-mechanisms move.

Current Four Thirds System lenses can be mounted onto Micro Four Thirds shooters with the use of an adapter, but it may look humongous compared with the petite camera chassis. Shutterbugs utilizing the current standard don't have to worry about service and support, too, because Olympus said it will continue to develop the Four Thirds standard.

So, will shooters using Micro Four Thirds system be more affordable? We think so. This is because there are lesser components and, if manufacturers want a piece of the market, the cameras have to be priced such that they are cheaper than entry-level dSLRs. The official word from Olympus is that it has no details yet regarding pricing.

As of press time, Panasonic has yet to comment, but we will provide an update once we hear from them.