Concept
The Micro Four Thirds system (MFT or M4/3) is a standard released by Olympus and Panasonic in 2008, for the design and development of mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras, camcorders and lenses. Camera bodies are available from Blackmagic, DJI, JVC, Kodak, Olympus, Panasonic, Sharp, and Xiaomi. MFT lenses are produced by Cosina Voigtländer, DJI, Kowa, Kodak, Mitakon, Olympus, Panasonic, Samyang, Sharp, Sigma, SLR Magic, Tamron, Tokina, TTArtisan, Veydra, Xiaomi, Laowa, Yongnuo, Zonlai, Lensbaby, Kowa, Venus Optics and 7artisans amongst others. MFT shares the original 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, which facilitates smaller body and lens designs via the shorter flange focal distance of 19.25mm. The short flange distance, when combined with an adapter of proper depth, allows MFT bodies to use almost any lens ever made for a camera with a flange distance larger than 19.25mm. Still-camera lenses produced by Canon, Leica, Minolta, Nikon, Pentax and Zeiss have all been successfully adapted for MFT use - as well as lenses produced for cinema, e.g., PL mount or C mount. For comparison of the original Four Thirds with competing DSLR system see Four Thirds system#Advantages, disadvantages and other considerations Compared to inexpensive digital compact cameras and many bridge cameras, MFT cameras have better, , and interchangeable lenses. There are many lenses available. On top of this, a large number of other lenses (even from the analogue film era) can be fitted using an adapter. Different lenses yield greater creative possibilities. However, Micro Four Thirds cameras also tend to be slightly larger, heavier and more expensive than compact cameras. Compared to most digital SLRs, the Micro Four Thirds system (body and lenses) is smaller and lighter. However, their sensors are smaller than . The small lenses do not allow the noise depth-of-field tradeoffs of larger lenses in other systems.
