DopeGuides

We Come From Outer Space

  • How – To
  • Gadget Reviews
  • Home
  • Astronomy Tools
  • Top-Tech

Micro Four Thirds Vs. Full Frame [Comparison Guide]

January 17, 2021 by Mary Robinette Kowal

 Only if you are a true photography geek, you would be able to tell the correct difference between micro four thirds vs. full frame. It is what confuses people the most when making the decision of what kind of a camera to purchase.  

Well, the thing is that in order to be able to make this decision easily, you need to consider quite a few factors. You will have to know details like the difference in a full frame and micro four thirds lens, the micro four thirds lens conversion chart and much more. So keep reading up until the conclusion to find everything from the advantages of micro four thirds to a video on what it is like to own a micro four third.

Table of Contents
  • Focal Length
  • Crop Factor
  • Performance w.r.t Lighting
  • Depth of Field
  • Conversion Chart
  • Conclusion

Focal Length

One of the most basic differences between full frame and micro four third lenses is their focal length. Full frame cameras have a 35mm focal length, whereas micro four thirds have a focal length of 17mm. Focal lengths determine how much you will be able to see in the picture overall, its magnification and what size will each element in the picture will be.

This means that if you are using micro four thirds, lesser of the scene will be captured but each element of the scene will be larger and clearer, than that of a full frame. Of course, the quality of the zoom feature of the camera will effect the quality of the image as well but keeping it constant. But in order to determine whether the best is micro four thirds camera for you or a full frame one, you need to consider your needs adjacent to the above mentioned factors.

Crop Factor

The crop factor and the focal length highly play off of each other but it important to remember that they are two different factors. Micro four thirds’ sensor size is very small with a crop factor of 2x. Comparing micro four thirds vs. APS-C, APS-C’s crop factor is 1.5x. This means the micro four thirds vs. full frame crop factor difference is even higher, full frame’s being based on old film-format concept.

The crop factor determines how much you can see in the lens of a micro four thirds camera or a full frame one. However, it is different than the focal length because it literally crops out the sides, instead of simply showing however much it can.

Performance w.r.t Lighting

Even though most best budget micro four thirds lenses are advertised as having peak performance in all types of lighting, this is far from the truth. When compared to full frame lenses, even the best micro four thirds lenses for travel fall short of producing quality pictures in low light. That is because even the best lenses for micro four thirds do not have the prime combination of high ISO and dynamic range. These factors when paired up capture the most light.

When thinking of performance w.r.t lighting, there is no need to look at micro four thirds vs. APS-C because high crop sensors can never catch as much light as full frame cameras. This is because, in order to observe good performance, the ISO needs to be set above 2000.

You might be wondering that then why does not everyone simply choose full frame cameras over even the best micro four third cameras. Well, that is because in certain types of photography, a high crop factor is needed. Especially when shooting portraits rather than landscapes. That is when in the micro four thirds vs. full frame debate, micro four thirds win.

Depth of Field

When crop-sensors are used to determine the micro four thirds, the aperture gets affected by the ‘multiplier effect’. And the aperture, also sometimes known as the f-stop, directly affects the depth of field. In order to understand the difference the crop-sensors make on the aperture, it is important to assume that all other factors of the full frame and micro four thirds lens remain constant.

The more the multiplier effect, the shallower the depth of field becomes. Even the best micro four thirds camera will have a comparatively shallow depth of field than a full frame one. It is important not to compare micro four thirds vs four thirds at this point because their difference does not have much to do with depth of field but with flange back length.

To conclude this discussion and make the difference clearer, you can look at it in the following way. The picture you capture from a f/3.6 full frame camera, it will be similar to the picture you capture from a f/1.8 micro four thirds camera.

Advantages of Micro Four Thirds Camera
  • Small and light camera and lenses
  • The 2x crop factor helps in makes it possible to use a small lens for a large focal length
  • Brighter corners of captured pictures
  • Very good off-centre resolution
  • Help in quick image stabilisation

Below you will find the micro four thirds lens conversion chart. The micro four thirds lens conversion chart makes it super easy to understand what lens you need to buy for what brand if you are using a micro four thirds camera.

The video given below will help you navigate your use of a micro four third. The video is by someone who has been using a micro four thirds camera for a long time.

Furthermore, if you want to learn more random facts about micro four thirds, you can check this out.

On the other hand, if you want to know how the micro four thirds came into being, you should read up here.

Conclusion:

Now that you have reached the end of this article, you must clearly know the differences between micro full thirds vs. full frames. You must also be aware of the fact that even the best budget micro four third lenses are not better than any full frame lenses when it comes to low lighting captures.

You must also know now that even though it seems that a full frame lens might be the better option overall, a micro four thirds also has its advantages. Furthermore, the micro four thirds lens conversion chart must have made it all the more easier to figure out which camera you need to buy.

If you liked this article, you can check out more similar articles from our site:

  • Asteroid Belt Facts
  • Pegasus Constellation
  • 8 Best Telescopes Under $200
  • Best Astrophotography Stacking Software
  • Best Telescope For Deep Space Astrophotography
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Mary Robinette Kowal
Mary Robinette Kowal
Hey! I'm Mary Robinette Kowal, an author, speaker &  producer on anything & everything tech and space related. I'm best known for winning the Hugo Award for Best Novel. Writing about space is a huge passion of mine, so here’s a little piece of my mind.
Mary Robinette Kowal
Latest posts by Mary Robinette Kowal (see all)
  • 7 Best Telescopes for Solar Eclipse 【Photography & Viewing】 - February 7, 2021
  • 8 Best Telescope Mount For Astrophotography in 2021 【Reviewed】 - February 7, 2021
  • 7 Best Eyepieces for Planetary Viewing in 2021 【Deep Observation】 - February 7, 2021

Related Posts:

  • What Are The 3 Types Of Galaxies [Full Guide]
    What Are The 3 Types Of Galaxies [Full Guide]
  • How To Build A Dobsonian Telescope [Ultimate Guide]
    How To Build A Dobsonian Telescope [Ultimate Guide]
  • What Would Happen if There Was No Moon? [Ultimate Guide 2021]
    What Would Happen if There Was No Moon? [Ultimate…
  • What is a Hubble space telescope? [Guide 2021]
    What is a Hubble space telescope? [Guide 2021]
  • Pegasus Constellation [Ultimate Guide 2021]
    Pegasus Constellation [Ultimate Guide 2021]

Filed Under: Guides

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram

MORE STUFF FROM DOPEGUIDES

zhumell z130 review
All There is To Know: A Complete Zhumell z130 Review
It is rare to find a product that finds the perfect balance between being affordable for its class and providing
no moon feature image
What Would Happen if There Was No Moon? [Ultimate Guide 2021]
You’ll all agree when we say,   Right? the moon is the closest object to the earth, and it came
What is a hubble space telescope
What is a Hubble space telescope? [Guide 2021]
What is a Hubble space telescope? The Hubble Space Telescope is an enormous telescope in space that sends back the
What causes a blood moon
What Causes A Blood Moon [The Truth + Explaination]
When it comes to different astronomical events, each of them have specific reasons and some history that make them either
Best Telescopes for Astrophotography [Photography Guide]
I think we can all agree that: This is even more true when it co mes to those who are
eyepiece camera
Telescope Eyepiece Guide [Latest 2021 Information]
The telescope eyepiece plays a rather big role than you think it does. Telescope eyepieces explained we can factually state
how to stack images in photoshop astrophotography
How to Stack Astrophotography Images in Photoshop [Ultimate Guide]
This  is a phenomenon used on all types of images. However, it is especially important to make use of image
100+ Quotes On Astrology, Horoscopes, and MORE!
Every time you scroll through your social media accounts, you are bound to come across Astrology Quotes that leave you
Pegasus Constellation
Pegasus Constellation [Ultimate Guide 2021]
I hope you will agree when I say: Constellation can help you sort the twinkling stars scattered across the sky
The Orion Skyquest XT10 Classic Dobsonian Telescope Reviewed
What makes this telescope different than the others the brand has previously made is, that it is a Dobsonian telescope.
1 2 3 … 6 Next »

Don’t Stress

At DopeGuides, you can leave it all to us. Providing you with quality content so you can learn, grow & save money as we go!

Quick Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Services

Top Categories:

  • TopTech
  • Quotes
  • Gadget Review
  • Astronomy Tools
  • Guides
  • How-To

Copyright © 2021 · Dope Guides