One of the biggest advantages of owning a digital SLR system is the vast variety of interchangeable lenses. With a point-and-shoot camera, you’re locked in to a jack-of-all-trades lens that may not be the best solution in every photographic situation. A digital SLR owner is able to specialize his system much more, buying lenses with different apertures, focal lengths and technologies based on his needs.

But the days of smug, SLR superiority might be limited. Olympus and Panasonic plan an expansion of their Four Thirds System into the realm of the point-and-shooter. The newly-dubbedMicro Four Thirds System will bridge the gap between the two systems as never before, and give the SLR a run for its money in terms of functionality.

Here are some highlights of the Micro Four Thirds System:

- Existing Four Thirds lenses can be used on both digital SLRs and the micro cameras (with an adapter.)
- Micro Four Thirds cameras will be lighter and more mobile than their full counterparts
- Micro Four Thirds cameras will make use of the LCD screen instead of a viewfinder like on full SLRs

It sounds like an interesting idea, and I’ll be curious to see the first models. The one issue I see is this: larger lenses are able to admit more light onto the sensor. Will these smaller Four Thirds lenses be able to operate at f/2.8 or smaller or will they max out at f/4 or f/5.6? Remains to be seen, but if they can’t operate at wider apertures, it will be a serious disadvantage for the budding pro.

Full article.

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