Micro Four Thirds cameras have become increasingly popular with cinematographers since their introduction 16 years ago. These smaller, lightweight cameras offer many of the same features and capabilities as their larger counterparts, but at a fraction of the cost. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the benefits of using a Micro Four Thirds camera for your next drone project.
What is a Micro Four Thirds Camera?
Micro Four Thirds cameras are a great choice because they offer excellent image quality, are lightweight and compact, and have a flexible system that allows you to combine camera bodies and interchangeable lenses from different manufacturers. This is the camera we use on our EVOLVE 2.
The holy grail of aerial cinematography is to have a camera that is lightweight and easy to carry around. This way, you can take pictures and videos quickly without having to worry about the weight of the camera.
Full Frame sensors are larger than those in M 4/3 cameras, but they are also heavier. Because of this, you need a bigger drone to carry the camera. This can make it difficult or impossible to take pictures or videos in certain situations.
The Micro Four Thirds sensor has always been in the advantageous position. While it might have seemed like a “middle child” due to its size compared with other sensors on either side of this spectrum (micro vs big), recent advancements make up for lost ground by giving Micro 4/3 body cameras an edge over all others!
Is the Micro 4/3 Camera Still Relevant?
The short answer is yes, especially when it comes to drone performance. Let’s dive deeper into why the Micro Four Thirds camera is good and ideal. We will take a look at Sensor Size and Image Quality, Pixels and Resolution and Crop Factor. We will put the Micro Four Thirds Rumors to rest.
Sensor Size and Image Quality
Many people will believe (incorrectly) that portability means sacrificing quality. As was already said, drones typically use a 1″ sensor. Although a bigger sensor size often produces better results through improved low light capability and broader dynamic range, it is not the only factor in producing stunning cinematography. Picture production also takes into account the crop factor and image processing.
Smaller lenses are wonderful because smaller sensors provide smaller picture circles. I can’t think of many terrible micro four thirds lenses because they are so well-known for being excellent. Additionally, smaller sensors can effectively integrate IBIS (in body stabilization).
Pixels and Resolution
The size of your camera’s sensor impacts how well it photographs objects. For example, a high-resolution 36MP m4/3 chip with 12-micron pixels will produce better results than one that has 4GM or 8 Megapixels. This is because there are more opportunities for light impacting the former type compared to lower resolution sensors.
Which only captures certain areas at any given time making them better in low light conditions such as dark environments where you want all details shown without being washed out by other sources lighting up nearby surroundings.
Crop Factor
Because a crop sensor is smaller than a typical 35mm size, a crop factor is added to the images these cameras capture. This implies that your photo will have its edges cropped for a smaller field of view. The micro four thirds system sensor from XDyanmics has a special benefit in that it offers a higher crop factor of 1.89 (as opposed to the typical M 4/3 crop factor of 2.02).
While there may not seem to be much of a difference, because perceived lens focal length is directly impacted by crop factor, even a little change in crop factor results in noticeable alterations. Consider a conventional 18mm lens or the common M 4/3, which results in a perceived focal length of 36.36mm. A focal length of 34.02mm is obtained with the XDynamics’ bigger M 4/3 sensor, though. Making it one of the best micro four thirds cameras on the market.
Mirrorless Advantages
Mirrorless cameras offer a unique perspective on what it means to take photos. Integrated into the camera itself, image information and light is translated directly onto an M 4/3 sensor for fast processing with high accuracy of focus–no need go back-and forth between lens changes or removing accessories like filters when you want perfect framing!
This indicates that there is no maximum number of distance measuring points and that the distance measurement may be calculated utilizing the whole sensor surface. The end result is an autofocusing mechanism that is quicker, more effective, and more precise. Due to their mechanics, mirrorless cameras also produce photos with less noise. A mirrored camera system’s mirror swings up to let light through when the shutter is depressed. The “camera slap” sound and extra camera vibration or movement are produced by this maneuver.
Nerd Stats – We go hard on Micro Four Thirds VS. Full Frame VS. APS-C
- Full Frame – The full frame sensor is modeled after the size of film negative. This means that when you’re shooting on a 36mm x 24 mm camera, your photos will have an essentially life-sized reproduction at their disposal which makes them perfect for high end professional DSLR’s such as Canon 5D Mark III or Nikon D800.
- APS-C – The crop sensor is often referred to as an APS-C (or Advanced Photo System Type C) which measures 23.6mm x 15.7 mm and has been used in entry level & mid-range DSLRs with different camera manufacturers like Canon also having their own smaller version that’s 22×14 Matrix!
- Micro Four Thirds – This sensor has a 4:3 aspect ratio as opposed to full-frame and APS-C sensors, which have a 3:2 aspect ratio. The MFT system derives its name from this.
We need to use our u43 system with an aperture that is around two stops larger in order to achieve the same shallow depth of field effects as full frame. Additionally, this would allow us to shoot at a two stop lower ISO setting while maintaining a similar level of picture noise. We can see that the IQ benefits of full frame can be defeated in many circumstances.
