>> Will the fact that the sensor is closer to the lens produce a >> "sharper" image? >> > Probably not. >> Will the image circle of existing 4:3 lenses not completely cover >> the sensor, therefore, producing vignetting, but increasing the >> telescopic effect? >> Do to a gain in DOF, will small aperture diffraction be reduced? >> > No more than on current 4:3 cameras.
The format is the same as 4/3 so all 4/3 lenses will cover the format perfectly, using the 4/3->m4/3 adapter, and there will be no difference in imaging quality with them. There just won't be a flippy mirror in the way so the body will be quiet and vibrationless. The FoV- DoF of 4/3 will remain the same with m4/3 ... in other words, a 25mm lens on either will show exactly the same image characteristics at the same aperture and focus distance ... modulo the difference in lens design of course. The shorter register means that simpler, less expensive, smaller and lighter lens designs can be made with equal quality to what is made now for the SLR bodies ... a 20mm f/1.7 (on the roadmap) for m4/3 will be 30-50% smaller than the size of the same lens designed for the DSLR bodies since you could do it with a non-retrofocus design. EG: the Leica Summilux-D 25mm f/1.4 ASPH for the SLR bodies, redesigned for m4/3, could be as small as a 35mm film rangefinder camera's 25mm f/1.4 and one third the weight of the current lens, which requires a very complex retrofocus lens design to achieve its quality and speed. Older 4/3 SLR lenses were not designed for contrast-detect AF focusing algorithms. Lenses produced since Olympus/Panasonic/Leica pioneered Live View in DSLRs, and then pioneered CDAF. All lenses produced since CDAF in SLRs was invented, and those that have been given focusing algorithm firmware updates, are what works with the m4/3 focusing system. Others are manually focused and some of the fancy face detect and follow focus features are not available, that's all. Of the list of compatible 4/3 lenses, I've got all the ones that matter already (Leica 14-50/2.8-3.5, Leica 25/1.4, Olympus 25/2.8 ...). Yes, size matters. I want my cameras to be smaller, lighter, easier to carry and returning the same quality as what I have now. ];-) For the way I use a viewfinder, if Panasonic has done what I think they have, this will be a fantastic addition to my kit. I wouldn't pass judgement until I see one ... can't wait to see one. And they've got the lens I MOST want on the roadmap for next year ... a 20mm f/1.7 prime. Now that makes me happy. G (as you might imagine, I could give a toss about so-called "full frame"...) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
