Learn: Top 5 Reasons to Use Micro Four Thirds Camera Gear

Why do some photographers prefer to use a Micro Four Thirds system setup, instead of APS-C or full frame? Photographer Emily Lowrey discusses five reasons why she prefers to use the Micro Four Thirds sensor format. 

Emily Lowrey uses the Panasonic DC-GH6, Panasonic DC-GH5 and Panasonic DC-GX800with the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5, 50mm f/1.8, 25mm f/1.4 ASPH and 100-400mm f/4-6.3 ASPH Power OIS .

1. More lens choices

First of all, lens choices. Let's talk about the lenses. Not only do we have offerings from Panasonic and Olympus, the ‘official’ Micro Four Thirds lenses, but we also have a plethora of third-party lenses like Sigma, 7artisansLaowa, and Meiker. There are so many brands to choose from.

One of the reasons I love Micro Four Thirds lenses is there are options for all different price points, from pancake lenses to cine.

We have our more budget primes, which cater for the size and the portability, but then on the other end of the spectrum, we have the pro lenses like the Olympus 25mm f/1.2 PRO, which is an absolutely stunning piece of glass.

2. Greater portability

You can create a kit that is as big or as small as you like. There really is a lens for every occasion with this setup. 

And I love that is the same with the camera bodies as well. You have your bigger, more professional-grade bodies, like the Panasonic DC-GH6. But then you also have the smaller ones like the Olympus Pen E-PL6 Lite, which you can go out on a weekend and shoot for fun. Then you can do some paid work with the more expensive kit—and all of the lenses work with all of the systems.

If you're like me and you like to try different lenses and different camera bodies over time, you’re in luck. I have spent the last six years trying out tons of different lenses. And I don't think I've even scratched the surface. So, if you like a camera system with lots of options—at all different price points—then Micro Four Thirds could be the one for you.

Another benefit of most Micro Four Third lenses—not all, but most of them—is that they tend to be smaller in comparison to their full-frame or APS-C counterparts. This has a huge benefit for travel and being incognito. You can just take your camera out, without worrying about the weight and the bulk. 

You can get smaller camera bodies on other systems, but their lenses tend to be bigger. So you have to consider the size of the setup as a whole.

The smaller overall package enables you to travel very light—I usually carry just one camera and one lens—or it gives you the opportunity to put a few more choices in your bag. So, for me, it’s a win-win situation. 

With full frame, this isn't the case. You can go out with a relatively minimalist kit. But if you want to take more than one lens, your setup quickly becomes bigger and bulkier. With Micro Four Thirds, you can get a handful of lenses out and about with you.

Another reason Micro Four Thirds is amazing is that the kit grows with your abilities. You may begin with a smaller, fun camera to go out and about. Or you may start with a smaller pancake lens, which gets you learning the ropes of photography or videography. 

In the same weekend, I could be out with my fully kitted-out rig on one day, doing a paid job, and then the next day I could be out with the Olympus Pen E-PL6 having a bit of fun.

3. Further 'reach'

Micro Four Thirds are great at longer focal lengths. The Panasonic 35-100mm f/4-5.6 ASPH M. OIS, for example, is a 70-200mm full-frame equivalent. It's really small. And it also has internal focusing, so it doesn't even extend beyond that. 

And then we have the Panasonic Leica100-400mm f/4-6.3 ASPH Power OIS which is 200-800mm in full-frame terms. You can still carry it around easily.

If you want to use more zoom within your photography, whether it's for live bands, wildlife or sports, you don't have to break your back or your bank in order to do so. The two-times crop with the sensor works in your favour.

4. More tech for your money

There's a lot of technology packed into these smaller sensors. We have handheld high-res modes, we have incredible stabilisation, we have incredibly fast burst modes on live composite modes and 4K photo modes. They’re a lot more advanced than some people might think.

5. Good video features

And the same goes for video. You can get 4K 120p without any crop, you can get very high bitrates without the cameras overheating. The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 has 4K 60p video, without any crop. It took a long time for full-frame cameras, certainly at that price point, to catch up. With the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH6, we have that innovation again—4K 120fps without crop. 

The Micro Four Thirds system is also great for hybrid shooters, if you like photo and video, or if you dabble more in one than the other. A Micro Four Thirds camera system can handle both—at a very good price point.

What's the difference between medium-format, full-frame, APS-C and Micro Four Thirds? Read our guide to camera sensor size formats.

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