MICRO 4/3

Read this...

Now what I'm inferring from the above statement is that Olympus got it wrong with Four Thirds, so they've fixed it with Micro 4/3rds (MFT from now on).

This is Four Thirds but even smaller. All your existing lenses will work on MFT with an adapter but the new snazzy MFT lenses won't work on your current Four Thirds model....

An added feature of an MFT camera is that you compose your shot by looking at the LCD...the don't have mirrors and won't come with a view finder. Err...so it's an interchangeable lens point and shoot? A bridge camera with interchangeable lenses? I don't know.

What I am worried about is the future of Four Thirds. According to the press release, "Olympus will develop relevant technologies and devices for both Four Thirds System and Micro Four Thirds System standards."

But why bother? If MFT is smaller, lighter and more capable than clunky old four thirds, why make lenses or bodies to function on the legacy system? Why not force users onto the new MFT?
And yet, in the last eight months Olympus has released 3 brilliant Four Thirds camera bodies (E3, E520 and E420), this comes on the back of the award winning E410 and 510 last year. The lens range has recently expanded with a cheap wide angle, new SWD options and the very attractive 70-300. Surely that investment means that the future of Four Thirds is bright?

But then why MFT? Gah...going round in circles.

Anyway, I was going to spend £600 on the 12-60mm F2.8 lens, my first serious investment in the Four Thirds system. It's a great lens, I am probably going to get thrown out of the camera shop if I play with it one more time. But what's the point if the system becomes obsolete tomorrow? I could buy a Nikon or Canon body tomorrow and rest assured that their commitment to the DSLRs 'standard' format remains...I don't know.