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Full Frame vs Micro Four Thirds

Micro Four Thirds trades sensor area for compact bodies and lenses. The crop factor is close to 2×, which makes mental conversion simple: double the focal length.

Side by side

Full FrameMicro Four Thirds
Width × height36 × 24 mm17.3 × 13 mm
Diagonal43.3 mm21.6 mm
Area864 mm²225 mm²
Crop factor1.00×2.00×
Aspect ratio3:24:3

Micro Four Thirds has 74% less sensor area than Full Frame. The same lens frames 2.00× tighter on Micro Four Thirds, so Micro Four Thirds needs a focal length shorter by that factor for the same view.

Full Frame and Micro Four Thirds drawn to scaleFull Frame: 36 × 24 mmMicro Four Thirds: 17.3 × 13 mm10 mm
  • Full Frame 36 × 24 mm
  • Micro Four Thirds 17.3 × 13 mm

Drawn to scale and centred on the lens axis.

The same lens on both formats

Full-frame equivalent focal length and horizontal field of view for common lenses.

LensOn Full FrameOn Micro Four Thirds
14 mm14.0 mm · 104.3°28.0 mm · 63.4°
24 mm24.0 mm · 73.7°48.0 mm · 39.6°
35 mm35.0 mm · 54.4°70.0 mm · 27.8°
50 mm50.0 mm · 39.6°100.0 mm · 19.6°
85 mm85.0 mm · 23.9°169.9 mm · 11.6°
135 mm135.0 mm · 15.2°269.9 mm · 7.3°
200 mm200.0 mm · 10.3°399.9 mm · 5.0°

Matching the framing

The focal length on Micro Four Thirds that gives the same view as a lens on Full Frame.

On Full FrameSame view on Micro Four Thirds
14 mm on Full Frame7.0 mm
24 mm on Full Frame12.0 mm
35 mm on Full Frame17.5 mm
50 mm on Full Frame25.0 mm
85 mm on Full Frame42.5 mm
135 mm on Full Frame67.5 mm
200 mm on Full Frame100.0 mm

In practice

  • Micro Four Thirds is 4:3 while full frame is 3:2, so the two formats also crop the scene to different shapes.
  • Telephoto reach is cheaper and lighter on Micro Four Thirds because a shorter lens covers the same view.
  • Wide-angle coverage needs very short focal lengths on Micro Four Thirds, roughly half the full-frame focal length for the same view.

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Other comparisons

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