Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Sanyo Electric and Sigma Corporation have announced their support for the Four Thirds System standard, which was announced in September 2002.

 

February 13, 2004: Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Sanyo Electric and Sigma Corporation have announced their support for the Four Thirds System standard, which was announced in September 2002.
They join developers, Olympus Corporation and Eastman Kodak Company, and Fuji Photo Film which announced support for the new format shortly after it was released. This brings the number of manufacturers endorsing the Four Thirds System standard to six, although Olympus is the only company to have released products that use it. According to a press release from Olympus: “the participation of additional firms is being encouraged”.
The Four Thirds System uses a “four-thirds-type” (18.0 x 13.5 mm) image sensor that allows manufacturers to design “extremely compact” lenses with optical characteristics that maximise sensor performance. The system prescribes an open standard for lens mounts that provides consumers with a wider range of choice by assuring compatibility between Four Thirds System bodies and lenses produced by different manufacturers. The only Four Thirds System camera released so far is the Olympus E-1.