How is m4/3 different than 4/3?

m4/3 is mirrorless, while 4/3 is not. The (mostly) older 4/3 cameras were designed as DSLRs, complete with mirror box and optical viewfinders. Because of the mirror, the lens mount on the 4/3 cameras is far forward from the sensor. On m4/3 cameras, the lens mount is very near the sensor. Thus, while m4/3 and 4/3 share the same sensor size, they do not share the same lenses.

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