![]() Factors such as subsequent enlarging, either for printing or digital pixel peeping, also come into play to further complicate the topic. Worse yet you may hear mention of the phrase, “circles of confusion,” which, as it turns out, are very aptly named. In fact, the very definition of depth of field usually includes some sort of reference to “acceptably sharp,” which is already open to interpretation. The truth in this statement is largely up to the point of view of the photographer. cropped sensor cameras or ask enough sales people, and you will no doubt find someone who will tell you that shooting full frame is more conducive to shallow depth of field work. This advantage becomes less and less relevant as advances in sensor technology makes high ISO noise less of a factor. For the purpose of this comparison it boils down to FF sensors having an advantage over cropped with regard to high ISO performance. Likewise more megapixels results in smaller photosites and lower light gathering ability and worse high ISO performance. Below is a visual representation of the field of view change between FF and crop.Īll else being equal a larger sensor size will lend itself to greater light gathering ability and thus better high ISO performance. If you were to grab a 35mm lens given the 1.5x crop factor (35mm x 1.5) you would achieve a 52.5mm focal length ie. So if your friend is getting great results using their 50mm lens on their full frame body but your shooting on a crop body, crop factor is a fast and easy way to figure out what lens or focal length you need to get those same results as your friend. First of all, why do we even have a crop factor? It’s simply a way to develop a common reference point so that we can more easily achieve the same result if we shoot with both systems or know someone using the opposite system. This is generally the point where all hell breaks loose and people start scratching their heads. This means that as a general rule FF equipment is paired with more high-end features. ![]() ![]() Further most companies tend to market their full frame bodies and lenses to a “Pro” consumer base. So why the price difference? The simple answer is that Full Frame sensors are obviously larger and comes with a higher production cost. The line dividing Full Frame and Crop Sensor lenses is not quite so well-defined but it does follow the same general trend. In essence that $2,000 is pretty much a divider between Full Frame and Crop Sensor camera prices. It is also very rare to find a cropped sensor camera that exceeds $2,000. To date I can’t think of a single full frame digital camera that retails for less than $1,999.95. There are definitely exceptions to this rule, especially with regard to lenses but the vast majority of the time this price variance holds true. This includes both the bodies and the lenses. As a general rule of thumb full frame systems are more expensive. This is the most simple and easy to understand topic with regard to this comparison. Micro four thirds (MFT) is 4:3 ratio and about one-quarter the surface area of FF. What you really need to know is that APS-C is basically the same aspect ratio, but about half the surface area of FF. APS-C size is based on a long since gone film size called Advanced Photo Systems Classic, hence APS-C. The two most common cropped sensor sizes are APS-C and micro four thirds. Any sensor smaller than FF can technically be called “cropped”. When considering cropped sensor cameras things get just a little more confusing. Full frame with regard to a lens means a lens that is designed to project an image circle that will cover a full frame sized sensor at a specific distance. More specifically a sensor measuring roughly 36mm by 24mm. At the very least, by the end, you should have a better idea of what questions still need to be answered before you one, buy your first digital camera, or two, decide to make that jump from cropped sensor to full frame.įull frame with regard to cameras refers to a camera with a sensor size matching that of a 35mm piece of film. For such topics that are under such high scrutiny my humble article should read more as an opinion piece than a statement of hard fact. Some are questions that should be left to physicists rather than photographers, or better yet, someone with a strong background in both. Many of the topics I will cover are very complex and quite frankly often the subject of heated debate. My hope is that by reading this article you will come away with better understanding about some of the differences between full frame (FF) and cropped sensor cameras (APS-C).
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