Crop sensor vs. Full Frame?

[talan]

Hi what are the benefits of going full frame? I understand in full frame the sensor size is larger, and that affects the crop ratio of your lenses.

Discuss?

[keriboi]

less noise, uses full quality of the lens

[Redal]

I have 3 sized sensors FF , 1.3 and 1.6
I find they all have good and bad points.

Good points of FF is great control of DOF when shooting portraits and using strobes , and wide lenses are wide. Big pixels
Bad points of FF is you need really good lenses, as it shows up corner weaknesses in the lens, especially the wide lenses. Cost of good wides.

Good points of 1.3, these cameras are built like tanks . You still get big pixels but have have some extra length. Most if not all of the corner weaknesses of wide lenses disappear.
bad points , i cant really think of any that really matter.

Good points of 1.6 , the length, telephotos get long, great for macro, birding , when you need the length. corners of lenses are no longer an issue.
Bad points small pixels, wides are not wide, less control of DOF, finding a fast wide lens.

Thats my take on it.

[talan]

Why don't they make all DSLRs full frame? Is it size and cost? Surely it doesn't cost too much extra to have a larger sensor over a smaller one?

[Redal]

My guess is product range, quite limiting having one product doing it all.

I think to start with there was a big cost difference in cost between the sensors but not so much now.

[Haim]

haha full frame FTW.... i would recommend anyone to upgrade if they have the coin for decent lenses and obviusly the body.


in saying that, i do miss the crop factor sometimes that i used to have with the D300 :S

[Robin Ducker Photography]

Full frame means that wide angle lenses are really wide. As someone else has said it puts extra demand on the lens but this is mainly around its ability to stay sharp and have low distortion in the corners...in fact cropped sensor put MORE stress on a lens' resolution capability. Take a Nikon D300 Vs a Nikon D700 - both 12 MP but on the D300 the lens has to try and resolve the same detail in a smaller area.

Why do they cost more? Simple, any sensor is a semi-conductor of sorts; a 5 inch or similar slice of silicon is immersed in acid and then etched using a photo-lithographic process. The manufacturer will try to get as many "chips" as possible from this slice but the size of the chip also dictates how many of these are error free. The larger the chip the more likely it is to have an error, so its quite feasible that one would only get 1 FF size chip per slice but get 3 cropped sensor chips or more. So its not a rip-off: it is genuinely more difficult to make a big sensor. Then think also about digital backs for Medium Format cameras....thats why a Phase 1 costs 20 grand plus.:)

[PureKiwi]

I think every week i change my mind in camera im going to get , I was thinking of buying and 40 or 50D , im still tossed over nikon and canon i like them both :P , so all and all im going to get a full frame i think ether the 5D mark II or the D700 , be a bit more of a wait as i'm getting it after my holiday so about 2 months away , still don't no what lens ill get probably and landscape one for starters ,

[Cory Varcoe]

I think every week i change my mind in camera im going to get , I was thinking of buying and 40 or 50D , im still tossed over nikon and canon i like them both :P , so all and all im going to get a full frame i think ether the 5D mark II or the D700 , be a bit more of a wait as i'm getting it after my holiday so about 2 months away , still don't no what lens ill get probably and landscape one for starters ,

5D2 5D2!!! :p Dont turn to the darkside!
I've got a 17-40 F4 L, great lens and half the price of the 16-35 L

Another advantage of FF is Fisheye lens can be used like they were intended to :eek: i love 180degree view :D

[Haim]

and i thought canon was the dark side :S ^^^

Nikon has it's +'s and -'s as with canon too.

[Cory Varcoe]

Wait whaaat...? Someone told me that Nikon was... :rolleyes:

Yeah i agree there, point in case, Nikon's noise performance :D