Full Frame vs Crop Sensor
There is a lot of confusion about the nature of cameras with the APS-C sensor size vs. cameras with 35mm sensor size. Often the talk runs around image quality and I see that there is a general assumption that a DSLR with a 35mm sensor is always better. This is simply untrue. From a signal to noise ratio point of view, the camera with a 35mm sensor is better. But there is a lot more to photography than having the least possible amount of noise in your images.
Aim of this article is to compare APS-C sensor camera to 35mm sensor camera (Canon perspective, with 7D and 5DII in mind).
A 50mm example
If we compare, for example a Canon 7D and 5DII, we can quite safely assume that there is approximately 1.5 stops of difference in 5DII’s benefit in signal/noise ratio in practical photography when we use for example a 50mm f/1.4 lens at the same aperture. If we use a 50mm f/1.4 lens in both cameras, the 5DII will be about 1.5 stops better in noise/detail performance and it will also produce somewhat better contrast, especially with higher sensitivities.
However, there are other aspects to think about.
- The 50mm lens will give more vigneting on a 35mm sensor camera. Due to darker borders, you may need to increase exposure to capture an equally balanced exposure across the frame on the 35mm sensor camera or you will need to correct the vigneting in post processing. On some lenses, the border areas of the image may be relatively softer on the 35mm sensor. – If you want the same perspective for both cameras, you will shoot the image from the same spot. However, if you want the same framing, you will shoot with the 35mm sensor camera from a closer distance or with the APS-C camera from further away. If you want to fill the frame with a small target (cat, kitten, puppy, small child in a close-up, flower, etc) the closest focusing distance of the lens may not be enough to fill the frame on the 35mm sensor camera and you will need to judge exposure of the needed framing more carefully (and compensate exposure value or switch to center weighted exposure mode) and also crop the image later on in post processing. – If you were to use an 85mm lens instead of the 50mm lens, you would certainly have trouble more easily with the closest focusing distance, because the magnification ratio of Canon 85mm lenses is even worse than 50mm lenses (85/1.2L – 0.95m, 0.11x / 1:9.1)(85/1.8 – 0.85m, 0.13x / 1:7.7)(50mm/1.4 – 0.5m, 0.15x / 1:6.7).
I wrote the following little list to clarify the benefits of using an APS-C DSLR. Most of the points have surely been made previously by other people somewhere, but I tried to be thorough and practical here and put all the stuff into a single list.
Advantages of an APS-C sensor DSLR over 35mm sensor DSLR
- Price /quality ratio of APS-C zoom lenses is usually better than with lenses designed for full frame. APS-C lenses are usually cheaper.
- It is possible to use both 35mm and APS-C lenses, a 35mm sensor Canon camera can’t use lenses designed for smaller sensors properly
- Lenses that are designed for full frame sensor have less vigneting on APS-C sensor cameras and some lenses may have better edge definition
- Lenses designed for APS-C sensor tend to be significantly lighter (though rarely weather sealed)
- APS-C lenses usually have better closest focusing distance than 35mm lenses (e.g. Sigma 17-70 focuses so close, that objects can almost touch the front element).
- When photographing comparatively small targets, it is easier to fill the frame with 50mm lenses (all have 45-50cm closest focusing distance), 85mm lenses and many wide angle zoom lenses with APS-C sensor, due to closest focusing distance.
- With macro lenses and telephoto lenses it is easier to fill the frame without cropping on an APS-C camera, advantage of 1.6x. With a 35mm sensor camera, you are more easily forced to crop.
- When the frame coverage of the target is small (small and/or faraway target), it is easier to place focus point on it on an APS-C camera, than with a 35mm sensor camera – the target is larger relative to the focus points. This is definitely easier to do on the 7D compared to the 5DII with the better non-central focus points and wider focus point spread.
- DOF advantage in macro photography and often in landscape photography (with the same framing as with a 35mm sensor, you are further away from the target).
- There is no shortage of cheap ultra wide lenses (Sigma 10-20 f/3.5, Sigma 10-20 f/3.5-5.6, Canon 10-22 EF-S, Tokina 11-16, Tokina 12-24, Sigma 12-24, Tamron 10-24, Tamron 11-18….). For full frame, your choices of relatively cheap and light lenses are the Canon 17-40/4L and Sigma 12-24/f4-5.6
- Large selection of cheap or moderately priced, quality wide angle image stabilized zoom lenses (Canon 17-55 IS, Canon 15-85 IS, Sigma 18-50/2.8 OS, Sigma 17-70/2.8-4 OS, Tamron 17-50/2.8 VC, Tokina 16-50/2.8 )
- Specialty lenses for crop sensor like Tokina 10-17 fisheye and Tamron 60mm f/2 macro
- Crop sensor cameras provide AF assistance with built-in flash
- Large selection of light weight image stabilized travel zoom lenses (Canon 18-135IS, Canon 18-200IS, Tamron 18-270 VC, Sigma 18-200 OS, Sigma 18-250 OS). For a full frame camera there is not that many choices – the expensive and very heavy, but relatively high quality solution 28-300L and Tamron 28-300VC
Compare the weight with a 35mm lens, for example:
Canon 18-200 IS: 595g; Tamron 18-270 VC: 560g; Canon 28-300L: 1670g
Conclusion
In the end, discussion boils down to your specific photographic needs – and the size of the wallet. If you can afford full frame camera and specific set of lenses that goes with it, and if you are shooting landscape or portrait, by all means full frame is the right way to go. But for anything else that moves (Car photography, sports), or flies high up in the sky (Birding), crop sensor is preferable choice.
I often get asked, will canon continue producing APS-C sensor lenses? Is investing in EF-S lenses a sensible strategy? – My answer to these types of questions is yes, Canon has shown considerable support for EF-S technology and all the new updates that we see on the market is a proof of commitment. Don’t worry EF-S is here to stay, you can invest in this glass and expect it to retain value.
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There are 12 comments on this post.
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feedmy english is bad, hi i own nikon d3x and d90 im using 70-200ed vr2 2.8 and 50mm 1.2 full frame, on the d3x the image quality is better on the same lenses.
I just want to ask, can I mount a full frame lens, on a crop frame body, and vice versa? Are there any drawbacks, and what are they?
Thanks!
Hello Tino,
You can mount ANY lens on crop body, and results will be satisfactory without any drawbacks.
For example canon 50D is a crop body, on this you can mount both full frame lenses and EF-S lenses.
But, EF-S lenses are specifically designed for crop sensor cameras, thus they cannot be mounted on full frame camera.
You just tried to compare the Canon 18-200 IS to the Canon 28-300 L. That is pretty funny.
Anyways thanks for the post. I think you need to reverse the piece at the end and show the advantages of full frame over crop sensor bodies. Giving both sides would be a much more valid argument.
Unless you are talking about car photography of cars in motion as in NASCAR or similar, I think you will be hard pressed to find someone who would recommend a crop sensor over a full frame. Full frame is simply better.
Hi David. Thanks for reading my article.
I believe we can have a really good discussion here, because I don’t agree with your statement that “Full frame is simply better”.
Full frames are great, but they have disadvantages too. Camera manufacturers build their models with strategy in mind, and that is to segment the market. Manufacturers like Canon and Nikon, try to build models that solve some problems of photographers but leave out important whistles on purpose. This is why you don’t have stellar AF on 5D mk II, who would buy 7D if you did?
You mentioned advantage of crop in car photography, but what about BIF (birds in flight)? Extra reach is awesome in many categories, think of macro, sports etc…
Sexy pixels that full frame cameras definitely produce are important but not decisive – There are tons of other important parameters, so there are many great cameras crop and full frame alike.
If you want my honest opinion, here it is… It doesn’t matter if you go for full frame or crop, in the end similar results can be obtained with both (especially if you are not printing huge posters). Final result is what counts, isn’t it?
Contrary to popular beliefs:
In my experience, I discovered that 5D, both mk I and II, can handle action photography pretty well. I shot Lamborghini SV with 5D on the F1 track, and I was surprised to find that it performed very well, right up next to 7D in terms of keeper rate. And low FPS didn’t seem to be a major setback either. Despite what marketers want you to believe…
And many times I’ve been inspired by a photo, cause of sexy quality, sharpness, insane DOF, believing it had “full frame magic”, only to find out that it was produced by a mere DXXX in hands of a talented photographer.
p.s. I will not recommend 35mm over APS-C just because majority of photographers embrace it as the Holy Grail of photography.
My point was that if your are shooting a photo of a stationary car such as insides, under body, full body, closeup, etc – then a full frame is going to be better.
Sure canon has a 10-22mm for EF-S, but that is your ONLY decent option to do an inside of a car with a crop body.
I know that a bird photo will be easier with a crop, because of the extra reach a crop sensor will give you. That is not what I was pointing out though.
Full frame is good especially if you are looking for wide angle shots and the highest quality. Both things I would think car photography would require. That is why I suggested you also add a piece to the article that includes why full frame has advantages over aps-c, not just the one sided argument you present currently in the post.
Well David, introduction to the article sums up nicely the advantages of full frame camera.
“5DII will be about 1.5 stops better in noise/detail performance and it will also produce somewhat better contrast, especially with higher sensitivities.”
I didn’t go in the details, because I assumed it was type of a general consensus. Which I regret now, as you have a valid points.
On the other hand, I don’t agree that canon 10-22 is the only decent option… What about: Sigma 10-20 f/3.5, Sigma 10-20 f/3.5-5.6, Tokina 11-16, Tokina 12-24, Sigma 12-24, Tamron 10-24, Tamron 11-18 ?
The only reasonable argument you have is the usefulness of full frame in cramped spaces. Which is valid, but existence of Ultra Wide Angles solve this problem for me.
In case of open space, when you want wide angle shots, you can always use legs to zoom out a bit.
Hey, I just remembered about this post: Canon EOS 7d vs 5d mark II, which is a follow up on this article. And it exactly mentions your arguments!
Sandro, I had a Canon XT and used a 17-40mm L lens and when I was indoors the AF hunted quite a bit, but now I bought a Canon T1i and the sensor is very accurate in dim light and shoot at 1600 ISO or 3200 and the pictures look great compared to my canon XT, so I’m wondering if 2.8 is really or full frame is really needed. I don’t know but half a sensor is preatty good as a full sensor now a day’s. What do you think?
Hello Tavo,
Well, as you said, T1i produces great photos at high ISO, so don’t bother… if you don’t find that camera limiting, and you are happy with the results, than it’s perfect for you…
On the flip side, full frame will be even better than T1i at high ISOs.
But as a general trend, I think ISO performance is more or less converging in full frame and APS-C. In few years from now I see both types of sensors producing virtually indistinguishable results in terms of noise.
Hello,
I have a Canon D5 mark 1. I’m looking for a full frame lens that can photograph small items very close up but also provide a wide field of background. A lens that can focus when only an inch or two away from the subject. Do you have any recommendations? They would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!