Today’s full frame DSLR vs crop sensor guide will walk you through the differences between these two sensor types, highlighting the pros and cons of each to help you pick the right one for your photography needs and budget.
Settling on a sensor size is one of the most important choices you’ll have to make when you’re buying a digital camera.
The two main classes of sensor size you’ll come across are full frame and crop.
I remember diving into dozens of hours of research back when I was trying to decide on my first digital camera.
There were a lot of technical aspects to consider, as well as the matter of cost and the photography genre I was getting into.
Today, I’m here to save you the trouble and explain what each sensor type has to offer so you can confidently make a decision.
Camera Sensors at a Glance
If you’re thinking about investing in a professional camera, knowing about sensors is a must.
The sensor of a camera is a rectangle-shaped physical component inside its body. Its job is to catch light from the surrounding environment.
By capturing light, the sensor receives information that the camera converts into details in the produced images.
As such, the level of detail of an image depends on how much light it can pick up. The more light your camera’s sensor can collect, the sharper the details and the higher the quality of your photos.
Now, the amount of light a sensor can capture depends on its size. The larger the sensor, the more light it can pick up, and consequently, the finer the details of the image.
In digital cameras, there are multiple sizes and types of sensors you can choose from. The two most popular among professional photographers are full frame and crop sensors.
What Is a Full Frame DSLR Camera?
Now that you’re familiar with the role of the sensor in your camera, it’s time to differentiate between full frame and crop sensors. I’ll start with the former.
Full-frame sensors are large camera sensors that capture light at a size of 35mm (24 × 36mm), which is the same size as old-school film cameras.
A full-frame camera is as big as you can go when it comes to standard sensors. If you want anything larger, you’ll need to enter the territory of highly specialized cameras/sensors.
As the name suggests, a full-frame camera provides a complete view of the scene you’re shooting (within its size of course).
Such DSLRs have bigger sensors than crop sensor cameras, so they capture more light and deliver sharper details.
This is why full-frame sensors are the top choice for professional photographers, particularly full frame DSLRs.
However, more and more professionals are adding full frame mirrorless cameras to their arsenal.
What Is a Crop DSLR Camera?
A crop sensor, as you might have guessed, doesn’t offer a complete view of the scene you’re pointing your camera at.
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Instead, the field of view is narrower as the edges are cropped to produce a more “zeroed-in” image. As such, crop sensors are smaller in size compared to their full frame counterparts.
Additionally, unlike full frame cameras, crop sensor cameras don’t have a standard size.
The extent of the crop effect is represented by a value called the crop factor, which varies from one brand to another.
While full frame cameras are the most common among professional photographers, beginner photographers lean towards crop sensors as they’re more widely found in mid-range digital cameras.
Crop Sensor Camera List
As I just mentioned, different camera brands offer crop sensors of varying crop factors. Under the category of crop sensors, you’ll find two primary types; Micro Four Thirds and APS-C.
Micro Four Thirds sensors make it easy when you compare crop camera sensors across brands because they use the same 2x crop factor. It’s mostly Olympus and Panasonic camera users who work with this type of crop sensor.
On the other hand, APS-C sensors have different crop factors depending on the camera’s make.
For example, the crop factor for most Canon DSLRs with an APS-C crop sensor is 1.6x. In both Sony and Nikon crop sensor cameras, the crop factor is 1.5x.
Full Frame DSLR vs Crop Sensor Comparison
Now that you have a better understanding of full frame vs crop sensors in digital cameras, it’s time to break down the differences between the two sensor types on technical and practical levels.
Image Quality
Do full-frame sensors output higher-quality photos? I get this question a lot, and the simple answer is yes.
While the camera is just one of the factors that contribute to overall image quality, full frame sensors are more reliable when you’re looking to achieve more detail.
I’m not saying that crop sensors produce poor-quality photos, it’s just that the full frame ones are far more capable of delivering high resolution.
With higher resolution, you can crop images in the editing phase and still retain most of their quality.
You’ll also get high-quality images if you decide to enlarge the photos for posters as is commonly done in commercial photography.
Depth of Field
The maximum aperture of your lens is what mainly controls the camera’s depth of field.
With a shallow depth of field, you can get that highly sought-after background blur for portrait shots.
This is why full frame sensors are widely used in portrait photography, wedding photography, and food photography.
These sensors support a shallower depth of field than crop sensors, allowing for a true bokeh effect.
Reach
Thanks to their crop factor, crop sensor cameras are the clear winner when it comes to getting close to the scene. For example, if you’re into sports photography or wildlife photography.
This closeness is referred to as reach, and it’s a great feature to have when you want to shoot frame-filling images. It eliminates the need to invest in a longer lens or get physically closer when using a full frame sensor.
Dynamic Range
The dynamic range of a camera is the extent of its ability to show details in images taken under varying lighting conditions ranging from very dim shadows to very bright light.
The sensor that can capture more light will provide its camera with a wider dynamic range.
As such, full frame sensors take the edge against crop sensors when it comes to exposure values and taking high-contrast photos.
Full frame cameras also allow for easier correcting of excessive shadows and highlights in case of under or over-exposure.
Field of View
This technical aspect refers to how much of the scene in front of you actually makes it into the final shot.
Naturally, full frame sensors offer a wider field of view, whereas crop sensors correspond to a narrower field of view. Whether to consider either one an advantage or disadvantage comes down to your photography goals.
If you want to capture most of the scene, as in architecture photography or landscape photography, opt for a full frame DSLR.
But if you want to zero in on your target, as in sports photography or wildlife photography, you’ll benefit more from a crop sensor camera.
Low Light Photography
In this type of photography, the light is at a low level. With reduced illumination, a larger sensor that captures as much light as available would produce a more decent image.
This is why full frame sensors perform better than the smaller crop sensors, providing sharper and clearer details.
Lens Compatibility
Although both full frame and crop sensor cameras have their unique interchangeable lenses, they’re technically still compatible with each other.
This is great news if you’re planning to upgrade from a crop camera to a full frame, as you can skip the crop sensor lens and opt for the full frame right away.
On the other hand, lenses designed for crop sensor cameras won’t work on full frame cameras, so you might end up needing to buy new ones if you decide to upgrade later.
Crop sensor lenses may not be quite as sharp or high quality as full frame lenses either, so you might eventually want to upgrade anyway.
However, there are a few catches that you need to be aware of. For instance, you can technically use a full frame lens on your crop sensor camera, but this compatibility doesn’t go the other way around.
Also, you’ll notice the difference between the field of view of the two cameras. In other words, the image you get will be zoomed in compared to what the lens was designed for.
This is because the crop sensor captures a smaller portion of the image circle created by the full frame lens.
Luckily, however, you can still predict the new focal length by multiplying the focal length of the lens by the crop factor magnification amount.
For instance, if you have a crop factor of around 2.0x, you should expect that a 50mm full frame lens will act like a 100mm lens.
Lense Range
This point of comparison will make sure that you end up with the right lens for your chosen sensor.
For full frame sensor cameras, the major brands assign the following acronyms for their full frame lens range:
Nikon: FX
Sony: FE
Canon: EF
Tamron: Di
Sigma: DG
Pentax: FA
As for crop sensor cameras, here are the acronyms for the corresponding lense range from each lens make:
Nikon: DX
Sony: E or DT
Canon: EF-S
Tamron: Di-II
Sigma: DC
Pentax: DA
Size and Budget
The size of the camera’s body is directly proportional to the size of the components it needs to house.
Since full frame sensors are larger than crop sensors, the size of a full frame DSLR is larger than a crop sensor camera.
As such, crop cams are the winners of the portability domain. So, if you need something less bulky and on the lighter side, a full frame camera isn’t the best option for you.
Cost-wise, crop sensors are the more budget-friendly option. They’re typically used in mid-range cameras that most beginner photographers choose as a kick-start setup.
Still, many photographers prefer to invest in full frame DSLRs as they produce higher-quality images with clearer and sharper details.
FAQs on Full Frame DSLR vs Crop Sensor
Which is better, full frame or crop sensor for wildlife photography?
Crop sensor cameras are the superior choice for a wildlife photographer thanks to the extended reach and the tighter field of view.
The crop factor allows you to zero in on the scene/target without having to get physically closer or buy a longer lens.
The narrow field of view also focuses on the target/scene, creating the required isolating effect in the genres of photography.
What is better, crop or full frame DSLR for portraits?
Full frame DSLRs are the go-to choice for portrait photography thanks to the shallower depth of field.
A shallow depth of field is what creates the needed background blur and bokeh effect for portrait shots.
Are full-frame cameras better than crop?
There’s no definitive answer to this question as it comes down to your current photography level and genre as well as your budget.
Many emerging photographers use a crop sensor camera, and honestly, that’s just fine.
They do offer impressive quality – especially with their performance improving in recent years – at a lower price point, which is more than enough for a start.
Additionally, a crop sensor is the better option for sports and wildlife photographers.
That said, you can’t go wrong with a full frame DSLR if you prioritize quality and detail. They offer a wider dynamic range, shallower depth of field, and better performance in low-light conditions.
