The Difference Between Full-Frame and Crop Sensor DSLR Cameras
April 14, 2011 
26 Comments
Camera sensors
One member of our community, Sean Allen, sent in a question to me through our Facebook Fan Page, asking the difference between full frame and crop sensor DSLR cameras. Some of you may already know the answer to this question. If you do, please share your knowledge in a comment below.
Welcome to the Full frame vs. crop frame DSLR camera debate!
Background Information
Back in the stone age when we all used film, 35mm became the gold standard film size. When we switched over to digital, there was no film to be used. On most DSLR cameras, the digital imaging sensor, which replaces film, is significantly smaller than 35mm film. In 2002, the first sensor that equaled the size of 35mm film was produced.
Canon was the first mainstream camera manufacturer to produce a DSLR camera with a sensor the size of 35mm film. I can just imagine how the meeting went when the executives at the Canon marketing department sat down and tried to think of a way to make their new DSLR seem ultra-incredible and make everyone else’s camera seem like it was half a camera. They accomplished this task by calling their 35mm equivalent sensor a “Full frame” DSLR camera, and decided to call all other DSLR cameras “Crop frame” cameras.
The marketing worked. Many photographers feel like they have only half a camera unless they get the new, shiny “full frame” DSLR. The truth is that the “Full frame” sensors aren’t “full” at all. It is an arbitrary size that was chosen at some point long in the past. Obviously, a much larger sensor could be produced. If this ever happens, I’m sure the marketing department at Canon or Nikon will have another meeting.
The truth is that a more correct name for “full frame” would be “35mm equivalent sensor.” The correct name for a “crop frame” sensor would be “APS-C sized sensor.” Sometimes, politically correct photographers will refer to full frame and crop frame with these names, so they are handy to know.
The Benefits of Full Frame DSLR Cameras
Full Frame Advantage #1: Low-light performance. Digital imaging sensors have tiny little light sensors that record light and produce a pixel. The tiny sensors are called photosites. Naturally, the larger the photosite, the more ability it has to capture weak light signals. Picture it like a satellite dish. Therefore, when all other factors are equal, a full frame sensor will always perform with less noise at high ISOs than “crop frame” DSLR cameras.
Full Frame Advantage #2: Depth-of-Field. You may have noticed that although your point-and-shoot has an f/1.8 lens, it is nearly impossible to accomplish short depth-of-field on most point-and-shoots. The reason is that the sensor size affects apparent depth-of-field. Since a 35mm equivalent (full frame) sensor is larger, it can accomplish more shallow apparent depth of field than an APS-C sized (crop sensor) camera.
Full Frame Advantage #3: Viewfinder Brightness. Because full frame cameras use larger lenses, they can produce a brighter viewfinder image. Very handy.
Full Frame Advantage #4: Pro bodies. Unfortunately, both Canon and Nikon do not make DSLRs with all the bells-and-whistles in a crop sensor format. In my opinion, this is a shame. Still, it’s the world we live in. Those who simply prefer a crop sensor camera cannot get all the same ultra high-end features available on the full frame bodies. Ugh!
The Drawbacks to Full Frame DSLR Cameras
Full Frame Problem #1: Cost. Imaging sensors are cut out of large sheets of expensive chips called wafers. Since a full frame sensor is larger, only 20 sensors can be cut out of a standard-sized wafer. This, among other similar production costs, means that Full Frame DSLR cameras will always come at a premium.
Full Frame Problem #2: Field of view. This is both a drawback and a benefit. Landscape photographers like full frame cameras because it makes all lenses seem like they are zoomed out more. You might think of crop sensor cameras as having a built-in zoom of 50 or 60%. This is a blog post all of itself to fully explain. Just know that SOME wildlife photographers choose a crop frame camera to get the extra zoom and landscape photographers almost universally prefer full frame, even though a crop frame camera can achieve the same wide angle of view by buying a wide angle lens built for a crop frame camera, like the fantastic Nikon 10-24mm. Just to be technically correct, the sensor size doesn’t magnify the scene at all, it just restricts the field of view.
Full Frame Problem #3: Weight. The sensor itself barely adds any weight to the DSLR, but it requires larger, heavier, and more expensive lenses. This means that the gear can be much more cumbersome and awkward to use.
Full Frame Problem #4: Lens availability. Although full frame lenses will work properly on crop frame DSLRs, the reverse is not true. Therefore, crop sensor DSLR cameras have a greater variety of lenses available to them.
Head spinning really bad….just lost my Canon 50D, replaced with FF 5D, still have my tokina 11-16 F2.8 that was outstanding on that Crop body….what lens should I get for the FF that will give me the same wide angle field of view??
Or, thought about a 2nd body, get a crop and use that Crop for the wide….
Can you comment on olympus omd micro 4/3 camera?
Is a typical crop-frame body (Rebel) considered to have a sensor that is exactly half the size of a full-frame? Thus making the apparent zoom twice as much?
I get all this sensor size stuff just enough to make my head hurt.
Thank you for straight forward and easy to understand explanations ! Enjoy reading your page
I would like to comment on Full frame advantage #4. Pro bodies. Well it is true the pro bodies only come in a full frame. With the new lower priced full frames from Nikon and Canon, this advantage is not really automatic as I know from the specs that my Canon 7D is much closer to a pro body then the Canon 6D. I was really sad to see them retire. The 5D Mark 2 as for a short time offered more advantages I believe then the new 6D for roughly the same price.as far as what I want in a camera. Perhaps I will pick one up used. But for now I will stick with my 7D with it’s beautifully constructed body of magnesium allow (I have dropped it 2 or 3 times and not a nick)But I would like the other advantages of a full frame especially it is too bad it comes at such a high cost.
Several years ago, I returned to taking photographs after a snapshot hiatus of many years. At the time, I had an old, but serviceable collection of Pentax K-mount lenses, so I purchased a Pentax K-10D, to be able to take advantage of the old glass. I now use a Pentax K5, and have acquired a few lenses (55-200 zoom; 50 prime) and accessories over the years, but reading your column, I am now concerned that I may suffer from crop frame disorder and be in need of a camera transplant. Not sure my bank account or learning curve could readily handle leaving the Pentax system for Nikon or Canon. Do I need to be concerned? What steps, short of a brand change and major expense, can I take to minimize any downside?
Ok I have a question about lenses. I currently have a Canon rebel t2i and am considering buying a wide angle lens. I hope to someday upgrade my camera to be able to get the super sharpness that I feel I am missing but am wondering if the full frame lenses work on my camera why not spend the extra and get that so that when I do upgrade I am not needing to buy more lenses to go with the full frame camera? Make sense? Or do they not work as well with the crop dslrs? Thanks!!
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