You may be wondering, “Should I buy an APS-C camera or a full frame camera ?”. The decision to buy is much easier with the * photo-knowledge background information. This comparison plus our advice will help you decide whether to buy full format versus APS-C:
Full format (or medium format) for more than 32 mepapixels - then 50, 60 or 100 megapixels are possible
Really small depth of field is easier with the full / medium format
The image quality of APS-C and full format does not have to differ fundamentally
Price comparisons reveal similar costs for both types of sensors
Large posters with full / medium format only
Full format versus APS-C?
The term full format comes from the full format sensor , which is the same size as a 35mm negative in analog times: 36 × 24 mm. An APS-C sensor, on the other hand, is smaller than a full format sensor. The full-frame sensor is said to have better image quality, but this doesn't have to be true nowadays if you compare the same number of megapixels. The fact is that more resolution fits on the full-frame sensor .
APS-C sensors seem to be limited to around 32 megapixels at least in 2019 (Canon EOS 90D). If you want to use more megapixels, for example to be able to make larger prints, you should use a full-format sensor or even a medium-format sensor. There are sensors that offer 50 megapixels ( Canon EOS 5DsR , Fujifilm GFX 50SR), 60 megapixels (Sony Alpha 7R IV) or even 100 megapixels (Fujifilm GFX 100 ).
Weight of the cameras
The APS-C sensor in modern mirrorless system cameras ( DSLM ), on the other hand, usually offers lighter lenses with a smaller image circle. Therefore, for example, Olympus cameras, some Panasonic cameras, Sony and Fujifilm cameras in APS-C format are considerably lighter than full-frame cameras. The weight of the camera equipment is a purchase criterion for many photographers on tour, on a photo trip or on a vacation trip. However, amateurs and photographers should be told that they cannot currently purchase 50 megapixel cameras with APS-C sensors. The resulting image format of the APS-C camera for a poster size image (240 - 300 dpi) is around 60 cm - 80 cm (longer edge). Due to the lower resolution (approx. 200 dpi), you can also print a bit larger on the stretcher. However, the quality of the sensors is always sufficient for a great photo book.
26 megapixel APS-C cameras reach a maximum of 80cm in poster printing (viewing distance 1-2 meters)
The thing about the crop factor
The so-called crop factor is a comparison factor . A comparison is always made with the 35mm format , today's full format . Therefore a conversion factor was developed for the viewing angle. If you put a 16mm lens on a Fujifilm APS-C camera (Crop 1.5x) such as an X-T3 , the viewing angle corresponds to that of a 24mm lens in full format. One speaks of 24 mm 35mm film equivalence. In other words, you are looking through a Fujifilm X-System camera with a 16mm lens like you are looking through a full frame camera with a 24mm lens. The lens does not change the focal length, the crop factor is used for illustration purposes only, as a reference to be able to convert the focal length value.
The crop factor of the sensors is:
- Full format 1x (reference size / corresponds to 35mm format)
- APS-C sensor Canon 1.6x
- APS-C sensor from other manufacturers ( Nikon , Sony, Fujifilm, ...) 1.5x
- Micro four thirds sensor cameras (Olympus, Panasonic) 2x
- Fujifilm GFX medium format sensor 0.79x
The thing about the depth of field
However, the crop factor must also be applied to the aperture if you want to compare the depth of field of APS-C versus full frame. So if we compare a 16 mm F1.4 lens, this corresponds to a 24 mm lens equivalent to a small image with an open aperture of F2. Consequently, it is easier to work with less depth of field with a full-format camera or medium-format camera with correspondingly open-aperture lenses. Lenses with a focal length of 85 mm and F1.2 are even available in full format. With a Fujifilm X system camera, these lenses would have to offer a focal length of 56mm with an open aperture of F0.8. Such a lens with such a large aperture is currently not available for sale. The Fujifilm lens with the most open aperture is the XF56mm F1.2, which is equivalent to a full-frame lens with F1.8.
Price comparison 85mm full-frame lenses versus APS-C (with equivalent focal length and aperture)
Note: Canon lens is a reflex lens, none is available for mirrorless Canon cameras with F1.8 as RF lens - no comparison possible.
But here comes a small objection: Lenses with a focal length of 85 mm with F1.2 are almost exclusively used for longer distances. If you use it to photograph a portrait about one and a half meters away, you also have to stop this lens down to an aperture of F2 or F2.8 in order to be sharp from the tip of the nose to the eye. If you are not looking for that extremely small depth of field, you can take excellent pictures with APS-C cameras.
If an extremely small depth of field is not important to you, then an APS-C camera is an option.
Image quality - full frame or APS-C in comparison
If you compare the image quality of the full format and the APS-C sensor, it turns out, at least at Fujifilm, that a 24 megapixel or 26 megapixel Fuji camera is in no way inferior to a Canon full format camera.
Note: Because I compared the quality of the two differently sized sensors, I myself (author Peter Roskothen) switched from heavy Canon full-frame SLR cameras to Fujifilm APS-C cameras. Before switching, I compared a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (30 megapixels, MSRP 4,065.00) with a Fujifilm X-T2 (24 megapixels, MSRP 1,699.00) and was very enthusiastic about Fuji for other reasons. When I switched brand from Canon to Fuji, the lower weight and intuitive usability of the Fujifilm cameras also played a role. In addition, there were functional limitations with Canon cameras that I no longer wanted to accept for my professional photography.
Price comparison full format and APS-C system cameras
If you compare a Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm system camera in 2019, you will quickly find out that the full-frame cameras have an insignificantly higher purchase price. Here is a price comparison:
These three cameras are technically not identical and have many different properties. A comparison is very difficult because, for example, the autofocus systems work at completely different speeds and precisely. The frame rate , design and operation of all three cameras are also very different. In my experience, Fujifilm cameras also offer the best image quality, even compared to full format (same megapixel). The price comparison is therefore very difficult, as there are preferences in the operation and in the technology of each individual photographer.
Poster size at megapixels
So now ask yourself which poster size you hang on the wall, then our * photo knowledge poster table for the different megapixel resolutions of the sensors will help you. We did not differentiate between the APS-C sensor and a full-frame sensor, but only according to the corresponding megapixels. As you will find out, with the APS-C sensor, the edge of the poster is about 60 cm longer. You can extrapolate this size a bit by interpolation in an appropriate software (Photoshop, Affinity Photo, Luminar, ...), but at the latest at 80 cm poster size it stops:
Conclusion advice full format sensor versus APS-C sensor
If you want to make a choice between a camera with a smaller sensor and a camera with a full format sensor or a medium format sensor, then you first have to ask yourself how you would like to hang your posters on the wall. If you set the maximum limit at 80 cm long edge, then APS-C sensors with around 24-32 megapixels are sufficient. If you want to go bigger, you should search in the 50 megapixel full format or medium format area. Cameras such as a Canon EOS 5DsR, Nikon D850, Sony Alpha 7R IV or a Fujifilm GFX 50S / GFX 50 R are currently possible (better, since the lenses also support this resolution).
With the full-format or medium-format megapixel cars, however, consider the follow-up costs: For these cameras you need a very fast PC or Mac, a large SSD hard drive for initial image processing and, in the long term, a NAS hard drive system for permanent storage of your photos . In addition, the cameras and lenses are often correspondingly more expensive than the APS-C lenses.
The APS-C sensor of cameras such as a Canon EOS 7D II, EOS 80 D, EOS 90 D, Nikon D5300, Sony A6000 - A6600 or a Fujifilm X-T2 / X-T3 / X-T20 / X-T30 is sufficient for many amateur photographers who hang their posters on the wall no larger than 80 cm. The advantage of these system cameras with the APS-C sensor is clearly the lower weight for hiking or other sports.
A full-format sensor, on the other hand, can offer higher resolutions that reach 50 megapixels, for example, and are therefore also sufficient for larger posters. However, if you think about how many posters of this size you hang up in your home, then the financial and material costs can be put into perspective relatively quickly. Nevertheless: If you ever want to print a picture that you took on vacation or of an important relative, for example, then your camera cannot offer enough megapixels and you have to look around in full or medium format.
Why medium format?
When the best lenses are connected to high-resolution full-frame cameras that offer 50 or 60 megapixels, tests repeatedly show that these cameras have a maximum resolution of 33-36 megapixels. The quality of the sensor is therefore slowed down by the lenses in full format. It is therefore not surprising that medium format cameras consistently deliver better quality. The larger image circle and the quality of the medium format lenses are just as responsible for the excellent image quality as the sensor.
Now you might be wondering why APS-C sensors at all? The same applies here: the image quality is only as good as the lenses. Therefore, for my professional photography, I opted for the Fujifilm X system for smaller resolutions and for the Fujifilm GFX system (medium format) for larger resolutions.
Advantages and disadvantages of full format sensors and APSC sensors
No comments
Post a Comment