what is the differene between full frame and not full frame??????

[sharif_al]

hi
Till the moment i couldn't understand exactly what is the difference between full frame sensor and the other not full frame .
And How this affects the quality of the camera
Or on the ground there is a practical difference when shooting
please help

[Anbesol]

APS is the typical standard for most DSLR's. Its the physical size of the sensor, APS is 16x24mm, full frame is 24x36. This translates to greater optical resolution and larger field of view for full frame, lots of benefits to it as well. It is however, much bigger and much more expensive.

The kind of benefits it offers will vary depending on your desired field of view for your shooting style. It also depends on the size of prints you want to produce, and the crop potential as well.

The practical difference - put a 16-35mm lens on an APS camera, and you have a pretty ordinary zoom range, slightly short. Put that same lens on a full frame, and you have an extremely wide angle lens.

Full frame is a significantly more costly investment.

[sharif_al]

thanks
please give me more details about that
and give examples if possible

[Franglais]

Current APS-C cameras:

- Nikon D3100 D5000 D7000 D300S
- Canon 550D 60D 7D

Current Full-frame cameras:

- Nikon D3S D3X D700
- Canon 5D mk 2 1Ds mk IV

Current lenses for APS-C only:

- Nikon 16-85VR 18-200VR 18-55VR 18-105VR 35mm f1.8

Current lenses for Full-frame and APS-C

- Nikon 24-70 24-120VR 28-300VR 50mm f1.4

FF gear is quite a lot more expensive, bigger and heavier

FF cameras of the same generation have a maximum ISO setting about twice that of an APS-C equivalent (compare the D300s and D700 - almost exactly the same body but the sensor and viewfinder are different)

An image done on a FF camera will have slightly less depth of field than the exact same image done with an APS-C camera, all other things being equal (focal length on FF will be longer therefore depth of field is less)

FF cameras are intended for professionals (one reason why they are so expensive - they are well built). Some APS-C cameras are built for professionals but others are made for experts, others for snapshooters, etc.


.

[Loupey]

...exactly what is the difference between full frame sensor and the other not full frame...

Yeah, just the size of the sensor.

How it translates to what you will see depends on how you use it. Perhaps it can be simplified to your subject distance:

1) subject distance fixed (sports/wildlife) - perhaps better with a not-full-frame camera
2) subject distance variable (street shooting, portraits, candids, some macros) - perhaps better with a full-frame to better control the DOF
3) subject distance far and telephoto used - perhaps better with not-full-frame
4) subject distance far and wide angle used - perhaps better with full-frame

Loads more variables to consider but those would be a start.

[Franglais]

There is one other difference, which goes with the size of the sensor: the viewing mechanism is bigger on a full-frame DSLR.

Compare a D700 (full-frame) and a D300s (APS-C). They are almost exactly the same camera, but the prism on the top of the D700 is bigger and squarer than the one on the D300s, the eyepiece is bigger and the image is bigger and brighter.

It sounds all good for the D700 but I've discovered two drawbacks:

- the D700 doesn't fit in my favourite town bag, whereas the D300 does
- the D700 shows you less than 95% of the image whereas the D300 shows you 100%

[OldClicker]

There is one other difference, which goes with the size of the sensor: the viewing mechanism is bigger on a full-frame DSLR.

Compare a D700 (full-frame) and a D300s (APS-C). They are almost exactly the same camera, but the prism on the top of the D700 is bigger and squarer than the one on the D300s, the eyepiece is bigger and the image is bigger and brighter.

It sounds all good for the D700 but I've discovered two drawbacks:

- the D700 doesn't fit in my favourite town bag, whereas the D300 does
- the D700 shows you less than 95% of the image whereas the D300 shows you 100%

Though these may be true, they are not really a function of the size of the sensor; only a function of the price and the intended buyer. - TF

[Loupey]

Though these may be true, they are not really a function of the size of the sensor; only a function of the price and the intended buyer. - TF

Well the Rebel series of Canon cameras are definitely designed around the APS-C sensor. No way of squeezing the full frame sensor in those bodies.

Like Charles, I've noticed that my 5D barely fits in my street bag while the 50D fits easily.

[OldClicker]

Well the Rebel series of Canon cameras are definitely designed around the APS-C sensor. No way of squeezing the full frame sensor in those bodies.

Like Charles, I've noticed that my 5D barely fits in my street bag while the 50D fits easily.

If they can put an APS-C sensor in a NEX, they could put a '35mm' sensor in a Rebel. - TF

[Loupey]

If they can put an APS-C sensor in a NEX, they could put a '35mm' sensor in a Rebel. - TF

The NEX doesn't even have a pentaprism so I don't see the comparison there.

But I do retract my earlier statement somewhat. The Rebel could house a FF sensor but the required pentaprism would result in a bulbously top-heavy (i.e. ugly) design that would be difficult to market I think.

[OldClicker]

The NEX doesn't even have a pentaprism so I don't see the comparison there.

But I do retract my earlier statement somewhat. The Rebel could house a FF sensor but the required pentaprism would result in a bulbously top-heavy (i.e. ugly) design that would be difficult to market I think.

Want to see a smallFF - check out the WVIL

http://forums.photographyreview.com/...342#post451342

Terry