Full Frame vs. APS-C Sensor - Do you really need to upgrade to Full Frame?

[beagle100]

Toyota,Honda,Mercedes. All are equal right, beagle? A Kia is the same thing as a Mercedes too, right beagle? A Hyundai and a Rolls-Royce are equivalents, right? I mean both are cars, right?

Come on, let's get real… Cameras are different, just as a Kia and a Rolls-Royce are not the same thing once one gets by their generic class. Both are cars, both use four tires, and both have a steering wheel, and engine, but there are many differences between them.

A Rolex and a Timex both end in "ex"....but are they the same thing? In one sense yes, and many other senses, no. Is a fine 1930s Parker side-by-side shotgun the same thing as a cheap Savage double-barreled shotgun? Is a gun or camera that's priced at $5,000 the same thing as a $699 beginner-level item that does much the same thing?

it's all good ... Kia ... Honda ... Ford .. even Timex and Casio
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[Derrel]

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given a Casio wristwatch as a retirement gift. Not a Rolex, not even a $125 Seiko, but a $24.95 Casio. As you say,"it's all good."

 

[beagle100]

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given a Casio wristwatch as a retirement gift. Not a Rolex, not even a $125 Seiko, but a $24.95 Casio. As you say,"it's all good."

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given the choice of a Honda, Toyota or Subaru or Nissan as a retirement gift - what model would you choose

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[petrochemist]

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given a Casio wristwatch as a retirement gift. Not a Rolex, not even a $125 Seiko, but a $24.95 Casio. As you say,"it's all good."

I got a Sigma 150-500 for lasting 25 years at our madhouse. I doubt they'll even stretch to a $2 Chinese watch in 3 years time (when I reach 35 years).

 

[Derrel]

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given a Casio wristwatch as a retirement gift. Not a Rolex, not even a $125 Seiko, but a $24.95 Casio. As you say,"it's all good."

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given the choice of a Honda, Toyota or Subaru or Nissan as a retirement gift - what model would you choose

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

weak comeback. seriously weak. you are hereby awarded a mirrorless camera of your choosing....errrr, I mean one worth up to $40 in price...

 

[Braineack]

I bought a a6000 for a travel camera. While the images it produces are great; it couldn't hold a candle to the images from my D610. I reluctantly gave up form factor for better IQ and travel with the D610 or D800 anymore.

 

[Braineack]

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given a Casio wristwatch as a retirement gift. Not a Rolex, not even a $125 Seiko, but a $24.95 Casio. As you say,"it's all good."

Imagine working 35 years at the same company and being given the choice of a Honda, Toyota or Subaru or Nissan as a retirement gift - what model would you choose

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

the Nissan GT-R. It's worth around $130,000... i.e., the Rolex.

 

[Dao]

I think if we want to use car as a reference, I'd say moving from a base trim (D610) of a Minivan to a fully loaded (D850) Minivan is an upgrade. However, go with a different format may or may not be an upgrade and it all depends on what result you are going after. A soccer mom trade in her Minivan for a Ferrari can be an upgrade or downgrade. It's really depends on her priority. A wildlife or bird shooter may get a better result with a crop sensor body.

Smaller sensor camera do have one big advantage, it require a smaller image circle and hence the lens can be smaller especially for a faster lens.

 

[beagle100]

I think if we want to use car as a reference, I'd say moving from a may or may not be an upgrade and it all depends on what result you are going after. A soccer mom trade in her Minivan for a Ferrari can be an upgrade or downgrade. It's really depends on her priority. A wildlife or bird shooter may get a better result with a crop sensor body.
Smaller sensor camera do have one big advantage, it require a smaller image circle and hence the lens can be smaller especially for a faster lens.

yes, smaller camera gear is better - especially for walking around ..... and bird pics

Untitled by c w, on Flickr

 

[Original katomi]

If we are using car ref, then I would have to pick something that ticked as many of my needs list as poss
Same with camera and kit.

 

[Original katomi]

You can come here to refer to more sensors

Er what has that link got to do with photography?

 

[Derrel]

cameras these days are basically sensors so to me, the above link has quite a bit of relevance, at least according to what I think. Compare a full frame Nikon against a crop sensor camera from any other maker besides Nikon… Look at things like dynamic range, and the DXO mark sensor score . If you want absolute image quality, then full frame using a sensor made by Sony is usually the best in terms of technical image quality, however many times that comes at a cost, both in size and in weight and in price. If you were looking for a camera that is perfectly good in good light then any camera these days will suffice.

in some situations a smaller sensor offers a benefit of one type or another.

 

[Original katomi]

Ah I see, I went to the link and saw temp sensor and could not see the point. Just been back to the link, still don’t get it. I get that they are all sensors but then I get lost, I thought it was about how they were made or something...
I understand the concept, and that for a given size sensor on a fixed f stop diffraction increases the more pixels
I can translate iso into film equivalent and that IQ improved with each gen of sensor but that my limit. Quite honestly I am taking photos not calibrating the colour of an orange to the nearest kelvin. I understand the comparison between cameras, I do reviews and look at the things that you mentioned never did understand dxo score .
Not going to disagree with you on the link, I am just not smart enough or to old to understand
What I would like people like in the link to is, produce a sensor that can be put into a film camera kill a film. There was an April fool gag a few years back that showed a 35mm film that was supposed to be digital sensor completely with USB port, now that would be of some use. And yes I feel for the gag and tried to order one lol

 

[Original katomi]

Just looked up the gag it was called RE 35, found at RE35.net

 

[Original katomi]

Darrel as you seem to know about sensors, an old question when or what meg pixel equivalent to 35mm film