medium, large format?

[julie32]

So no one liked my "eos viewer utility" question. I think it's the only one on here with "0" replies!!

Can someone please explain to me what medium vs. large format is? Or even "full frame." I have the 20D and people are telling me to get the 5D due to the "full frame capacities." Are they talking about how wide the photo is? I'm so confused.

Thank you in advance,

Jules

 

[ann]

a full frame digital sensor gives one the same image size as a 35mm. Most digital dslr have a sensor that is smaller, an APS ratio.

Medium format cameras , covers a format size of 6x6, 6x7, 6x9' Large format sizes begin at 4x5 and goes upward from there.

With regard to formats size, the larger the format the more information that is captured; more infomration translates into more detail, tonal range; each giving a specific character to the print.

 

[aMac]

The important thing about cameras being "full frame" in the digital SLR world is how it affects the lenses you use.

Most DSLRs have a sensor that is smaller than normal 35mm film. What this means in practice is that the image projected onto the back of the camera is cropped slightly, making the image seem to be more zoomed in than you'd expect for that length lens on a camera with a full framed sensor or film.
Typically the size difference between most DSLRs and a full frame is about 1.6 times the size. A 100mm lens on a full frame camera gives just that; 100mm equivalent pictures, but a 100mm lens on a typical DSLR will make a photo equivalent to have being shot on a 160mm lens on a full-frame camera. A 50mm lens turns into an 80mm lens on most DSLRs.

This isn't normally a problem until you want to take really wide shots, when the cropping makes those wide angle lenses just not quite as wide angle as they should be!

 

[jstuedle]

a full frame digital sensor gives one the same image size as a 35mm. Most digital dslr have a sensor that is smaller, an APS ratio.

Medium format cameras , covers a format size of 6x6, 6x7, 6x9' Large format sizes begin at 4x5 and goes upward from there.

With regard to formats size, the larger the format the more information that is captured; more infomration translates into more detail, tonal range; each giving a specific character to the print.

Just to clarify, the med format listed above are metric in centimeters. 6X6 is also called 2 1/4" square. the large formats are in inches, 4"X5", 8"X10" and so on. Sometimes the numbers game can be confusing.

 

[Mike_E]

First, are you happy with your photos? If not and you have exhausted the capabilities of your camera then by all means start shopping around.

If you are happy or still have plenty of head room, then understand that there are photographers that press the shutter button halfway down and check the exposure and compose their shot and fiddle with the aperture and so forth.

And then there are photographers that push the shutter button all the way down and and will even (Oh my word!) make a print using whatever camera they happen to have in their hands.

Decide which kind of photographer you want to be and go hang with them and be happy that the other half will never have any use for you!

enjoy

mike

 

[julie32]

thank you so much amac. That info is just what I needed. Your bunny is so cute, btw.

 

[julie32]

Mike

your reply totally made me smile.

thanks for it.

 

[ksmattfish]

"Full frame" can also refer to using the entire image area on the film to make prints. Most labs use slightly less (96% to 98%) of the full image area when making normal machine prints.

 

[sabbath999]

BTW generally most people refer to medium & large format cameras that are film versions... there are medium format digital cameras, but they are over $10K... quite a bit over, in fact.