No matter what your hobby is, there's probably a discussion about whether size matters when considering performance. For race car driving, it's the quality of the engine. For boxing, it's how hard you can hit. For photography, it's the size of the camera sensor that can really make the difference between your stock standard photo and a Pulitzer prize-winning image.
Previously restricted to professionals due to their cost, full-frame cameras offer more dynamic range than smaller APS-C crop sensors thanks to their increased size. Read on to learn more about full-frame vs crop sensors, including why sensor size matters and which cameras are suitable for your experience level.
What is a full-frame sensor?
In photography, the two main types of camera sensors are full-frame sensors and APS-C (crop) sensors. The easiest way to understand camera sensors is by comparing them to a fishing net — the bigger the net, the more fish you can catch. For cameras, the bigger the sensor, the more light and detail you can capture in a single image.
Full-frame camera sensors measure 24mm × 36mm — roughly the same size as a single frame of 35mm film. APS-C crop sensors, on the other hand, are much smaller at 25.1mm × 16.7mm.
Why does sensor size matter?
It's not just the size of the sensor that matters — it's the size of the pixels. A 24MP photo features 24 million pixels per image. When captured on a full-frame sensor, those pixels can be much larger than on an APS-C sensor, which has a smaller surface area to spread them across.
This difference is most evident when shooting in low-light conditions. APS-C sensors can struggle to capture enough detail without introducing noise and distortion. Full-frame sensors, however, can capture more detail across both the darker and lighter areas of a scene for a more natural-looking image.
Although advancements in photography continue to push the limits of pixel density, the fact remains — size does matter.
Top tip: Shooting in RAW format will maximise the amount of detail you can capture, giving yourself more freedom during the editing and post-production stage.
Using lenses with your full-frame camera
Probably the most significant selling point for full-frame cameras is their shallow depth of field. An identical 50mm f/1.8 lens on a full-frame camera vs an APS-C camera will produce a different hyperfocal distance, resulting in more background blur (bokeh).
Because APS-C sensors are cropped, any focal length is increased by roughly 1.5x — turning a 50mm lens into an effective 75mm with an aperture of f/2.7, which also affects the field of view. On a full-frame camera, these numbers remain unchanged. Just point and shoot.
Can you use APS-C lenses on a full-frame camera?
Yes and no. Because of the crop factor, APS-C lenses can only expose a small portion of the full-frame sensor, dramatically reducing image quality. In some cases, the APS-C lens may not function at all when combined with a full-frame camera.
Check out our blog post on crop factor to understand the intricacies of APS-C sensors and how to get the most out of them.
Choosing a full-frame camera
Thanks to the prevalence of smartphones, practically everyone now has a camera. However, full-frame cameras have traditionally been favoured by professionals — their extra functionality and image quality came at a price that put them out of reach for beginners and enthusiasts. Fortunately, the market is now packed with relatively affordable full-frame cameras across both DSLRs and the newer mirrorless category.
Here are some of our favourite full-frame cameras for every skill level.
Full-frame cameras for beginner photographers
- Nikon Z5 — designed to make full-frame mirrorless cameras more accessible to beginners, the Nikon Z5 is a master class in getting more bang for your buck. It features a 24.3MP FX-Format sensor, 4.5fps continuous shooting, dual UHS-II SD card slots, and a tilting touch-sensitive LCD screen, all inside a weather-sealed magnesium alloy body.
- Canon EOS RP — Canon's lightest full-frame camera, featuring a 26MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor capable of 4fps continuous shooting, 4K video, and 4,779 selectable autofocus points.
- Canon EOS 6D Mark II — one of the few DSLRs on this list, the 6D Mark II provides an entry-level option into full-frame DSLR photography with a 26.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor and a 45-point cross-type AF system.
Full-frame cameras for enthusiasts
- Sony A7C — compact and lightweight, the Sony A7C delivers more functionality and image quality than ever before, continuing Sony's impressive run in the mirrorless space.
- Canon EOS R6 — a top-performing mirrorless camera offering 20fps continuous shooting at 20MP, 4K Ultra HD video with up to 8 stops of image stabilisation, dual memory card slots, and up to 6,072 selectable autofocus points.
- Nikon Z6 II — an updated version of Nikon's acclaimed Z6, featuring a 24.5MP FX-Format sensor, 4K UHD video, and Dual EXPEED 6 processing engines for high-speed shooting and excellent low-light performance.
Full-frame cameras for professional photographers
- Canon EOS 1DX Mark III — Canon's flagship model, boasting a 20.1MP full-frame sensor, 191-point AF system, 16fps continuous shooting, and 5.5K 60p RAW video recording.
- Canon EOS R5 — a mirrorless powerhouse capable of 45MP stills and 8K Ultra HD video recording, making it one of the best full-frame travel cameras money can buy.
- Sony Alpha A1 — equipped with a 50.5MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor and BIONZ XR Processor, the Alpha A1 captures incredible images and 8K video, representing the very best Sony has to offer.
Shop full-frame cameras today
Ready to make the upgrade? Browse our full range of mirrorless cameras and DSLR cameras online, or visit your local Ted's Cameras store to speak with one of our friendly experts today.