What is a full-frame camera? Who should use

A full-frame camera is one of the more popular digital camera terms. So what is a full-frame camera? What are the features of this camera? Read the article below to get the answer!

What is a full-frame camera?

A full-frame camera is a DSLR camera that uses an image sensor that is the same size as the frame of traditional 35mm film (36×24mm), which is larger than cameras that use a sensor equivalent to APS film size. -C (22 x 15mm).

On the market today, most popular compact and DSLR cameras are usually equipped with APS-C sensors with frames smaller than 35mm because it will be cheaper to manufacture this type of sensor.

Full-frame cameras are aimed primarily at professionals and photography enthusiasts, with high demands on the level of performance, features and construction. The price of the camera is usually higher than that of crop-frame cameras.

Features of full-frame cameras

Image quality

The biggest advantage of full-frame cameras is in their superior image quality compared to conventional cameras.

While APS-C cameras and full-frame cameras can now have nearly identical resolutions, the sensor on full-frame cameras is 2.5 times larger, allowing for the size of individual pixels. much larger than an APS-C sensor of the same resolution.

This means that full-frame sensors generally produce better quality images with higher ISO speeds, as larger individual pixels can capture more light, resulting in less noise. grain and color reproduction are more realistic, dynamic range is higher.

However, in a lot of cases, if you shoot at low sensitivities with both full-frame and APS-C cameras of the same resolution, the detail of the image will be very difficult to distinguish.

Crop factor

Although APS-C cameras and full-frame cameras can both use many of the same lenses, the visual effects they represent are different.

Because APS-C sensors (crop factor 1.5) on these models are typically smaller than on full-frame cameras, they may not be able to fully cover the image, resulting in a smaller image.

Compared to conventional cameras, full frame cameras allow users to capture more of the scene in front of them without changing the focal length of the lens. With the same focal length, full-frame and APS-C cameras both provide the same magnification, but APS-C cameras will have a narrower field of view.

Lens

Full-frame cameras show a real advantage when shooting landscapes or indoors with limited space. A wide-angle lens on a full-frame camera may be the normal view, but on a crop camera they will have to multiply the focal length.

It should be noted that full-frame lenses will have no problem mounting on APS-C sensor cameras, but APS-C lenses cannot be used on full-frame cameras.

Background blur effect

Portrait photographers especially love full-frame cameras, because the larger the sensor they use, the more pronounced the depth of field. This helps the background and the subject to be separated and contrasted more clearly, creating an eye-catching artistic effect and the subject becoming more prominent.

Depth of field depends on three different factors: aperture, subject distance, and focal length of the lens. These obviously all respond very well on a full-frame camera.

In practice, this means that wide apertures on full-frame cameras help blur the background significantly better than on APS-C cameras. Example: If shooting portraits from the same angle, a full-frame camera at f/4 will produce the same depth of field and background blur as an APS-C camera at f/2.8 .

Who should use a full-frame camera

Full frame cameras are quite expensive, so it is also necessary to consider the needs of use to decide whether to buy or not.

Full-frame sensors are usually only equipped on high-end professional digital cameras with prices of several thousand dollars or more in some famous models such as: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 5D Mark III, Nikon D800 , Nikon D4,…

The full-frame models will be suitable for those who follow the direction of professional photography, high demand for use, especially suitable for those who love artistic portrait photography.

For beginners, a regular APS-C sensor camera will be more suitable.

Above is an article explaining what a full frame camera is and its features. Hope this article provides you with useful information!