The advantages of Full Frame
Full frame sensors have always been the favorite of professionals - there must be some reasoning behind that. A full-frame digital SLR is a digital single-lens reflex camera fitted with an image sensor that is the same size as a 35 mm (36×24 mm) film frame. This is in contrast to cameras with smaller sensors, typically of a size equivalent to APS-C-size film, much smaller than a full 35 mm frame. The majority of digital cameras, both compact and SLR models, use a smaller-than-35 mm frame, as it is easier and cheaper to manufacture imaging sensors at a smaller size. Available full frame models are: Canon 5D, Canon 1Ds, Canon 1Ds Mk II, Canon 1Ds Mk III, Kodak dcs-14n, Nikon D3 and the new Nikon D700.
Some characteristics of Full Frame that some find useful include:
1.Large sensor. Large sensors allow a camera to capture more tonality in an image. Pictures can be richer, with more depth if you shoot it right. Large sensors also reduce the problem of “light spillover” because photodiodes on a large sensor are not so closely packed as in a small sensor.
2.A greater range of useful apertures with a given lens. While diffraction begins to affect image quality “sooner” (at smaller apertures) on crop sensor bodies, one can shoot to f/16 without visible diffraction softness in prints on FF. If I’m using, say, the 24-105mm f/4 L, on crop I get the following “full” apertures before I have to consider diffraction: f/4, f/5.6, f/8. On FF I get f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, and f/16.
3. One advantage of full-frame DSLR cameras is that lenses designed for 35 mm film cameras provide the same angle of view on the new DSLRs as that to which photographers were accustomed on their film cameras. This can be very useful with wide-angle lenses and with zoom lenses whose ranges were chosen for the full-frame 35 mm format. The full-frame sensor can also be useful with perspspective control or tilt/shift lenses; in particular, the wider angle of view is often more suitable for architectural photography.
4. Less noise. Given two differently sized pixels handling the same amount of noise, there will be less noise impact on the resulting image of the larger pixel. Since larger-sized pixels catch more light, the signal carries more data than noise within the overall image information. This results in a better signal-to-noise ratio, which is particularly effective for fine gradation in low-light shots.
5. Color differentiation. The larger formats really do see more and smoother colors than smaller formats. The reason we can see more with larger formats is the same reason that noise is so much less: the large one gathers more light in a shorter time and therefore can respond more sensitively.
6. The larger the original image, the less it needs to be enlarged to get to a given print size. Imperfections in the original image (e.g. objects not quite within the DOF range, lens issues, etc.) may become more visible when the crop sensor image is enlarged by a greater percentage.
They are best suited for people who already have a massive collection of lenses and don’t want to have to deal with the crop factor that is standard to most digital SLR cameras .Full frame SLR cameras are also ideal for landscape photographers. Since there is no crop factor on these cameras, wide angle lenses can really capture a wide angle view. This creates landscape photos that really draw the viewer in. If you understand how full frame or crop might be more appropriate to the sort of work you do, then make a decision based on that knowledge. If it isn’t clear to you why one or the other might be “better,” get a decent crop body.
