What are the practical advantages of moving from Nikon DX to full-frame?
Asked 9/1/2011
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I’ve used several Nikon DX DSLRs and am considering upgrading to a more professional body. Aside from losing the 1.5x crop factor, what real benefits does full-frame offer over APS-C/DX? I’m especially interested in image quality, handling, lens behavior, and whether people who made the switch felt it was worthwhile. I only own a few lenses, so I’m not heavily invested in DX-only glass.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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just gains... not comparing to smaller sensors.
(1) Higher quality sensors, generally. Because the photosites are not packed as close together on a full frame for a given pixel count, full frame sensors are less noisy
(2) Typically the brands top end models are full frame. so you typically get an entire suite of pluses such as build quality, weatherproofing, Viewfinder coverage (typically 100%), egonomics, etc. While this doesn't necessarily need to follow (best camera of brand = full frame), it is at the moment (Canon 1Ds, Nikon D3x, Leica M9 are all full frame)
(3) 1:1 comparisons with 35mm film cameras... so a 50mm lens is 'normal' field of view.'
(4) if you like 'the wide look' (i.e. you use wide angle lenses) the larger sensor uses a shorter lens to produce the same field of view compared to crops. So a 21mm lens on FF is pretty wide. In other words, a full frame wide lens typically has less distortion at a given field of view.
Originally by user2998. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2998
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Moving from DX/APS-C to full-frame can bring a few real advantages:
- Lower noise / better image quality: for a similar megapixel count, full-frame sensors usually have larger photosites, which generally helps with noise performance.
- Access to higher-end bodies: full-frame models are often the manufacturer’s flagship or pro-oriented cameras, so you may also get better build quality, weather sealing, ergonomics, and often fuller viewfinder coverage.
- Native 35mm field of view: focal lengths behave the way they traditionally do on 35mm film, so a 50mm lens looks “normal” rather than cropped.
- Easier wide-angle shooting: if you like wide views, full-frame makes it easier to achieve them without needing extremely short focal lengths.
Whether it’s worth it depends on what you shoot. If you want better high-ISO performance, a more pro-grade body, or wider-angle capability, full-frame can be a meaningful upgrade. If your current DX system already meets your needs, the benefit may be less dramatic than expected.
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