What is a crop matrix? Crop factor. What is it and how important is it when choosing a digital camera. Crop factor and equivalent focal length

Many beginning amateur photographers come across such concepts as “cropped camera”, “cropped matrix”, “crop factor”, “lens for crop” and similar concepts based on the word crop. Now we will clearly explain what crop is.

The word "crop" itself is inherited from English word crop - to trim. So, what are we going to cut here? If we are talking about a cropped camera, this means that the digital matrix installed in the camera has a physical size smaller than its predecessor - film. The standard full frame is taken on 35mm film. Its frame is 36x24mm. If a camera has a matrix size smaller than the size of standard 35mm film, it is called “cropped”. How is this reflected in the photograph? Let's look at an example. The image projected by the lens onto the matrix has a round shape.

If we assume that this image was obtained from a full-frame camera and a full-frame lens, then we get the following picture.

Everything that is included in the frame will be our photograph. In the case of cropped digital cameras, in the picture we will get only that part of the image that we got on a smaller matrix. In the figure, the red rectangle imitates a reduced (cropped) matrix.

We clearly see that due to the smaller physical size of the matrix, the resulting image will not have a part of the frame that would fit into the frame in full frame. The viewing angle of the lens becomes narrower, which is where the concept of “crop factor” comes from. A full-frame 50mm lens gives a picture on a cropped sensor that we would get using about a 75mm lens on a full frame.

As for lenses for full-frame cameras and cropped ones. Since the advent of cameras with a small matrix size, it has become rational for manufacturers to use lenses that do not cover a standard frame. Lenses that are not capable of covering a frame measuring 36x24mm are called crop lenses or lenses for crop cameras. This is roughly what our picture looks like on a cropped lens.

Using cropped lenses on full-frame cameras will lead to rounding of the resulting image, to “hard” vignetting, so to speak.

Whereas using a cropped camera together with a cropped lens will give normal coverage of the entire frame.

The expression “this is a crop from a photograph” is also not uncommon. This expression means that this is a cropped part from the original photograph.

The crop factor is the ratio of the 35mm format frame size to the camera sensor size (Kf = 35mm diagonal≈43.3mm / sensor diagonal). Using the crop factor, you can determine the equivalent focal length your lens and compare lenses from different digital SLR cameras.

Crop factor is a measure of the difference between the sensor size of your digital camera and a traditional 35mm film frame. This indicator is used primarily to determine the focal length of the lens when installing it on different cameras, which is actually very important.

Despite the fact that this term seems complicated, in reality everything is quite simple, and the crop factor is one of those concepts in photography that is important to understand. By understanding what crop factor is, you can make more informed choices when purchasing and using lenses.

Problem

The lens projects a circular image onto the camera's fixing element. For any given lens, this image will be constant, no matter what camera the lens is used with. When the projected image hits the film or matrix, only a certain part of it is captured.

Before the advent of digital photography DSLR cameras(mostly) used 35mm film. This means that they all captured the same part of the image projected by the lens and the image that a particular lens produced was constant.

Digital cameras are more complex in this sense. The film in them is replaced by a matrix, which is usually smaller than a 35mm frame. Since the matrix is ​​physically smaller, it captures less of the projected image, resulting in a virtually narrower field of view of the lens.

(captions from top to bottom: image stored by the matrix; image captured by 35 format filmmm)

The matrix captures a smaller portion of the projected image. A narrower field of view gives the impression that a longer focal length lens is being used. Photo by Barry.

The reduced field of view creates the impression of zooming (closer). This poses a certain problem: if the same lenses give excellent results on different cameras, how can a photographer accurately compare lenses and determine which field of view angle will be characteristic of a particular camera. The crop factor was invented precisely to answer these questions.

What is crop factor?

The crop factor refers to the difference between 35mm film and sensor size. For example, if your camera has a crop factor of 2, that means the sensor is half the size of a 35mm frame.

Modern digital cameras come equipped with a variety of matrices. The best digital cameras have sensors the same size as the 35mm film frame, so they have a crop factor of 1 (also called "full frame"). At the opposite end of the digital camera range are those that have a very small sensor, so their crop factor can be as high as 5-6. The higher the crop factor, the greater the zoom effect for each specific focal length.

You can calculate the crop factor of your camera by dividing the diagonal length of a 35mm format frame by the diagonal length of the camera sensor (Kf = 35mm diagonal≈43.3mm/sensor diagonal). In order not to get confused in the numbers and save time, you can use the manual from the camera manufacturer; the value of the crop factor should be indicated there.

Equivalent focal length

The crop factor is very important. But how does it affect filming? What you should know when buying a lens or new camera? Thanks to the crop factor, we can easily compare different lenses and cameras.

By multiplying the focal length of a lens by the crop factor value, you get an equivalent focal length, which determines the angle of view of the lens, similar to what it would be on a 35mm film camera. This is why crop factor is also called focal length multiplier (FLM).

For example, a 50mm lens with a camera whose crop factor is 1.5 will give an equivalent focal length of 50mm, because 50 x 1.5 = 75. So, when using a 75mm lens with film camera 35mm you get a similar field of view angle.

Thanks to the crop factor, it is possible to eliminate some of the uncertainty when choosing a lens. You may want to choose a lens that simulates the effect of using a 200mm telephoto lens on a full frame camera. By making calculations adjusted for the crop factor, you can accurately determine which lens to buy.

The following table contains equivalent focal lengths calculated for common lens focal length ratios and camera crop factors.

Equivalent focal length for prime lenses and crop factors

Hopefully you now have a clear understanding of what crop factor means and how it can be used to match lenses without having to worry about the camera itself. This knowledge will help you make more informed purchasing decisions and choose the lenses that best suit your needs, eliminating the guesswork and confusion.

Friends, hello!

Today I would like to talk about a topic that belongs to the category of holivar and about which many keys have been broken in forum battles. Let me make a reservation right away that this is not fundamental material, and I set myself a simple goal - to help new people in the world of photography make their choice. All. There is no point in arguing on the topic, proving anything with foam at the mouth, and there is no point in it. Oh, yes, everything stated below is just my humble opinion, in common people IMHO.

If you wish, you can skip the thoughts immediately and the specifics of choosing a camera, but I still recommend reading in order, especially for beginners - I tried to describe it in such a way that the material would “settle” well in my head and be meaningful.

About variety of choice and correct thinking

First of all, I write for beginners who choose their first camera and are faced with an endless ocean of cameras. I'll say this:

There is no perfect camera. There is a camera that will solve your specific problems in your specific conditions in the best way.

We live in real world, and, without realizing it, we solve many optimization problems every day: how to distribute the family budget in the best way, how to carve out enough time for vacation and not “sit out” in work matters, what is better to cook for dinner so that there is more time left for rest, which English school to enroll in - which is further away with an excellent teacher or which is close to work, but with a worse teacher, etc., etc. ...

The same is true in the world of cameras. Here, too, optimization revolves around several factors, and it is very important to set priorities correctly in order to maximize... the result obtained ( I almost wrote “profit”).

Optics are the main violin in your photo system. Set yourself up for the fact that most of the budget will go to her. And the carcass can be bought practically “as change”.

Regarding the variety of cameras - yes, it is great, large online stores and aggregators, the number goes into the hundreds. BUT! Having understood what you really need, you can stop at literally a few competing models, the choice of which can be difficult for both enthusiast photographers and professional photographers, because where logic ends, brand strength and predisposition come into play to it, social confirmation (what your favorite photographers, bloggers and just people you trust shoot with) and other subjective factors. And this is normal, I don’t see anything wrong with it - the equipment you use should bring pleasure from the process of use.

Coexistence of worlds – what do we choose from?

If you take a closer look at the camera market, the main “watershed” runs along the line of matrix size. We have already considered the sizes of matrices and their influence, you can find them at the link. Let me remind you that the reference points for the matrix sizes are as follows:

• Full frame (aka FullFrame, aka FF, aka FF, aka full frame);
• Crop (aka APS-C, meaning crop factor 1.5 or 1.6);
• Micro 4/3 (crop factor 2);
• Less Micro 4/3 (that is, compacts with non-replaceable optics and an even larger crop factor).

There is, of course, also a medium format, but it is very expensive and specific, and people who purchase such equipment know exactly what they are doing and why they need it.

I cannot recommend cameras with a matrix size smaller than Micro 4/3 for beginners due to their limited functionality, the inability to change optics and the worse characteristics of the matrix. And in terms of picture quality, the cameras of top-end smartphones play a part in their field. Some models may be good as a second/third lightweight camera for travel. But in general, I don’t recommend considering them. This means the choice is between full-frame models and cameras with a crop factor (1.5, 1.6, 2), which is what the title says.

Important! If you think that your photos will automatically become better after switching to full frame, then this is not so. About what exactly influences getting a good photo.

There is an opinion that a full frame is better and, if possible, you should take it. I would not rush to such conclusions and keep in mind that a good camera is one that suits exactly your needs.

The question of choosing between crop and full-frame models is important - just look at the prices of cameras and optics, and it will become clear that you need to clearly understand why you need a full frame in order to buy it.

What do professionals prefer?

If you are a beginner amateur, then your choice is crop, simply because, throwing away a lot of money, you will not get anything in return, simply failing to unleash the potential of the camera. If you are a professional, then you should think about a full frame, but you don’t need my thoughts, you’ll figure it out yourself!

Photo by Maria Plotnikova

I’ll make a reservation that many professional photographers (by this I mean people for whom photography is their main activity) shoot with full-frame cameras and, to a lesser extent, with top-end cropped lenses, because for a number of reasons it’s more convenient to use them professional activities(it’s more convenient to work with wide-angle optics, more convenient controls, all-weather, longer shutter life if it’s a DSLR, etc.). For example, at the Olympics and sports competitions they shoot with a Canon 1D X Mark II or Nikon D5. Wedding photographers We fell in love with the Canon 5D Mark III; we used to have a very practical workhorse, the Nikon D700, which is now quite old. Landscape photographers who travel through difficult-to-reach areas of light will love the high resolution and dynamic range of the Nikon D810, D850.

But this does not mean that a full frame will be just as good and justified for you. Remember, you can shoot anything you want with a crop, and even more)

Advantages and disadvantages of full frame and crop cameras

For convenience, I have structured the advantages and disadvantages of both types of cameras.

Benefits of crop

• convenient work with long-focus optics (in fact, the crop is a free built-in teleconverter (a device for increasing the focal length));
• smaller weight and dimensions, which makes it possible to assemble a relatively compact kit;
• reasonable price.

Disadvantages of crop

• worse performance at high ISOs;
• Fewer wide angle options;
• budget and mid-price segment models are worse in design;
• The viewfinder is smaller, which is less convenient for manual focus.

The benefits of full frame

• cleaner picture at high ISOs, which means noticeably better job when shooting moving objects in low light (for example, shooting an evening report);
• the ability to obtain an ultra-small depth of field compared to a crop, provided that an object of the same scale is placed in the frame.
  The depth of field is not affected by the size of the matrix! Only the equivalent component is important. This interesting topic, but not within the scope of this article;
• greater dynamic range (not much);
• greater color depth (usually also insignificant);
• The viewfinder is larger than on a cropped lens, which is convenient.

Disadvantages of Full Frame

• large dimensions and weight of both the camera and its lenses (full-frame lenses are larger and heavier);
• less convenient work with long-focus optics (a very relative minus, since you can use a teleconverter or crop mode on an FF camera, which is permissible with a resolution of matrices higher than crop);
• high price.

I note that the shortcomings of crop when using Micro 4/3 systems appear even more clearly, so they appeal to me a little less in terms of purchasing them as the first and main camera. If I take them as a second one, then I treat them well.

Refer back to this list as you consider your choices. However, the list is good, but choosing is still difficult. That's why…

3 questions for easy selection

Answer the following questions honestly:

1. What are your tasks? What are you planning to shoot, in what genre?
2. What is the budget for the entire system, including optics and accessories?
3. Are there any plans to expand the system or purchase additional equipment in the future? Simply put, do you plan to invest money in photographic equipment in the future? If yes, then to what extent?

Did you answer? Which question caused the most difficulty? 1st and 3rd, guess it? I’ll write about the first question – which camera should you look in the direction of when shooting a particular genre.

Choosing FF or crop for a specific genre

Trips– crop is preferred, because less weight. Less frustration in case of loss/theft.

Scenery– crop or FF. With a large budget, FF may be preferable due to higher resolution, top-end wide-angle optics, slightly wider dynamic range (dynamic range) and color depth, which makes it easier to “pull” details from RAW and can make transitions in midtones smoother. But remember that for a small increase in quality in this segment you will pay a lot.

Portraits– crop or FF. You can shoot perfectly with both. If you want to blur the background “into the trash,” FF is preferable, but I don’t see the point in this - the crop here is more than enough, and completely blurring the background and making it unreadable is not a very good practice.

This is where you really need a full frame, so when shooting evening portraits, especially in motion. Here he is beyond competition.

Night landscapes– crop or FF. I don’t see any point in overpaying for FF in this genre.

Studio shooting– crop or FF. Crop will be enough, FF will not provide any special advantages.

Concerts, clubs– FF is preferable due to the best picture at high ISOs. If you often shoot at such events, I strongly advise you to take a closer look at full-frame cameras.

Sports, wildlife- crop The camera will work as a standard teleconverter (). And, most importantly, a first-class autofocus module is important in this genre. Nowadays there are top-end crop lenses with ultra-fast focusing. As an example – Nikon D500.

Astrophotography– probably FF, because You need a good picture at high ISOs, a good signal-to-noise ratio at long exposures. But this is a very specific topic, I have never taken astro photography, and on this issue you need to ask people who photograph stars (there are also several directions there).

Now go back to the three questions above. Answer yourself as honestly as possible, try again to weigh everything and evaluate it rationally. These questions are very important and form the basis of making smart choices.

Question of price

Let's return to the other side of our optimization problem - price (point 2). There are both crop and full-frame cameras:

• budgetary;
• middle segment;
• top ones.

A schematic display of how much the conditional quality of a camera increases as the price increases.

I made a schematic sketch for a general understanding of the distribution of the picture among the classes of cameras depending on the price. By quality here I mean an average indicator, including the matrix, assembly, autofocus, work at high ISO, etc.). It may seem that a budget crop is something that is not even worth looking at, although in fact modern cameras of this class will allow you to shoot a lot, this is already a good standard.

So, with budget and middle-class crop it is clear - if you only have money for it, then this article is not even worth asking - take it and calmly shoot - I assure you, if you wish, you will get excellent work!

Top full frame is also clear. If you need it, and you clearly understand why, you are wasting your time here.

Full frame of the mid-price segment - if in terms of the genres discussed above, it suits you and the shortcomings also described above do not bother you, you have some money left for the development of the system, then buy it - you will definitely be satisfied. In these price segments cameras everything is clear and the choice is not very difficult to make.

A full frame should only be taken with good financial possibilities, then it won’t be stressful.

The most interesting thing begins at the intersection of a top-end crop and a budget full frame - there is a small price difference between them, and given the financial capabilities, this is where the headache begins: “Shouldn’t I buy a full frame?” What can I say? First, you need to work through the list of genres above as clearly as possible and determine in which genres you will be shooting the most time. Perhaps at this stage it will be clear where to stop. Secondly, you need to go to point 3 (think about your readiness to invest money in photographic equipment in the future).

Take a full frame “for growth”?

And then the question comes up - shouldn’t I take a full-frame camera and start assembling optics for it, i.e. for the future? I am not a supporter of this approach, because it can become very burdensome for a personal or, worse, family budget. And instead of enjoying it, you might think, when will you get another lens? “No, it won’t work, I’ll take another one, cheaper...” In addition, it is worth remembering that the financial costs of photography are not limited to the combination of camera + lenses. This also includes a case or photo backpack, batteries, memory cards, tripods, filters, flashes, teleconverters, cleaning products, other accessories and... a computer. Yes, yes, today's darkroom is a computer.

All this will take a very, very long time, no doubt about it. And it’s difficult to take even what you need in one fell swoop. I will specifically focus on the computer. Its main part for a photographer is the monitor, which correctly reproduces colors and at which you can sit for a long time with relatively little eye fatigue. The resolution of modern full-frame cameras is 30, 42, 46, 51 MP. This is a heavy load on the processor and on the storage/backup system for large volumes of shooting. To work in editors, it is not a multi-core processor that is important, but a high-speed processor and a storage subsystem - SSD + hard drive(s). As I mentioned above, you need to think about backups so that it won’t be excruciatingly painful in the future. If you don’t have such a machine now, and you want to take photography seriously (and you do, otherwise there would be no choice between full frame and crop), feel free to include it in your expenses. And this is expensive.

Yes, with a crop camera you need all this too, but the lenses there are cheaper (there is a choice), the computer can be simpler, the filters are cheaper.

Bottom line: if you decide that you need a full frame and in the foreseeable future (1-3 years) you plan to invest in the system until it is fully equipped, you can try it. Otherwise, it is better to limit yourself to a crop and get a fuller and balanced system right now.

Extended questionnaire - how serious are your intentions?

Above we examined the issues of genre and budget that underlie the right choice. Now let's check the seriousness of your intentions regarding photography) Are you ready to take in... No, not like that. Are you ready to give photography a place in your life for many, many years to come?

1. Do you purposefully shoot at least 2 times a month and enjoy it?
2. Have you been doing photography for several years, and still enjoy it?
3. Are you planning to do commercial photography?
4. Are you ready to spend $4000 or more on photographic equipment?
5. Do you have more than one lens?
6. When you go on a trip where you have some free time/travel, do you usually take your camera with you and spend time taking pictures?
7. Not using Auto mode?
8. The main format in which work is carried out is RAW?
9. Do you occasionally spend time in photo editors (LR, PS, Capture One, etc.)?
10. Are you using any of the following: a tripod, external flash, photo filters, reflectors?
11. Does your photo archive contain thousands/tens of thousands of photos that you periodically view?
12. Do you carefully store your photo archive and are afraid of losing it?
13. Are you printing photos?
14. Do you like it in in a good way show off photos to friends, family, on photo forums?
15. Do you just get a kick out of shooting, processing, printing photos, talking about photography, reading about it?

Count the yes/no answers. If the majority or all are “yes” - ok, your intentions are serious) If partly “no” - ... If the majority are “no” - I think you hardly need a full frame. Of course, this questionnaire is not the final solution, but it is an opportunity to think about how important photography is to you.

“So, what is your opinion on what to take – crop or full frame?” - you ask

Let me summarize and add my 2 cents with personal preferences. I'm leaning towards a set of the upper segment of the crop + good optics. In this case, you will be able to take more lenses good quality, more fully forming the range of focal lengths you need. If you take 1-2 lenses on a full frame, then 2-4 on a cropped frame. Such a kit will be self-sufficient for most genres.

Full frame may be preferred if available large amount free money and the understanding that the increase in picture quality will not be that great, i.e. you will pay significantly more, but the gain will be insignificant. See for yourself - if the disadvantages of full frame do not play a special role for you personally and you have a lot of free money that you want to spend on photographic equipment, the choice is obvious. If, in addition to a full-frame camera, you buy a cheap lens and then eat crackers, then it’s better not to.

To summarize, it seems to me that the price/quality optimum is somewhere in the vicinity of top crop cameras.

This is the conversation we had today. I hope I didn’t bore you, and that food for thought will help you make the perfect choice for you! Of course, I welcome questions, opinions, additions and other communication in the comments) See you later.

This article is written in photographic slang and, at times, filled with my subjective opinions. This article describes the nuances of using cropped cameras and lenses, which few people pay due attention to.

‘Crop’, ‘Crop’, ‘cropped camera’, ‘cropped camera’, ‘cropped matrix’, ‘cropped sensor’ are synonyms for a camera with a reduced light-sensitive element (matrix, film). These concepts are strongly intertwined with the concept and you can read basic information about crop in the ‘ ‘ section.

Full-frame, full-format cameras, Full Frame, FF, FF, Full sensor size are synonyms for cameras that have an original, non-reduced photosensitive element. Nowadays, many amateur photographers believe that FF cameras are a panacea and the peak of the evolutionary development of modern digital cameras. Due to the fact that the price of amateur cropped cameras is several times lower than that of full-frame cameras, many amateur photographers use cropped cameras and dream of switching to full frame. full-format cameras is equal to the size of standard 35mm film (type 135 film). But full frame is not the limit.

There are medium and large format cameras, where the dimensions of the photosensitive element are many times larger than the dimensions of the photosensitive elements in full-frame cameras. Strange as it may sound, but modern full-frame digital cameras belong to a narrow format. It turns out to be a kind of deception - on the one hand, a full frame is something transcendental, on the other hand, a full frame is just a narrow format.

Photographers who have been shooting in medium or large format all their lives most often look down on modern prohibitively expensive ‘Full Frame Cameras’ Nikon D4s, Canon 1DX, etc. I am writing this to ensure that there must be a clear understanding that full-frame cameras are just one of the steps in the evolution of camera manufacturing.

Because I use it the most Nikon system, then I will give examples based on Nikon photographic equipment.

Basically, everyone knows that with the help of an FF camera it is easier to control the depth of field of the imaged space. Using a full-format camera, it is easier to achieve a thin depth of field and blur the background and background.

But there is a second side to the coin, in which crop is superior to full frame. To get the same viewing angle from a full-length lens Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm 1:2.8G ED N used on a full-format camera, on a cropped camera you need to use an analogue - . Let's assume that a 17mm crop and a 24mm full frame give approximately same viewing angle and lower the difference of 1.5mm EGF (E equivalent F ocular R distance, 17mm*1.5-24mm=1.5mm). But due to different actual focal lengths, lenses have different depth of field and different . The practical effect of this is that it is easier to create a wide depth of field with 17mm than with 24mm at full frame. Using an example, this is expressed by the fact that when I photograph a group of people in poor lighting (for example, in a temple), the thin depth of field of a 24mm@F/2.8 lens on the full frame is very strongly felt and some of the people who ‘fall out’ of the sharpness zone turn out to be blurred. I don't want anyone to be blurry in the photo. At the same time, if you shoot the same scene with a 17mm@F/2.8 lens on a crop lens, the sharpness zone will be larger, this will allow you to capture all the people in the sharpness zone, and when such a photo is printed, all participants in the shooting will admire their sharp image. In this case, the lenses use the same, and photography takes place at the same.

You can often find a recalculation of the aperture number for cropped lenses. For example F/2.8 for Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1: 2.8G ED IF SWM DX on cameras will have the equivalent of F/4.2. You can look at the example of Nikon 14-24 2.8 on photozone.de. This does not mean that such a lens has a real darker aperture (smaller) when used on cropped cameras - it only means that the depth of field for such a lens will be equal to F/4.2 equivalent for full-format cameras. Attention: this recalculation does not affect the exposure, it only affects the depth of field recalculation.

Thus, using Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1: 2.8G ED IF SWM DX at 17mm and F/2.8 we get the equivalent of 25.5mm and F/4.2. That is, to get the same large depth of field as with a cropped lens Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1: 2.8G ED IF SWM DX, when using Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm 1:2.8G ED AF-S N we will have to close the aperture to F/4.2. But in the case of a full-format lens, this will entail not only an increase in depth of field, but also a decrease. The exposure will have to be compensated with either a longer or higher ISO sensitivity, or higher flash power.

When you change the aperture by one stop, the depth of field changes twice. Aperture numbers in steps are F/1.4, F/2.0, F/2.8, F/4.0, F/5.6, etc. The difference between F/2.8 and F/4.0 is one stop (twice). It turns out that when using a cropped lens, we gain more than twice the increase in depth of field (F/2.8 versus F/4.2). To be precise, the depth of field increases by 2.25 times for DX Nikon cameras. The increase in depth of field is linearly related to the matrix size. In fact, the Nikon FX and Nikon DX matrix differ in area by 2.25 times. The number 2.25 is obtained very simply, you just need to square (Kf=1.5): 1.5*1.5=2.25.

This trick is used in many point-and-shoot cameras for macro photography. The tiny sensors of digital point-and-shoot cameras can produce a huge depth of field with small aperture numbers, which is very important for macro photography. So, to get similar pictures from a simple point-and-shoot camera and + Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 105mm 1:2.8D on a point-and-shoot camera you can easily shoot at F/5.6 handheld at a short .

Personal experience:

I described in detail the difference in depth of field only because I often shoot wide angle lenses on an open aperture of various kinds, weddings, etc. I usually use a 28mm lens. At full frame at 28mm F/3.5 it is already very noticeable that people are falling out of the depth of field. When printing in a format of 20 X 30 or more, it is already quite noticeable that some people are in focus, and some are ‘floating’. Sometimes clients complain to me that part of the photo is not sharp. Using a crop camera and a lens with a similar EGF, you can increase the depth of field by 2.25 times while maintaining aperture and simplify this kind of shooting. I understand that you can close the aperture and get a wide depth of field, but in some cases you cannot shoot at F/11.0, since there is very, very little light for the scene, and using a flash is extremely undesirable.

Conclusion:

Equivalent focal lengths when using cropped lenses allow you to get a larger depth of field for free, more objects in the focus area, more satisfied clients. In this case, the same lens is needed.

After the previous point, the crop has risen to its feet and can now compete with the full frame. But there is one very serious problem when using cropped cameras. And this problem is the lack of lenses. In general, this concerns the absence good professional fast lenses with convenient EGF. Professional photographers, for example, wedding photographers, studio photographers, and reporters, most often use a certain set of lenses covering a certain focal length. Typically this range is 14-200mm.

But for cropped cameras there are simply no lenses for comfortable shooting. For example, for Nikon DX cameras there is nothing to replace Nikon 14-24 F/2.8, Nikon 17-35 F/2.8, Nikon 70-200 F/2.8, Nikon 80-200 F/2.8, Nikon 85mm F/1.4. There is only a replacement for the Nikon 24-70 F/2.8 in the form of the Nikon 17-55 F/2.8 DX (and then there is the Nikon 24-70 F/2.8 VR, which, again, has no replacement).

Lenses have historically undergone a number of adjustments to suit the needs of photographers working on narrow 35mm film. We have developed our own optimal standards. For example, it’s easier to shoot a close-quarters reportage with a Nikon 17-35 F/2.8, and for portraits and weddings use a Nikon 70-200 F/2.8. These lenses complement each other and create the coverage of the focal length range that the photographer needs, are very convenient to use and are a kind of standard. These lenses have undergone a number of modifications, have been hardened by time, and their focal lengths were chosen for a reason.

As a result, for the Nikon DX crop there is neither a high-aperture panorama wide (14-24 F/2.8), nor a report wide (Nikon 17-35 F/2.8), nor a portrait telephoto (Nikon 70-200 F/2.8), nor a portrait prime (Nikon 85mm F1.4).

In general, for ‘professional photography’ on a cropped lens, you can only use the Nikon 17-55mm F/2.8 as a universal replacement for the full-frame Nikon 24-70mm F/2.8.

When using lenses from full-frame cameras, the EGF changes and full-frame lenses largely lose their functionality on crop. To support my words, I will give an example from personal practice. When used on a full frame camera Nikon lens 70-200 F/2.8 I can easily shoot a wedding walk and small groups of people on 70mm, I just need to move a little away. But when using the same lens on a cropped lens, I have to run back and forth with a 70-200mm to photograph witnesses, young people and several other people. As a result, the 70-200 does not fulfill its function as a normal 70mm lens. For serious photography, crop is a road to nowhere due to the lack of a set of lenses necessary for the photographer.

There is one more point - third-party manufacturers realized the nuance described above and released equivalents. For Nikon 14-24 F/2.8 there is Tokina 11-16 F/2.8, for Nikon 70-200 F/2.8 there is Tokina AF 50-135mm F/2.8. A replacement for the Nikon 17-35 F/2.8 has never been invented. On the one hand, I often recommend third-party lenses, but I do this only for amateurs. On the other hand, for professionals there is one unwritten rule about using only ‘native’ lenses on their cameras. Let me give you an example: I came to a wedding with Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina. People ask me, what kind of lens is this? I answer - 'Tamron', 'Sigma', 'Tokina'. In response I only hear “There... What?... Sigma? Bokina? And all my professionalism and trust in me is multiplied by zero. It is difficult to prove to the client that, and not with the help of what technology. Give everyone only Nikon, Canon, Sony.

Of course, there must be an understanding that the concepts of ‘professional photographer’ and ‘professional photographic equipment’ have very vague boundaries.

You can also mention Canon cameras with an APS-H sensor - Canon EOS-1D, 1D Mark II N, 1D Mark III, 1D Mark IV, which have 1.3 and for which neither the native manufacturer nor third parties produce lenses taking into account the crop. Only full-format native lenses are suitable for such cameras.

Conclusions:

For full-frame cameras, there are lens solutions with a convenient set of focal lengths. There are practically no such lenses for cropped cameras.

In the previous paragraph, I tried to defeat the crop. At this point I will try to finish it off.

Not only professional lenses have evolved, but also a number of simple ‘dark’ zooms. Typically, for comfortable, uncomplicated photography, the 28mm-XXXmm range is used. For example, 28-50mm, 28-70mm, 28-85mm, 28-100mm, 28-105mm, 28-200mm, 28-300mm. Such lenses are called universal; with their help you can shoot almost anything. Most of their versatility lies in the ability to use a wide 28mm viewing angle on a full-format camera. The equivalent of 28mm on a crop would be 18mm, for example 18-55m, 18-70mm, 18-105mm, 18-135mm, 18-200mm, 18-300mm.

For example, Nikon has over 10 universal autofocus lenses of the 28-XXX class and their modifications. All these lenses are practically unprofitable when used on cropped Nikon DX cameras, since they completely lose their versatility due to the fact that 28mm gives an EGF of 42mm (almost fifty dollars). Nowadays, good old lenses, for example, Nikon 28-105mm F/3.5-4.5 Macro with incredible image quality and super fast focusing, are sold for $150, since no one needs them.

This applies not only to universal lenses, but to almost all full-frame lenses that were designed for full-frame cameras. Black magic happens on the crop, permanently full-frame lenses with specific goals and objectives ‘ turn into something‘. For example, fifty dollars in a short portrait, any wide - in a standard lens, over wide - in a wide one. The only constant is television. A telephoto and a telephoto on the crop.

Marketers highlight the main advantage of crop ‘free’ increase in equivalent focal length. In fact, such an increase is needed only in very rare tasks. For example, I very rarely need a lens longer than 200mm at full frame. This advantage can be used by few photographers to any real benefit when photographing distant subjects. An ordinary amateur photographer often does not need such an increase in EGF. Many remain deceived by what is usually said about increasing the EGF for telephoto lenses. Everything is extremely simple there - the longer the focal length, the better. But due to the fact that the EGF increases not only for telephoto lenses, but also for all lenses, this Wide angles suffer greatly. That is, the wide angle of a wide-angle full-format lens simply disappears when using such a lens on a cropped camera. In general, it is better to shoot wider than narrower - the image can then be cropped, but not vice versa. That’s why I really like the expression: ‘ crop eats the frame‘.

Conclusion:

When using cropped cameras, the opportunity to use a huge number of old full-frame lenses with excellent optical and mechanical performance is lost. Often such lenses cost a penny, and their image quality is high.

Another important note is accuracy of the focusing system when used on crop and full frame FX lenses. This is due to the peculiarity of the focusing system of each lens separately.

To shoot the same subject with the same full-format crop lens and full-frame lens with the same cropping, you need move closer or further to the subject.The difference in shooting distance between Nikon DX and Nikon FX cameras will be 1.5 times. For example, if you need to shoot something with a cropped camera and a full-length lens from a distance of 6 meters, the same lens and a full-length camera with the same cropping will need to be shot from a distance of 4 meters.

It is often easier for the focusing system to focus the lens at medium focusing distances. This can be related to the pitch of the focusing ring. When focusing at infinity, the focus ring pitch is very small, which can cause more problems with focusing accuracy in this range. When using an FX lens on a cropped lens, focusing shifts towards infinity, which generally worsens the accuracy and smoothness of focusing. This is a very subtle nuance that cannot always be tracked. It takes a lot of practice to feel the difference.

Another important point is that the shorter the focusing distance, the sharper the subject appears visually (although the depth of field decreases).

It is often said that cropped cameras weigh less than full-frame cameras. This is not always true. For example, full-format cameras, Nikon D800E, weigh less than cropped Nikon D1, Nikon D2hs. Also, the full-length one weighs about the same as the cropped Nikon D500 line. In general, the weight of the camera is determined not by the size of the sensor, but by whether the camera belongs to a certain level, for example, . The weight of the camera greatly depends on the materials from which the body is made. Typically, professional cameras have an all-metal body, unlike amateur cameras that use plastic. So it turns out that professional flagship(with a combo body) cropped cameras of the Nikon D1, D2 series weigh more than the amateur full-length or professional Nikon D810, D800E. The weight of the camera can be both a plus and a minus, like everything else in matters of crop.

An implicit advantage of a smaller sensor on cropped cameras is the ability to quickly read the signal from the matrix cells and lower power consumption. In fact, it has a big impact on the video. So, the first Nikon camera that could shoot video was not, but. Nowadays, they can shoot Full HD at 60 frames per second, but more expensive cameras, the D800E, can only squeeze out a maximum of 30 frames per second in Full HD mode. This also affects the speed of photo shooting. So cameras with interchangeable lenses, Nikon 1 S1, Nikon 1 V2, Nikon 1 V1, Nikon 1 J2, Nikn 1 J3 and can take photographs at a speed of 60 (sixty) photos per second. It turns out that Nikon 1 with 2.7X shoots 5 times faster than Nikon D4s or Canon 1DX. This performance is possible precisely due to the fast reading and processing of the signal from the ‘small’ matrix.

Unlike Canon cameras, Nikon full-frame digital control systems can operate in DX image mode. This means that any full-frame camera can only use the central part of its sensor, which is completely identical in size to the classic Nikon DX crop. To do this, simply select the DX image area in the camera menu. Thus, using any Nikon FX cameras, you can simultaneously have an analogue of a cropped camera on hand. For example, in Nikon DX mode, the camera takes 16MP images, the size and quality are almost the same as when using cropped cameras or combo monsters, the last of which was released back in 2006. In 2007, Nikon's line of top professional cameras was replaced by a full-format line, the first of which was the Nikon D3. In the future, all model range of similar cameras includes exclusively full-format models.

The same fate befell the line of cropped TOP Canon cameras with an APS-H sensor. The latest model, Canon 1D Mark IV, was released in 2009, replaced in 2012 by the full-frame Canon 1D X camera.

All the previous ones are just flowers :) (which are on the screensavers). For me, as a photographer, full frame cameras are valued over cropped cameras due to their lower noise levels at equivalent ISO values. Full-frame cameras have higher ISO values, allowing you to create acceptable quality images. If you take cropped and full-format cameras of the same thing, then pictures from a full-format camera will always be more flexible in post-processing, they are much easier to ‘ ‘ and modify (especially when shooting in RAW).

Let's take the latest full-format model among Nikon cameras - D4s, and the latest advanced cropped one - even from synthetic tests it is easy to see that Nikon D4s have 'working' ISOs. A lot of little things for photos can be found on Aliexpress.

Global output:

Krop is insidious. Now you know that:

• A full frame can be considered a crop from medium format cameras;
• The crop has the advantage of a larger depth of field at the same F number and the same viewing angle. This is important for shooting with wide-angle lenses;
• There is no line of professional lenses with a convenient focal length for crop. In my opinion, this is a very serious shortcoming of the crop;
• Cropped cameras cannot be used normally with a huge amount old good quality full-format lenses;
• When using full-format lenses on a crop lens, the smoothness and convenience of focusing changes;
• Cropped cameras are not always lighter than full-frame cameras;
• Full frame cameras have noticeably less noise at high ISOs;
• Among professional cameras, there is less and less space for a crop.

While working in photography, you have probably heard about the term crop factor many times. The term often appears in various internet resources, on forums, when buying a camera, you will probably hear a few words about the crop factor from the seller. So what is crop factor and what characteristic does this parameter reflect? We will talk about this in our article today.

In the days of film cameras, artists used 35mm film, and when combined with a 50mm lens, it produced images equivalent to what the human eye perceives. Later, when digital cameras gained overwhelming popularity, the 35mm format became the standard. Implementing the 35mm standard in digital sensors is very expensive for manufacturers, as there are a number of technical difficulties. One of the reasons why many photographers are still hesitant to switch to digital photography is the lack of an equivalent alternative in the world of digital photography. Full frame cameras cost upwards of $2,000, while film cameras cost significantly less.

The use of sensors smaller than the equivalent of 35mm film has resulted in new problem– reduction of the field of view of the image. To understand how this happens, we suggest studying the image shown below:

Full frame vs APS-C sensor

As you can see, the lens projects a circular image, although the sensor captures a rectangular piece of the scene. The rest of the frame is not taken into account. If the sensor operates over the entire area of ​​the image circle, then it is called full-frame; if it covers a smaller area, then it is considered cropped. Full-size has the same dimensions as 35 mm film (36 mm x 24 mm), cropped matrices are smaller. The image below shows the different sensor options from different manufacturers:

Different manufacturers classify crop sensor cameras differently. Although the name of the matrix type itself does not convey any specific information about its size, and does not indicate the technical advantages of a particular camera. To study this issue in detail, it is better to find out the actual size of the matrix and analyze possible losses in the frame.

What is crop factor?

Now that we have already understood a little about how the camera sees reality and how the matrix captures it, it’s time to find out what the crop factor is and how to calculate it. The crop factor is a coefficient that reflects the difference between the field of view of a full-length and small-format frame. To calculate the value of the crop factor, you need to divide the diagonal of the full-frame frame by the diagonal of the small-format frame. The lower the crop factor, the better.

Often, in the specifications, manufacturers themselves indicate the value of the crop factor of the matrix of a particular camera. Here is an approximate list of sensor crop values ​​for some cameras:

• Crop 1.5: , Sony A5100, Pentax K-5 II, Fuji X-A1, Fuji X-M1, Fuji X-E2, Fuji X-T1, Fuji X-Pro1, Samsung NX1;
• Crop 1.6: , ;
• Crop 2.0 (Micro Four Thirds): Olympus OM-D series; Panasonic DMC series;
• Crop 2.7: Nikon J4, Nikon S2, Nikon AW1, Nikon V3, Sony RX100 III, Sony RX 10, Samsung NX.

The fact that the crop factor significantly crops the image makes its own adjustments to the perception of the focal length of the lens. This is where the term equivalent focal length comes from. The fact is that when indicating the focal length value on the lens, manufacturers are talking about the value that would be obtained when using optics on a camera with a full matrix. The real value can only be found by taking into account the crop factor. To do this, you need to multiply the focal length by the crop factor. So a 50 mm lens in combination with a Nikon D3300 camera will give 75 mm, since the crop factor of the matrix is ​​1.5.

35	Crop 1.5x	Crop 1.6x	Crop 2.0x	Crop 2.7x
14 mm	21 mm	22.4 mm	28 mm	37.8 mm
18 mm	27 mm	28.8 mm	36 mm	48.6 mm
24 mm	36 mm	38.4 mm	48 mm	64.8 mm
35 mm	52.5 mm	56 mm	70 mm	94.5 mm
50 mm	75 mm	80 mm	100 mm	135 mm
85 mm	127.5 mm	136 mm	170 mm	229.5 mm
105 mm	157.5 mm	168 mm	210 mm	283.5 mm
200 mm	300 mm	320 mm	400 mm	540 mm

Lenses for cropped cameras

Manufacturers quickly realized that most of the frame captured by the lens was lost when shooting with a cropped sensor. This made it possible to simplify lenses for cropped cameras and make them smaller and lighter, and therefore cheaper for consumers. The characteristics of the lens almost always indicate which cameras a particular model is intended for. In addition, the symbols in the full name of the lens can also tell a lot of important information about it.

Let's say there are two Nikon 40 mm lenses, but one of them uses the symbol FX in the name, and the other DX. This suggests that Nikon 40 mm FX is intended for full-format cameras, and Nikon 40 mm DX for cropped ones.

Below is full list abbreviations from different manufacturers to display cropped lenses:

• Canon: EF-S, EF-M;
• Nikon: DX;
• Pentax: DA;
• Sony: DT, E;
• Sigma: DC;
• Tamron: Di II;
• Tokina: DX;
• Samsung: NX.

Sensor size vs resolution

Matrix resolution is another important characteristic that manufacturers like to draw customers' attention to. As you may have noticed, the size of the matrix itself does not in any way affect its resolution; there are many point-and-shoot cameras with small matrices, whose resolution can be 18 megapixels or 24 megapixels. The full-frame Nikon D4 has 16 million pixels on a 36.0 x 23.9mm sensor, while the Nikon D7000 has the same 16 million pixels on a 23.6 x 15.6mm sensor. With such a significant difference in the size of the matrices themselves, the difference in the size of each individual pixel becomes obvious. The Nikon D4S has a pixel size of 7.3μm, while the D7000 has a single pixel of 4.78μm. The smaller pixel size results in higher noise and lower dynamic range, which means the D7000 can't match the D4's image quality in low light conditions. The difference in pixel size is noticeable when working in low light; under normal conditions, cameras with such sensors can provide high-quality photos.

Sports event photographers and wildlife use the disadvantage of cropped matrices as an advantage. Thus, a 300 mm lens can provide a focal length equivalent to 450 mm. If low-light performance isn't critical, then this is a pretty significant gain in getting closer to the subject.