Why is the full frame sensor so highly rated? Is it because its dimensions ape a frame of 35mm film and therefore make it a match for a shedload of vintage lenses?
Or because, in swapping film for digital, full frame practitioners – especially professional photographers – don’t feel they’re losing quality in return for convenience?
Personally, I’ve always considered that full frame is something nice to have, but, for many of us, basically not essential.
That’s not to dismiss key creative advantages of a larger sensor. I can see the opportunity to crop images without noticeable degradation is a real boon (but this comes more from resolution than sensor size alone).
That’s also something that Fujifilm’s 40.2-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor – the highest resolution APS-C chip to date, as found in its X-H2, X-T5 and X-T50 cameras – allows, however.
Fujifilm proudly suggests that, paired with its own fifth generation processor, it can deliver a level of quality above and beyond what’s expected of an APS-C camera and the best Fujifilm cameras prove this. AP’s own X-H2 review confirmed it’s a camera pro photographers can use with confidence. It’s also excellent value for money compared with full frame sensor competitors.
That said, any user will be wise to invest in top-tier glass to maximise the Fuji sensor’s potential. That’s a given.
Framing the alternatives
APS-C aside, further alternatives to full frame in the ‘crop’ sensor stakes of course include Micro Four Thirds. The main selling point remains its ability to enable longer focal lengths from relatively compact lenses, plus the system’s lightweight, portable camera bodies, as well as one of the cheapest weather-sealed cameras in the form of the OM-5 Mark II.
Traditionally, a full frame camera – especially if a DSLR – meant a large body size second only to a medium format camera.
Such robustness might be something semi-professional and pro photographers actively seek out, but the weight, especially with good quality lens attached, can prohibit it being an everyday creative tool.
Of course, if really favouring compactness, I can seek out a compact, enthusiast-targeted camera with one-inch sensor that will theoretically give a better performance than a 1/2.3-inch chip. Or, of course, there’s my smartphone as a back-up option. But with that always comes the temptation to check my emails or Instagram, rather than focus exclusively on the photographic task at hand.
Going the other way as regards alternatives, medium format camera sensors are typically 1.7x larger than full frame sensors. Making them the preferred option for those who want to produce photo realistic billboard-sized output.
Traditionally, the cost of medium format cameras has put them out of reach of the consumer, with even jobbing pros most commonly renting. But their affordability has greatly changed in recent years.
Again, Fujifilm has come to the rescue with its ever-expanding GFX range, offering an eye-watering 102MP resolution at a price not too dissimilar to a high-end full frame mirrorless camera from rival manufacturers.
In short, for those who want to shoot full frame there’s never been more comprehensive support. Equally, for those who don’t, there has never been a wider – or better performing – array of alternatives.
Either way, it all adds up to happy days for photographers.
Related reading
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- Is this the end of the Action Camera as we know it?
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: [email protected]
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