Full Frame DSLR
An individual who takes photography as a hobby, may not take keen interest in the difference between a full-frame sensor and an APS-C sensor, unless he/she is planning to make it big in the world of photography. From here on, we will assume that you are one of these people who want to turn their passion into their profession, and capture some brilliant images which will become their identity.
What is a Full Frame DSLR?
As its name suggests, it is a digital single-lens reflex camera which is armed with an image sensor which is as large as the film frame. This is exactly opposite to digital cameras armed with APS-C sensor, wherein the image sensor is much smaller than the full 35 mm frame. If you use a full frame camera lens on a DSLR with a relatively smaller image sensor, the center portion of the image sensor will be captured. The edges will be cropped off and the center portion of the imaging area will be zoomed on. Most of the camera manufacturers in the market today use smaller sensors owing to the fact that it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture them.
Some of the most popular full frame DSLRs in the market today include Nikon D3S, Nikon D3X, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EOS 5D, Sony DSLR-A850, Sony DSLR-A900 etc. There also exist some of the best full frame models which are specifically designed for professional use. These DSLRs have more features compared to various other consumer grade DSLRs. One needs sound expertise In digital photography and related technologies in order to use them to their full potential.
Advantages
When it comes to comparison between the full frame and crop sensor DSLRs, the former has quite a few advantages over its counterpart. The most prominent advantage that the full frame DSLRs have is the fact that they promise amazing picture quality at any given resolution. In fact, the wide angle lenses ensure that the wide angle view of the image is retained when the picture is captured. Such camera lenses with wider angle of view are essential when it comes to various types of photography, architectural photography and landscape photography being the best example of the same. At the same time, these DSLRs also have an edge on their small sensor counterparts in terms of pixel size, owing to which they tend to produce better quality images in high contrast or low light situations.
Disadvantages
Everything is not satisfactory with these full frame DSLRs though, as they have some shortcomings of their own which need to be taken into consideration when you opt to buy one. The biggest disadvantage is perhaps the fact that they are very costly, and this in turn can be attributed to the fact that the production cost for manufacturing full-frame sensors is quite high. On an average, a full frame sensor is 20 times costlier compared to APS-C sensor in terms of production cost. In fact, the Canon 5D Mark II, which boasts of being the cheapest full frame in the market today, will also cost you anywhere between $2500-$3000. At the same time, some reviews also state that the large sensor area of the camera makes it more vulnerable to contaminants.
There is absolutely no doubt about the fact that full frame DSLR cameras give amazing images which make photography more satisfactory than ever before, but you need to be well versed with the basics of photography to handle such cameras. At the end of the day, all those people who take photography as a mere hobby need to start with some SLR cameras for beginners, before graduating to a professional DSLR with advanced features.
