Shooting with full frame cameras for most of my assignments, wedding, magazine, fashion and portfolio, I enjoyed really the full potential the “1:1” ratio.
I didn’t really enjoy the Canon 1D Mark III, not for its so called AF problems, because I had none, but more because it was a crop sensor. There is a lot to say about crop sensor and lens conversion for small sensor sizes.
My main cameras at the moment are the Canon 5D Mark II and the Nikon D700. I find they both perform differently and all give a very high level of image quality.
The Canon’s image files are roughly 25MB, which is roughly in equation with the 21 MP (mega pixels) and the Nikon D700, when set in 14 bit Raw file will also give you 25 MB image files. Of course the file size depends on th level of details in the image but it doesn’t varies very much.
So does same file sizes give same images sizes ? I’d say no, but the Nikon will not give you less details than the Canon 5D Mark II. I do agree that my Nikkor lenses are a bit sharper than my Canon equivalents.
So why the Canon 7D while it’s a crop sensor ?
Mainly because it has better weather sealing compares to my Canon 5D Mark IIs.
The new AF system is a very exciting feature and as a techno freak, I like to play around with new tech stuffs.
What appeals me more about the Canon 7D, from my Canon 5D Mark IIs, is the 720p HD video mode.
Yeah, teh Canon 5D does come with full HD video but for what I use it, mostly I host my videos on Youtube or Vimeo, so all the videos are scaled down to 720p.
It is really interesting to see how manufacturers managed to turn some economic constraint into some technical advantages. Let me explain.
It all started when a camera maker wanted to produce a digital SLR that would be affordable to the mass and therefore sell more would be more profitable. That’s a very valid marketing argument. So we saw the birth of not-so-related-sensor-size cameras, 1,3 1,5 1,6 or even 2.
These factors are some how related to the full frame sized cameras with a crop factor, note that instead of saying that the sensor is smaller, it is said that the “reach” is longer and then the handicap of size becomes an advantage of reach. You multiply by a number bigger than 1 and you get more. More of what ? Hummm more from a smaller and cheaper camera.
That idea has been well digested and well implanted in the consumers’ mind so high end cameras, professional level (by the price tag) cameras appears with smaller sensors. It’s still a big advantage compares to the full frame reference. But again crop sensors cameras, even better by merits, never became reference because of their diversity in sizes.