Full Frame for the Insecure?

One could also argue that it depends what you shoot, I would not consider FF simply because my 500mm would be too short, I often find myself cropping by 1/3 to 1/2 of the frame as it is, I doubt even FF would allow me to crop even further and benefit from any extra IQ the sensor may offer.

Any lens of a given focal length (let's say 50mm as an example) has the same DOF, regardless of format.

However, a 50mm lens on 67 is a wide angle, but on APS-C is a moderate telephoto. So on APS-C, when comparing it in this example to medium format, the smaller format has a telephoto lens with the same DOF as a wide angle lens.

Smaller formats have more DOF because of that. We can complicate matters by going into more detail, but it doesn't change the practical effect as described.

Another extreme example is the Minox sub-miniature "spy camera", which has a 15mm lens with so much DOF for that format that everything is in focus from 9 inches to infinity at f3.5

Its accurate to say that sensor size has no impact on lens length, however you are correct in your "needs". Unless you bought a D3X, your higher density cropped sensor allows further cropping without IQ loss.

The actual image size on sensor of any given target is the same on FF or cropped. A 500mm lens presents one image size for a focused target object, be it a bird or whatever.

Best regards

I understand that focal length doesn't change Gary, but my statement was correct, my 500mm would indeed be "too short" because on a FF camera the subject would be far too small in the frame, It would be interesting to know though just how much you could crop a FF image and still get a decent A3 print

Even smaller on 10x8 plate glass "frame". Put it on a Q and do sparrows eyeballs at 400 yards....

I have cropped into my D700 on a few occasions but not to produce A3 prints.

Best regards

I know a lot of pros who use both ff & crop sensors, reason??? Simply for the FOV on crop sensor body, stick a 400mm f4 & it becomes a 600mm fov, price between a ff body & 600mm compared to a crop sensor & 400mm a few £k's

FF does one job, crop bodies do another, if you need ff then get a different system to compliment what you have, but all this I am selling up for ff gear is getting a little tiresome to be honest... If you want to sell then sell, but don't whine about it...

Excellent, just what I was after, many thanks.

I have a Canon 5D Full Frame camera which I rarely use. I stopped using it when I bought a Pentax istDL2. I now have a Pentax K5.

I do not know how a Canon 5D MK2 performs.

A friend of mine has a Nikon D700 and I have to admit the clarity of the images is stunning. Even low light, high ISO images are in another class. This is only a 12mp Camera, but noise control is fabulous. I am envious, but I will wait for Pentax.

I love shooting landscape, I feel that I have every thing I need with the gear I have! I really don’t know why you feel like this as bigger is not always the best? I have had a look at your wide landscapes and there great so don’t worry about the size just get the shot and use the right lens for the job, get the right setting and away you go

Please don’t take this the wrong way but as the saying goes a fool is soon parted from his money

Not at all Shaun, and thank you for the compliment I hold in great regard coming from yourself. That last line was a kinda play on words with being insecure about wanting to know what people think, kit wise I am pretty secure (until the Sony A99/A1000 of course ) and there is no way I think I could or would splash that kinda money

As Pentaxophile correctly picked up my tone was originally kinda patronising, as you say a fool is soon parted from his money.

We can change the word 'insecure' to ; 'unnecessarily' or 'peer pressure' - if that is more neutral and helps expand the topic.

It's not something which keeps me awake at night but it would be great to bolt on, say, a 28mm lens and look through the viewfinder at a true wide angle view. (Although a FF sensor would surely show up the low quality of most of my lenses!)

Where telephoto fans gain with a cropped sensor, landscape enthusiasts are short changed, but, as I say, it's not a big deal for me, really, which is just as well, as I'll never be able to afford a FF body.

That’s good to hear, I thought you where going to do a running to the dark side then lol we could not lose you not another Sean.
Ps the right way is Shaun lol only joking

I find it strange that Paps in particular carry all that heavy D3/1D stuff around - the photos they take are than reproduced on low quality paper or are web sized for 99% of the time. They would also benefit from the crop factor for the longer zooms as well as the lower weight.

I guess it's mainly for the long long long glass, (you'll never see any pentax on the sidelines at a Premiership game), and they'll have a bit more leeway with the crop selection, say for when Britney Spears steps out of a limo

You're right though I often wonder about that, particularly when you pick up a paper and the colour print is all out of line - I'd be a bit miffed, still I'd have been paid.

The 1d isnt a full frame body is it??? As for the D3 most paps are using in DX mode to take advantage of the crop field of view & the extra shooting speed. Most paps use the 1D & D3 for the rapid shooting mode. Most papping work isn't to heavy on quality either... Most are heavily cropped or snapped from so far away they are usually very pixelated...

If you ever watch a pap at work most of it is press the shutter button, keep it on & move.... The 1D & d3 are excellent for this...