APS-C = a ton of advantages!
O.K. for all those folks that are sick of my talking about how happy I am with my Fuji X-System, this isn’t about that, well, maybe a little, but lots of cameras have APS-C size sensors and there are a number of reasons you should consider one! If only as a back-up body!
First, over the past four or five years the push was to go to “Full Frame” sensors, actually all sensors are full frame, (they occupy the entire frame no matter what their size!), what people mean is a sensor that is approx. the size of a 35mm film frame 36X24! The push was because when they first became available they offered significantly better high ISO, low noise performance! Not so much today. The most recent top of APS-C size sensors have really been pushing the 35mm size sensors on noise, dropping the advantage to less than one f stop!!! The other advantage for the 35mm size sensor was that lenses were their “actual” focal length, meaning super wide lenses, wet actually super wide. Then the APS-C cameras got super wide lenses and super wide zooms, advantage gone. The last big advantage was that depth-of-field was more shallow, thus leading to nicer Bokeh. When the APS-C guys got very fast lenses, the APS-C depth-of-field more closely matched the 35mm sensors.
Now the APS-C guys had some advantages too! They exhibit greater apparent depth of field at any given focal length, which a good thing when you want more depth of field, sharpness! The APS-C lenses are smaller (translate: easier to design and make very sharp because they do not require as much light transmission!) Size and weight? Big advantage APS-C, they can be half the size of 35mm sensored bodies and lenses! In my post of Wednesday I also talked about being able to use older “legacy” glass fro various manufacturers with adapters to get super long, very fast glass, sometimes at exceptional financial bargains!!!! For me this is a real big thing! Here are some more images that would have cost great deal more to make if I still was shooting a full frame (35mm) sensor camera.
Another great advantage is the close focus distance of lenses does not change, but image size does, thus, close focus performance is enhanced!!
Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, and many other companies make cameras with the APS-C size sensor, even if you already shoot a 35mm size sensor, a APS-C sensored camera can open up your horizons! Food for thought!
Have a great weekend!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This entry was posted on Friday, June 27th, 2014 at 10:55 pm
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Good piece and sorry you are not feeling well–prayers for you. The lack of APS-C quality is one reason I moved away from Nikon 1 system although Fuji would really kick butt if it had the Nikon V1 focusing speed!
I would certainly vote for that!!!
I love my Nikon D7100’s APS-C sensor size because my 300mm lens basically acts like a 450mm which really helps with the bird photography I like to do. Plus the D7100/70-300 VR combo takes such sharp pictures that I can also crop quite a ways into the picture to “zoom in” even further without damaging the quality of the digital file, making it almost like I have a 600mm lens, or even 800mm if i get really lucky. But I have to put the work into it in the field, otherwise zooming in digitally in post won’t work. My camera holding technique, working with the VR, keeping the shutter high enough but at the same time ISO low enough, etc. all factor into whether I can get a quality enough photo to be able to crop in or not.
I’m considering the D4s if I go into photography full time in the near/far future because of the speed for sports and wildlife and the outdoor durability. But now that the D810 is announced and it has a halfway decent framerate and a solid, weather-sealed body also, it is tempting. Either way, I lose the perceived extra reach I get from my lenses on my APS-C bodies, so I might also need to jump up to some more expensive 400+ lenses. Ouch.
Get your wallet out either way!
Wait a minute! Did you clear this blog entry with your grand poobah of all things photographic? The legend (in his own mind)? The great, the one-and-only Scott Kelby? I THINK NOT!
Technically, I think he would agree! Facts are facts, and he knows the facts!
Let me editorialize for a moment. I’m not sure why some folks have such angst about Scott? Let share a few things those folks may not know! Scott Kelby has never been anything but a gentleman to me. He has openly expressed his appreciation for anything I’ve ever been able to teach him. I’ve always found Scott to be knowledgable, but never arrogant, which is amazing because of how talented a guy he is! If you want to take the measure of a man look at how he treats his wife, his children, his family, friends, and especially the people that work with him. I’ve done all of that and can be a witness to what kind of man he truly is! I’m proud to call him a friend, and I know if he needed to, he would come to my defense. Get to know the man, you might just feel differently!
I rarely fire back like this to comments, but frankly anyone wanting to express those kinds of comments, is sincerely invited to do it somewhere else! No response is necessary!
I have been using a D700 as my main body and I am very pleased with the results. It is a fairly forgiving camera which I particularly appreciate when traveling. On the other hand the D700 and a good lens is really heavy after a day.
I am considering a Fuji XT1 as an additional set up. I shoot primarily landscape, travel and some city archetecture. Thoughts and suggestion welcome.
My other camera is in fact a Nikon D700 and completely agree with you. I picked up a Fuji X-E1 a year ago for the same reason to save weight, but I love it so much, the X System is my only system. I haven’t sold my D700, but I haven’t us it in over a year, tread carefully!!!!
Thanks for the quick response. I am new to your blog and just read the home page
Q&A on Fuji.
Very helpful. I plan to hang on to the 700, but I may sell the 70-200 f2.8- beautiful lens but too uncomfortable to carry.
Incidentally, I appreciate your comment on Scott. He has always struck me as a straight shooter.
Regards from the Poconos
Bill,
The new Nikon 70-200 f 4is very sharp and much easier to carry around!
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