IBM

Now after reading all this your more confused than ever , the cameras you see today look the same as they did twenty years ago but the
Sensor in side is smaller it's not 35 millimeter no more , it's smaller the old film was 35 mm , they still make the 35mm , but now they call it a full frame camera and the ones with the smaller sensor are called DX camereas , and if you put a 100mm lens on a dx you still got a 100mm lens but now you get a bonus ,the 100 mm lens on a dx camera will give you a extra 50 mm of zoom So It's Like shooting with a
150mm lens , and if you shoot with a 500mm lens on a dx you get in effect like shooting with a 750mm lens , it pulls what ever your shooting in that much more , so if you can't afford that $7000 5oomm zoom lens and a full frame camera for $3500 . Over $10000 total
Just buy a dx camera refurbished for $600 and a 200-500mmzoom for $1200 . And for $1500 total you can go get your self some very nice shots, after all you will have the equivalent of a 300 -750 mm lens on the end of your camera not , don't be scared to buy refurbished ,it's almost like new ,

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

And the best thing about a small format camera is that :
The only things you lose are dynamic range, ability to crop, and image quality.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Whether we like it or not, the 24 x 36 format is is the standard.

If you are talking about an image size larger than 24 x 36, you are not talking crop.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

and thus, the confusion the photo industry has foisted on its customers and supporters.
--Bob

BebuLamar

I am talking about cameras with sensors larger than 24x36mm.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Right. The image size is the sensor (or film) size.

BebuLamar

If you call a camera with smaller sensor than 24x36mm a crop sensor then what do you call a sensor that is larger than 24x36mm?

pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

A big damn sensor. Seriously we're looking at medium and large format sensors now. Where does the MP race end? It's at the point that the camera exceeds the output potential. What good is a 50 MP camera if a printer can't do any better than a 12 MP camera output?

Leitz Loc: Solms

Actually I don't care for the term "crop," I would prefer to call each by it's actual size.

BebuLamar

Wasn't that what I said in the beginning. Forget about the crop factor. Just say I use my 50mm lens on my 35mm camera or I use a 30mm lens on my APS-C camera etc.. Don't talk about crop or focal length multiplier etc....
Why would a newcomer, one who never knew about the 35mm camera needs to know about crop factor.

pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

I guess if you've never shot 35mm film it wouldn't be a factor. But the fact is there are different sensor sizes and it does effect the focal length of the lens as far as image size. A 50mm lens for instance will have a factor to be considered in relation to sensor size.

BebuLamar

Before digital cameras came along there were many different film formats and nobody was talking crop factor. When you are into 35mm you know which lenses to buy. When you're into medium format you know your lenses. If you shoot large format which you might use the same lens for more than 1 size of film you know that too and you know what results you should expect. There was no need for any of the confusion caused by crop factor.

Leitz Loc: Solms

As I said, it is what it is, whether we like it or not. Good luck in getting the photo writers, reviewers and manufacturers to change it! I'd rather use the actual size, but won't hold my breath until everyone else does.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

I don't understand why there is any factor to consider.
50mm is normal for a FF body, a 30mm is normal for a DX body.
No "cropping", no "reaching further", no "factoring", just 50mm or 30mm,

pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

Exactly. 50mm was considered a "normal" lens for 35mm. 80mm for 2 1/4, and I think 105mm for 6x7 and 150mm for 4x5. In my opinion there is no such thing as a normal lens. Most people get away from the so called normal lens pretty quick. It's basically boring. Most great shots that really stand out are with an extreme wide angle or telephoto. The reason being that our brain interprets them as outside the ordinary of our normal vision. They grab your attention. Just my 2 cents that is really only worth a fraction of that.