Sensor Question: Would like to ask the "experts" here a question... IF I have a FF camera that can switch between FF and Crop modes, will the quality of the image

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

Would like to ask the "experts" here a question...

IF I have a FF camera that can switch between FF and Crop modes, will the quality of the image - with ISO, Aperture and SS set the same, be any different from one mode to the other?

I'm using the same camera, same settings, same image. Only difference is one photo is taken in FF mode and the other in Crop mode.

Was told that the crop mode would have more noise because of less light. I would agree with that IF I were using two DIFFERENT cameras but question this when using the SAME camera.

BebuLamar

I don't know how to explain to you! Switching to crop mode the camera simply record only the center portion of the image. You get the same thing by leaving the camera on FF mode then crop the image in post processing.
As far as quality the crop image has lower quality because it has fewer pixels.

Resqu2 Loc: SW Va

Tagging this cause I had no idea a camera could switch like that. I can't see the benefit of only using part of your bigger sensor on the ff camera.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

BooIsMyCat wrote:

Would like to ask the "experts" here a q... (show quote)

Whoever told you there would be more noise due to less light is a person you should NEVER again trust for accurate information as they haven idea what they are talking about. The ONLY difference is that you will be using fewer pixels when you shoot in the crop mode. So your angle of view will be narrower. That is it.

Now let's see if we can get ten more pages out of this. :-)

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

BebuLamar wrote:

I don't know how to explain to you! Switching to crop mode the camera simply record only the center portion of the image. You get the same thing by leaving the camera on FF mode then crop the image in post processing.
As far as quality the crop image has lower quality because it has fewer pixels.

The quality of the images is exactly the same.
The crop mode on a FF camera is just that. It's a crop. If you took a photo using the full frame, then cropped it out of the camera, you wouldn't expect the pixels to be any different. The same is true if the cropping is done in the camera.

BebuLamar

Resqu2 wrote:

Tagging this cause I had no idea a camera could switch like that. I can't see the benefit of only using part of your bigger sensor on the ff camera.

Nikon idea was to use DX lenses on FF cameras. However even if I use DX lenses on the FX camera I still want to leave it on FF mode. That way I can judge for myself in post how much of the image is usable.

monzi Loc: Mesa, Arizona

CaptainC is correct... the only real difference is fewer pixels in the crop mode so when you enlarge the photo it will look noisier because you have fewer pixels to work with. I hope this makes sense!

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

CaptainC wrote:

So your angle of view will be narrower. That is it.

Now let's see if we can get ten more pages out of this. :-)

LOL!

Not listening to.... more like arguing with.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

BooIsMyCat wrote:

Would like to ask the "experts" here a q... (show quote)

What you will lose using the DX mode is pixels. If you are using a 24mp full frame camera and set it to cropped mode, you will only have about 8mp for your photo. This may or may not cause more noise, but it will surely degrade your photo in other ways. The best thing to do is to test it yourself. Take a photo in FX mode and take the same photo in DX mode and compare the two images.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

BooIsMyCat wrote:

Would like to ask the "experts" here a q... (show quote)

when you switch to crop mode on an FX camera your image has less Mp Nikon D810 goes from 36 Mp to 24 Mp

marki3rd Loc: Columbus, Indiana

Resqu2 wrote:

Tagging this cause I had no idea a camera could switch like that. I can't see the benefit of only using part of your bigger sensor on the ff camera.

The real reason some FF cameras have this feature is so the camera cane be used with DX/Crop lenses more naturally.

BooIsMyCat Loc: Somewhere

CaptainC wrote:

Whoever told you there would be more noise due to less light is a person you should NEVER again trust for accurate information as they haven idea what they are talking about. The ONLY difference is that you will be using fewer pixels when you shoot in the crop mode. So your angle of view will be narrower. That is it.

Now let's see if we can get ten more pages out of this. :-)

But.... this link contradicts you...

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/5365920428/the-effect-of-pixel-and-sensor-sizes-on-noise

So, who is right?

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Everything will be the same except the resolution and the angle of view. As Dirtfarmer said, the effect is exactly the same as cropping in PP.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

CaptainC wrote:

Whoever told you there would be more noise due to less light is a person you should NEVER again trust for accurate information as they haven idea what they are talking about. :-)

Someone's been watching that Tony Northrup video again!

R.G. Loc: Scotland

BooIsMyCat wrote:

But.... this link contradicts you...

To get the same exposure, the amount of light per pixel has to be the same (comparing FF to DX mode). In crop mode the total amount of light is less, but it doesn't have to go so far - less sensor area to cover.