Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You will see a ton of opinions in the next 34 pages of postings. All you really need to do to get the answer you are looking for is to rent one of each and see for yourself. If you read the stuff on this thread your understanding will be as clear as mud.

Keep in mind that for the same focal length, aperture, subject to camera distance, print size and viewing distance - the crop sensor camera will have less, not more, depth of field. This is not opinion - but fact.

So, if you put a 50mm lens on a crop camera and the same 50mm lens on a full frame camera - and everything else is the same, the DoF will be shorter on the crop. (This ought to raise a few eyebrows).

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

Don't forget to ask what are the advantages of a crop sensor camera over a FF camera. Some years ago I upgraded from a FF camera to a crop sensor camera. I'm very pleased with the switch. I like my lighter smaller crop sensor camera and I like the DOF difference I get.

In fact my main camera that I use almost daily isn't my crop sensor camera but a 1" sensor compact and if I had to choose I'd keep that camera and dump the crop sensor camera. The 1" sensor compact takes excellent photos and because it fits in my pocket it goes wherever I go.

Joe

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

Why should that raise an eyebrow? That's correct. Now use the two cameras to take the same photograph and the DOF difference will flip so that you get shallower DOF from the FF and deeper DOF from the crop sensor. I think taking the same photograph is the comparison that makes most sense.

Joe

FotoHog Loc: on Cloud 9

You can shoot in the RAW with any camera but look out for the vice squad.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Larger sensor so you can get quality enlargements and big prints with more detail.
Usually better low light performance.
If you do a lot of wide angle work like landscapes then FF goes wider with any given lens.

Otherwise it is still true that it is more the photographer than the camera once a minimum level of quality is reached. If you know enough you can make either work well. I use both.

BlackRipleyDog

Many more native lenses for FF and DX.

howIseeit Loc: Kootenays, BC Canada

LittleBit Loc: St. Louis, MO

Huh??? Crop Sensor Camera 50mm x 1.6 = 80mm (Canon) // 50mm x 1.5 = 75mm (Nikon)

Full Frame Camera 50mm = 50mm (Canon) // 50mm = 50mm (Nikon)

Doesn't DOF change here somewhere???

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Beauty surrounds us, but we need full-frame cameras to capture it.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

As a general rule DOF increases as the recording media (film/sensor) gets smaller. Take the same photo with different size film/sensors and you get deeper DOF from the smaller format camera.

Joe

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

The size of the sensor is one tool in a toolbox for pros. It depends on what they are shooting. And what they want to do with the result. For a pro the choice of a body is not made in isolation. You need to know what you want to achieve and the shoot conditions.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

NO! FF camera files are the same size as crop for the same number of megapixels. Cropping down to the size of a DX camera reduces the image in both height and width by 1.5, so you wind up using only 1/(1.5)² or ~44% of the image or 44% of the pixels, severly reducing resolution.

The main difference is that the larger sensor can give either of 2 advantages, more pixels for more resolution, or larger pixels for lower noise (or some compromise in between). Lower noise is important for situations where the lighting isn't strong which includes sports, concerts, and so on.

More resolution is good for landscapes and anything with great detail.

It is also true that for the same angle of view, the FF takes a longer lens and, hence, less DOF. This is good for blurring backgrounds in portrait work.

LittleBit Loc: St. Louis, MO

Joe,
I feel you on this! I'm currently saving up to buy myself a 1" Sensor Compact Camera (Canon G5Xii). I'm sick and tired of not having my camera with me when I come across something or someone I'd like to photograph.
And these days what's the big deal anyway. Most of the "Professionals" aren't as Professional as the Photographers of yesteryear using film. They go into post processing and make their photos what they should have been when they pushed the shutter button in the first place. It seems the Professionalism in photography has gone to how well you can correct your mistakes in post production! I'd be interested in knowing how many "PROFESSIONALS" are professional enough, to capture excellent photos without the advantage of using post production? The Photo as it was originally taken! I said it before and I'll say it again. "Can't help it...just feels like it's cheating and not truthful to post process a photograph." BENEFIT of DOUBT: 'Is Post Processing okay, because the DIGITAL FF cameras of today lack, the ability to create the QUALITY Photos of Film FF Cameras??? If digital FF can't stand toe-to-toe with film then I'll make allowances for Post Processing... "I guess!" Still feels like "cheating" to me!

LittleBit Loc: St. Louis, MO

I like you, CHG. And when it comes to photography knowledge I look up to you. But I have to disagree with you on this one.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

On the road to success, it's surprising how often you see only full-frame cameras.