Filling the Frame (Page 2): Genuinely great advice from everyone prior. I want to address a misconception that you are on the edge. Using a crop sensor may give you the feeling you...

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

Mainridge wrote:

As a wildlife shooter, one is always instructed to fill the frame. When the distance is such that the frame cannot be filled using a full-frame camera, is there a hard and fast rule as to the best alternative method to fill the frame? In other words, should I switch over to Aps-c, add a teleconverter or crop in post. I am usually shooting with a 45 mp camera if that helps.

Genuinely great advice from everyone prior.

I want to address a misconception that you are on the edge. Using a crop sensor may give you the feeling you have "filled the frame", but it is very misleading. First, your 45mp just became 25mp (quick math, but I promise close). Second, when given the choice of heavy cropping in post or the crop sensor trick, always elect the first.

Example of when not to "fill the frame". The 2023 theme image for the State Fair of Texas was mine. If you saw the original and how much I cropped, you would be shocked.

When to use "fill the frame". I did a shoot yesterday with 30 other photographers at the Dallas Arboretum starting at sunset to opening. Taking images of tulips with dew in a group of a million other flowers and bokeh-ing everything else around them using a tripod with fixed native ISO, capturing a reflecting morning sun...this is when you "fill the frame" but still allow room for leveling and therefore cropping.

Basil_O Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Filling the frame is nice if you want a portrait. But having some space to include the animal's environment lends context. Neither is right or wrong. It comes down to what you are trying to convey with the image.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Mainridge wrote:

... should I switch over to Aps-c, add a teleconverter or crop in post...

Technically there might be a (very) slight advantage in using a teleconverter, but messing about with teleconverters is a recipe for missing fleeting moments. Shooting in APS-C mode does nothing for image quality and just gives you a narrower field of view, which is a disadvantage when it comes to finding and shooting your subjects. Leave the camera in full frame mode and crop as required in post.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

CliffMcKenzie wrote:

Genuinely great advice from everyone prior.

I want to address a misconception that you are on the edge. Using a crop sensor may give you the feeling you have "filled the frame", but it is very misleading. First, your 45mp just became 25mp (quick math, but I promise close). Second, when given the choice of heavy cropping in post or the crop sensor trick, always elect the first.

No, it's entirely equipment dependent. Depending on the cameras being used, switching to a crop sensor camera can be a real improvement.
Bottom line is how many pixels are you putting on the subject. If the switch to a crop sensor body puts substantially more pixels on the subject it's an advantage (as long as the lens resolution keeps up). Assume for example the cameras are an FX 45mp Nikon Z8 and a APS Fuji XH2. Switch the Nikon to DX mode and you get a 19.5mp image whereas the APS sensor in the XH2 is 40mp. That's twice the number of pixels on the subject if you switch to the Fuji body. And purchasing that Fuji body new could be a lot less expensive than trying to get a longer lens for the Z8.

I have a 24mp FF camera that when switched to DX mode generates a 10mp image. I also have a 26mp APS camera. Putting the same lens on the 26mp APS camera blows away the cropped image from the FF camera.

photoman43

It all depends. I like to see the habitat in nature images, not just portraits or head shots. My usual practice is to select the right lens. Add a tc if needed. Crop is the last option. I shoot with both FF and crop sensor cameras.

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

Ysarex wrote:

No, it's entirely equipment dependent. Depending o... (show quote)

We are saying the same thing - "I want to address a misconception that you are on the edge. Using a crop sensor may give you the feeling you have "filled the frame", but it is very misleading. First, your 45mp just became 25mp (quick math, but I promise close). Second, when given the choice of heavy cropping in post or the crop sensor trick, always elect the first.'

Horseart Loc: Alabama

Longshadow wrote:

I only fill the frame if that's the composition I desire.
I never fill the frame for the sake of "filling the frame".

Horseart Loc: Alabama

There are times when filling the frame is overkill and sometimes it actually hurts my eyes to see that. More often than not, I like to leave a little wiggle room, then when I look at it, I may or may not want to crop a little.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Mainridge wrote:

As a wildlife shooter, one is always instructed to fill the frame. When the distance is such that the frame cannot be filled using a full-frame camera, is there a hard and fast rule as to the best alternative method to fill the frame? In other words, should I switch over to Aps-c, add a teleconverter or crop in post. I am usually shooting with a 45 mp camera if that helps.

Some like to switch to APS-C mode because they can see the subject better but I prefer to crop in post where I can crop in post. And if I’m doing something like tracking a BIF it’s much easier to keep the subject in frame.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Linda From Maine wrote:

To answer the question about which lens and gear? Best to do controlled tests to see for yourself.

"Always" fill the frame is nonsense. Take a look at one master wildlife photographer's photos:
https://backcountrygallery.com/wildlife/

Lots and lots of examples where not filling the frame with the animal results in an awe-inspiring, high impact image!

Yes, an “environmental portrait” can have much more impact. I’m trying more and more to include some context.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Ysarex wrote:

No, it's entirely equipment dependent. Depending o... (show quote)

I don’t think “get a new camera” was really on the table. The OP was asking about the options using his current camera.

NateB

Horseart wrote:

There are times when filling the frame is overkill and sometimes it actually hurts my eyes to see that. More often than not, I like to leave a little wiggle room, then when I look at it, I may or may not want to crop a little.

Agreed! Filling the frame can look good occasionally, but imo the pic is very often more attractive if you leave some room

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Jimmy T wrote:

I too shoot with a 45 mp camera and I never "... (show quote)

Edit: One more thing that I would like to add about "Filling The Frame" is that it may lead to or cause the "Bulls Eye" effect, where everything is perfectly centered.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

CliffMcKenzie wrote:

We are saying the same thing - "I want to address a misconception that you are on the edge. Using a crop sensor may give you the feeling you have "filled the frame", but it is very misleading. First, your 45mp just became 25mp (quick math, but I promise close). Second, when given the choice of heavy cropping in post or the crop sensor trick, always elect the first.'

I don't see it that way. If by "crop sensor trick" you mean DX mode on the FX camera versus cropping the FX frame then yes. I understand "crop sensor trick" to mean bringing in a second camera body with a crop sensor and in that case the "crop sensor trick" may be very effective.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

SuperflyTNT wrote:

I don’t think “get a new camera” was really on the table. The OP was asking about the options using his current camera.

Seems to me that, "In other words, should I switch over to Aps-c,..." could certainly be read as should I switch over to a smaller sensor camera.