Does It Matter?

How to evaluate the advantages of full-frame versus smaller sensors when choosing a

Text & By Josh Miller

oes sensor size really matter any- A Camera Is More Than and have been mainly focused more? As photographers, we’ve Just Sensor Size on their flagship full-frame camera systems Dnever had so many great camera With so many great options in different and have relatively limited collections of options that will produce amazing images. formats now, the real key as an artist is to lenses designed for smaller sensors (espe- There are very capable sporting weigh your options and decide what attri- cially fast primes), companies like Fujifilm, everything from Micro Four Thirds sensors butes are the most important to you. Is it Olympus and Panasonic have gone all-in to APS-C, full-frame and all the way up to portability, lens options, absolute image on smaller sensor systems and have each massive medium-format sensors. quality, price? For the last 10 years or developed large (if not thoroughly com- Right off the bat, let’s clear things up by so, the go-to format for most serious and prehensive) lens lineups with many options saying yes, all things being equal, a larger professional photographers has been full equal to the quality of those available for the sensor will give you a better image file, but frame, which closely resembles the size of larger full-frame systems. like most matters in life, all things are not the 35mm film many of us had been shoot- The real question becomes, with so many equal. The common wisdom is that for each ing prior to switching to digital. In the early systems from which to choose, which one jump in sensor size, you gain about a stop of days of digital, most of us were shooting is best for your needs? Maybe you’ll decide performance in terms of noise and dynamic cameras from Canon or Nikon that had you want two different systems, each for range. Following that logic, we should all cropped APS-C sensors, which were very specific uses. Much of the decision comes be shooting 8x10 digital cameras or even limited in terms of dynamic range and high down to your planned end use for the images larger in order to gain the absolute highest ISO ability. Like many others shooting at you produce. quality image. the time, when I got my first full-frame Having shot with everything from Olym- One can go down the rabbit hole of image camera (a Nikon D3 in my case), it blew pus Micro Four Thirds cameras to Fujif- quality to crazy extremes, but in reality, this me away with its ability to produce quality ilm and Sony APS-C to Nikon full-frame quest comes with its own issues beyond just images at high ISOs in light I had never DSLRs, and most recently with Nikon Z the cost of such a large sensor camera. Who previously even bothered to shoot in. At mirrorless, I can honestly say all three sen- wants to carry a large-format the time, switching to full frame was a sor formats will meet the needs of nearly anywhere beyond the parking lot? game-changer that gave us an edge over all photographers. Having been a Nikon shooting smaller sensors. shooter for more than 20 years, I’m most Fast forward 10-plus years and full frame familiar with that system, but over the last Using the wide Sony E 10–18mm F4 is still the primary choice of most profes- few years, I’ve owned or used all the other OSS lens, I was able to get up close sionals like myself. But in these interven- systems extensively in an effort to reduce to the flooded meadow for a clean ing years, camera makers have really been my weight and also see where the future reflection of Yosemite Falls. This was pushing the limits of what smaller sensor lies. In my experience with current cam- one of my first successful images cameras can do, allowing for less-expensive eras in these various formats, any cam- using the Sony a6500. After making an amazing 20x30-inch print from the and lighter-weight cameras and lenses and era with at least 20-megapixel resolution file, I started questioning my need for sensors that, though smaller, are still capable will make great prints up to 20x30 inches a camera with greater resolution. of professional-level work. While Canon, or larger, assuming you’re shooting at

outdoorphotographer.com October 2019 55 Top: Shooting wildlife at sunset Top: This image is from the very last means low light and high contrast, time I carried a heavy full-frame kit typically the domain of full-frame on a long backcountry adventure. My cameras. But while I was trying out camera system without the the Fujifilm X-T3 in the Sacramento weighed close to 10 pounds. Valley last winter, I was blown away with my ability to crop and open up Lately, I have been carrying the the shadows prior to making a 20x30- smaller Sony a6500 with the 10-18mm inch print from the 26-megapixel file. F4 OSS and Vario-Tessar T* E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS lenses and have Bottom: One of the advantages of cut the weight in half. full-frame when shooting this scene in the Sierras was the ability to use a / Bottom: This image from Tuolumne shift lens to control the . Meadows was taken at sunset with the Currently, none of the smaller-sensor Olympus OM-D E-M1 that I owned systems offer perspective control and used extensively for a while as lenses; lens selection remains a key my backcountry setup. While I ended advantage of full-frame systems. up upsizing to an APS-C system for The scene was very high contrast, better low-light results, when stopped so I bracketed for HDR, lessening down and bracketed for HDR on a in this case the dynamic range tripod, the Micro Four Thirds sensor advantage of full frame. held up great in large prints.

reasonable ISOs with quality lenses and an APS-C-sized sensor over my heavier good technique. full-frame (though the new Z series brings down the weight of full frame Big Sensor Low-Light closer to APS-C cameras). I first started Advantage: Do You Need It? off using the Olympus Micro Four Thirds Where things start to separate is when you system, which I loved in terms of size and are shooting in less-than-ideal conditions. features, but I eventually upgraded to an Larger sensor cameras are going to beat APS-C system because the image quality out the smaller sensors when using higher at higher ISOs wasn’t where I needed it to ISOs to compensate for dim light. While be for the work I do. (To be fair, this was the ISO breaking point of each camera is two generations ago in the Olympus world, slightly different, if you mainly shoot in so things have improved.) I really wanted good light, this is a non-issue. Typically, to love the Olympus system because it’s so it’s the landscape photographer who’s small and portable, but I just found I needed most concerned with the ability to make a bit more ISO ability for shooting action in huge prints, but landscape photographers low light. That being said, I have one friend are almost always shooting at base ISO who’s a full-time photo guide who has com- locked down on a tripod, so who cares how pletely stopped using his pro Canon gear the camera does at ISO 6400 compared to and says photography has “never been so other cameras? Worried about the nar- much fun” now that he’s using the Olympus rower dynamic range of smaller sensors? system. There’s really something to be said Again, if you’re shooting landscapes on a for how good and small the lenses are in tripod, you’re likely already for the Olympus system, especially for a wild- HDR in high-contrast scenes, making this life photographer who can now handhold another non-issue. a 600mm f/4-equivalent lens no problem. For me, it’s when I’m shooting wildlife, For my needs, I’ve found the APS-C sys- sports or assignments where I have to pro- tems to be the sweet spot in terms of image duce quality images no matter how bad the quality versus weight and cost savings. I’ve light that I appreciate the edge full frame been shooting the Sony a6500 alongside gives me. the Fujifilm X-T3 in an effort to figure out At this point, the smaller formats have which system is right for me. While the Sony replaced my full-frame system for some of is a bit smaller and has a better buffer, the the projects I shoot and for nearly all of my Fujifilm has far better lens offerings. The personal work. When I do a backpacking Fujifilm is also newer and thus has a better trip or ski tour, I always end up choosing , but the big buffer of the Sony

56 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com outdoorphotographer.com October 2019 57 This sunset image was taken during one of my Alaskan Eagle workshops. While not of an eagle, I was testing the dynamic range of Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. I found it to be quite impressive from such a small sensor. The image might have been a little sharper if I had shot it with my 45-megapixel D850, but that being said, it still looks great, and I have sold several prints of this image in sizes up to 20x30 inches and been more than happy.

tems, both Olympus and Panasonic are offering solid lens collections. In APS- C, Fujifilm is really the only company offering a full range of professional-level lenses to meet nearly every need. Yes, Sony, as well as Canon and Nikon, offer great APS-C sensor cameras, but none of them has a selection of lenses to match their full-frame lens lines, especially the fast primes. Depending on your style of work, the lack of specific lenses in a sys- tem could be a deal breaker. No matter what you decide, today is a new world in terms of cameras. There’s no question that mirrorless is the future and likely most of us will be shooting exclu- sively mirrorless cameras within the next few years. But choosing a sensor size to bring you into that new world is a tougher decision. For me, as a working professional, I’ll continue to pay more and carry extra weight in exchange for any edge my cam- era system can give me, but I can say that after spending a couple of months shooting is a plus for some of what I shoot. I use to editors, and I know two full-time adven- the Nikon Z mirrorless cameras this 2018 Grand Prize Winner by Alan Krakauer the Sony a6500 in a waterproof Salty Surf ture photographers who, in order to save spring, I’m 100 percent convinced I’ve Housing for assignment work shooting raft- weight, are just using the Sony a6500 and bought my last full-frame DSLR. ing. I’ve made prints from both cameras up sometimes even the latest Sony RX100 When choosing your next camera, ask The natural world is filled with magnificent that take our to 20x30 inches and have been blown away fixed-lens camera—with its relatively small yourself these questions: Are you willing breath away. Capturing that beauty in just the right way can lead to with their quality when shot at low ISO and 1-inch sensor—for their work, which is to pay the costs to have the absolute best some extraordinary photography, and so Outdoor Photographer is Presented By good glass. While your mileage may vary published worldwide. image quality on the market, or have we and everyone’s quality threshold is different, reached a point where your image quality excited to present the annual Nature’s Colors photo contest. Submit coming from the days of 35mm slide film The Best Camera For You needs are met and it’s more about ease of your best photography showcasing the beauty of nature’s colors for and early digital cameras, everything today So how do you decide? With all the sen- use and making photography fun? Is that a chance to be published in Outdoor Photographer and win other is a major step up. sor formats being so good, I wouldn’t full-frame or even medium-format camera In fact, I’d argue that for most photog- actually make sensor size my No. 1 deter- really worth the extra hassle of lugging it great prizes provided by our sponsors. raphers today, the gains by moving up to mining factor when choosing to invest in into the field, or will something smaller do full frame aren’t worth the extra cost and a system. I’d decide how good is good the trick? In the end, we all know the best weight. I’d even go so far as to say unless enough in terms of image quality and camera is the one you’re willing to carry to Contest deadline is November 30, 2019. you’re peeping on the computer, you then look more broadly at the lenses and the most locations. OP might not even be able tell the differences accessories being offered with the sys- in the files when printing unless you’re tem. Do you do a lot of TTL work? making huge prints. I have no worries about Do you need a long for See more of Josh Miller’s work at For complete contest details and to enter visit sending files from any of these formats wildlife? In their Micro Four Thirds sys- joshmillerphotography.com. outdoorphotographer.com/naturescolors 58 Outdoor Photographer outdoorphotographer.com

OPH 1908 Natures Colors Photo Contest_Final.indd 2 7/8/19 11:42 AM