Does It Matter? How to evaluate the advantages of full-frame versus smaller sensors when choosing a camera Text & Photography By Josh Miller oes sensor size really matter any- A Camera Is More Than Nikon and Sony 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 cameras 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 view camera 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 tripod 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 tilt/ Bottom: This image from Tuolumne shift lens to control the depth of field. 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 Nikon D850 (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 bracketing 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 viewfinder, 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.