Crop vs. full frame sensor: how different cameras perform with the same lens

February 13, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic 26 Comments

A camera with a crop (APS-C) sensor and the one with a full frame sensor give different results with the same lens. It can sound abstract in theory before you actually see the results. Photographer Ilko Alexandroff created a comparison between APS-C body and a full frame body, using 85mm and 135mm lenses on both. So, from this video, you can see exactly how these lenses perform on a crop and on a full frame body, and how the combination of the camera and the lens affects the photo. It’s interesting to see the changes, and if you are still relatively new to this topic, you will find this very useful.

Gear

85mm lens on a full frame vs. crop body

The first comparison Ilko makes is with the 85 mm lens. He places them on a crop body first, the Canon EOS 70D, and then on the 1DX, which has a full frame sensor.

The settings are the same for both shots: aperture is wide open at f/1.8, ISO 100 and shutter speed 1/640. The distance between him and the model was the same as well.

The digital multiplier for Canon is 1.6, so the focal length of the 85mm lens on a crop body is actually 136mm. Here are the results of the photos with these two cameras and the 85mm:

135mm lens on a full frame vs. crop body

The next two camera-lens combinations to test include the 135mm lens on the full-frame and the crop body. Ilko starts off with the Canon EOS 70D. As this lens has f/2.0, he decreases the shutter speed for one-third of the stop to balance the settings with the previous shots. So, it’s f/2.0, ISO 100 and shutter speed 1/500.

With this lens on a crop body, you get about 216mm focal length. Therefore, you would need to stand pretty far from the model. These are the results:

85mm on a crop body vs. 135mm on a full frame body

The last comparison Ilko makes could be the most interesting to you if you are still making a decision between buying a camera with a full frame or a crop sensor. It includes the 70D with the 85mm lens and the 1DX with the 135mm lens. Considering the crop factor, these two lenses give almost the same focal length: 135mm on a full frame body and 136mm on a crop body. The focal length is almost identical, but it’s interesting to see the difference between the bokeh. And here are the results of this comparison:

I’m guessing you already know the difference between the crop and the full frame sensor in theory. But this comparison is a very practical and straightforward way to see and compare the results given by these lenses on different cameras.

So, will you opt for a crop or a full frame camera? Do you think the differences are significant in the third comparison?

[APS-C Crop Sensor vs. Full Frame Sensor DSLR comparison with 85mm & 135mm | Ilko Aleksandroff]

« 4+ tips for working with animals and kids on a film or photo shoot

How to use motion blur to create action »

jet

gratulations.. that must be video number 1.883.978 about this topic……
- Ken M
  
  You can’t have two decimal points, that that’s impossible.
  - MurTada
    
    but he were able to write it :D
  - Harris Spivack
    
    In other countries, they swap the decimal and comma, so I’m guessing jet may be from one of those countries.
  - Mike
    
    The legendary Ken M!
Renata Nigmann Buchko

Andy Brown, this should be helpful to you ;)
Anny Herbst

Sarah Woodworth Benson Krystal Marie Smith
Franco Ho

Why don’t use same lens but crop the photo (full frame body one)? Compare with two photo, the result will look like same. The 3rd testing is no not helpful.
Franco Ho

Why don’t use same lens but crop the photo (full frame body one)? Compare with two photo, the result will look like same. The 3rd testing is not helpful.
- pwoodyp
  
  Is that déjà vu or paramnesia?
Hector Macias

How bout you take a few steps back for the cropped sensor. Durrrrr
- Michael Turcotte
  
  Changing two or more things in an A/B test invalidates the results. It is such a shame that critical thinking skills and basic experimentation methods are no longer valued.
  
  Please stop saying the FOCAL length changes when it clearly does not. It is the ANGLE OF VIEW that changes.
Doug Birling

The woman in the 70D images is so much larger… that must be the better camera!
Chris Danner

Been following this youtuber for a couple of months. Just watched this video yesterday. He should do more english vids though.
Jyi Offer

Ugh… More “experts” saying the focal length magically changes when you use a crop sensor
It’s the same focal length!, the lens doesn’t change…the sensor just sees less of the same image ?
- Vernon Jacobs
  
  Exactly, I hate when people say a 50mm will act as an 85 on your crop sensor
Enne See

Crop for the enthusiasts, full frame for the pros (well, at least in many cases). I can live with that.
- Tamás Sinkó
  
  Skill and lights for the pros.
Caleb Polley

Will interesting Deak
Josh Galamgam

David Clicks
hansip

The point is, less DoF on crop sensor if the object is framed comparably (means with the same focal length lens on crop, the model should stand further to achieve the same framing, but that makes the lens to focus nearer to the background, hence less background blur)

That’s not the end of the day though for crop sensor owners, just adjust your distance with the model and (if able) the model with the background, and you can achieve pretty much 90% of the bokeh on what FF cam can do. Of course with FF you can achieve bokeh easier, but if on the budget, crop sensor can do it too.
john

If crop-sensor could perform even close to FF then why would companies make FF?
Mike

“so the focal length of the 85mm lens on a crop body is actually 136mm”

No, just, no. Stop repeating this idiotic statement. The focal length does not change. You just get a smaller picture with a smaller sensor.
- disqus_ixq9FSD3W8
  
  He should have added “equivalent” so shoot him. Hence the use of 135mm to compare. The 85mm on a cropped sensor produces the same or similar results to a 135mm on a full frame body, all other things being equal. I hate it when people are so technical they can’t see the forest for the trees.
Ernest

Sure, Full Frame is better, but if you want to zoom with any kind of magnification, it’s gonna cost alot more on the full frame than it will the Cropped. And the lenses are more with FF. And in general the costs are more with the FF. So, it comes down to budget.
Dave A

The greatest difference between these is the softness of the background between the 85 and 135 lenses. The 135 produced a softer BG than the 85 when shooting the subject at the same distance (the same composition essentially from the two different lenses and body combinations). This is as expected but helps show why use one format over the other.

One note, I noticed he changed lenses with the camera body in the grass! A great way to get crud and crawlies inside the camera!