APS-C or Full Frame?

[Pepe-Lepue]

It will go FF in a hurry if Sony release a NEX FF, prices are dropping fast, and now there are small ones for cheaper than ever before. Sony might use this as a wedge against DSLRs which cannot be reduced much more. All the new FF lenses are designed for beautiful bokeh on FF, a huge difference. Very few prime lenses are made for APS-C, it is seen by makers as a transition/entry format. You learn to see the differences over time, just as with MF after FF - an easy drawing style with better tonality and (generally) DR. It is very nice to use lenses just as the designer intended, like a full anything, not 2/3 of anything.

Are you forgetting the significant increase in cost of glass... And weight?

I don't think there's much difference between the Touit lenses you prefer and the current FE prime lineup. If one is really concerned about the cost/size of glass, then m4/3 is a better option. Lots of primes that are small, sharp and fast to focus.

Really, the quality of cameras available today is laughable. So few limitations can be chalked up to gear...a 24mp A6000 for $600 CDN? It's crazy that one can get IQ like that for a price like that. Adding a few Sony or a Zeiss prime(s) can yield a pretty stellar kit for not a lot of cash, especially if one looks around on their local Craigslist. The IQ I get from my A7 which I paid $1300 CDN for new is so very impressive. A great time to be a photographer.

 

[Dave Sanders]

Agreed! Considering I paid a mere $920 for my two Zeiss lenses and a shanty $650 for my A6000, I'm not sure where I could go wrong. This is unheard of!

You got in on that spectacular Touit deal...congrats! It's really amazing to think of what you've got in your kit bag for under $1600. A small kit bag at that, too...

I already had the SEL 24

Another outstanding lens.

I do often think about going 4/3. But I think the bargain for these Zeiss lenses kept me in the Sony system along with the stellar A6000 auto focus system.

Tough to give up what you've got, really...that's a great kit you've assembled. I'm thinking I might add an A6000 to my A7.

 

[Mike Fewster]

I rather like Zack Arias' take on it: http://petapixel.com/2014/07/28/cro...-world-look-at-the-crop-vs-full-frame-debate/
Enjoy

There is no doubt that (most) top end audio gear is better. But, for each small increment of improvement as you get better gear, the cost rises exponentially. Whether the improvement is worth the additional cost depends (snobbery aside) on the taste and pocket of the user and the use they have for the stuff. Exquisite sound in a very large room requires different gear to a smaller room. If you are going to show your pictures at post card size or at up to say A4, you have very different needs to someone who is doing large prints. Like audio, every small increases in IQ costs proportionally more. The advantages of ff over aspc are exactly the same. Some will never use, notice or need the advantages available from FF. For others, it is worth every cent.

 

[Mike Fewster]

I rather like Zack Arias' take on it: http://petapixel.com/2014/07/28/cro...-world-look-at-the-crop-vs-full-frame-debate/
Enjoy

another thread currently running on the Sony rx forum

Loading…

www.dpreview.com

 

[Jesper Frickmann]

It will go FF in a hurry if Sony release a NEX FF, prices are dropping fast, and now there are small ones for cheaper than ever before. Sony might use this as a wedge against DSLRs which cannot be reduced much more. All the new FF lenses are designed for beautiful bokeh on FF, a huge difference. Very few prime lenses are made for APS-C, it is seen by makers as a transition/entry format. You learn to see the differences over time, just as with MF after FF - an easy drawing style with better tonality and (generally) DR. It is very nice to use lenses just as the designer intended, like a full anything, not 2/3 of anything.

Some of us will stay with APS-C because of the smaller and lighter camera and lenses, and because we have already invested in good lenses for APS-C. But otherwise, I agree with you.

 

[GaryW]

...."I've always wanted to work in this genre, but my APSC sensor was never up to the task. Now that I'm using a full frame sensor my camera can get the detail/speed/sensitivity/etc. that I need. Here's an example."

For example:


Keepin' time.

I'm interested in getting into music photography. The lighting can be really dim. With the 50mm fully open at f1.8, I was already up at 3200 at 1/60. I think the in focus parts of this photo would have been crisper if it had been shot at 1/125 or even 1/250, but then I either have to underexpose or contend with a lot of noise. Already at 3200 it seems like the A6000 is getting pushed over the edge. Maybe full frame or a different sensor would have given me the extra head room to bump up the speed.

Yes, you'll get another stop to work with, maybe more, with FF. Whether or not it is worth it for you is your choice. Since you want to make use of your current equipment, I'd suggest try using higher ISO along with RAW. With care in processing, you can probably get better results than you think. And try just leaving some noise in the photo. I know past cameras were pretty awful at high ISO, but when I use software other than Sony's, I can get a bit more fine grain, which I think is pleasant. Having said that, I guess I don't go over 3200 often.

MFNR is a good idea. (AMB also can work.)

Also, there's focus to contend with. The A6000 does okay with the Sony 50mm on auto focus. Just okay. Sometimes I'd rather manual focus, but the lens is not good for manual focus on the fly. I don't imagine the 55mm is much better for manual focus, and the A7 may be worse for auto focus. That's not really a sensor size issue, per se, except when looking at manual focus lenses.

****

That's not absurd. It's the most logical way to demonstrate the efficacy of a camera for a particular photo. Isn't it? I thought that was one of the key points of the video that spawned this entire discussion, that talking about specs in a vacuum is what's absurd.

If anyone has input on how to get more out of the A6000 for concert photography, or if you think I'm just barking up the wrong tree trying to use that camera for these kinds of photos, I'm interested in hearing the feedback and seeing examples that show the concepts.

Thanks.

--
Gary W.