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A full frame sensor catches more photons, generally resulting in cleaner images. The most light sensitive cameras are all full frame (and larger).
by bufferoverflow 8y ago
A full frame sensor catches more photons, generally resulting in cleaner images. The most light sensitive cameras are all full frame (and larger).
- dingaling 8y agoThe images are only cleaner if the pixel size is larger. But then fine detail reduces. There's no magical bigger-sensor-better rule. For example the Canon 5DS full-frame has the same pixel size as the 7D2 cropper and very similar noise and ISO limits. The 5D4 full-frame has much lower noise but also 20MP less.
- dllu 8y agoYou are right that per-pixel noise mainly depends on pixel size (most digital cameras are shot noise limited at high ISO). However, we should be comparing images at the same size, rather than at 100% pixel crops. If you print the high resolution 5Ds images in the same size as the 5D4's, the noise will be finer and less distracting. You can also denoise and downsample the image to the same number of megapixels as the 5D4's and get a similar amount of noise per pixel. In this sense, a high resolution sensor with smaller pixels is always better because you get the freedom to have finer detail in bright light and still get clean images at lower resolution in dim light.