Is Full-Frame Better Than APS-C? The Annoying Truth People Often Don’t Believe

Absolute best Comparison Video I have seen so far!

The one thing you missed that I wish you addressed is the fact that full frame cameras from 2016 - 2018 are not that far off from aps-c cameras that came out this year aps-c cameras that came out in the year of 2024 2022 2023 has better autofocus has better color science they even have better read out speeds and awesome new AI features and when comparing low light to the a6700 comparing it to the Sony a73 the low light capabilities of the 8700 comparing a full frame camera from 2018 is really not that far from each other.

Because of newer technology full frame as well as aps-c cameras have advanced in their capabilities but it seems like that's the one thing people tend to forget

apsc cameras are better than apsc cameras?!?!?!

Brilliant vid and well explained 🤙

Yes. Full frame, blows the doors off crop sensors in low light. There's no comparison. When I upgraded, I went from a new crop to a 10 year old full frame, and the old full frame, made the new crop seem like a child's toy in low light. Bright days, close, but indoors or nighttime, FAR superior results. Don't let anyone tell you they're close......They're not.

I work as a model and a lot of photographers use apsc

Brilliant video Curtis 👏🏼

Hey I am about the buy the a6700 and I am still thinking about which lense to get. Which lense would you guys suggest more the Sony 16-55mm or the Tamron 17-70mm? I am leaning more to the Tamron, however i heard that a lot of people have issues with the VC stabilization of the lense combined with the IBIS of the camera. Any suggestions from experts?

I really wish I saw this video when I didn't know all this stuff, great explanation for everything in meticulous detail

I chose Sony FE cameras; a7cll & a74, w both fast glass in both crop & full frame lenses. It walks for me! RW

Ehm you reálky dont get it xD all wrong especialy with thatcrop mode

Good video, but I am pretty sure the resolution to low light performance has been debunked. The only reason 61MP is viewed to have "worse" low light performance is because it's a larger image and when you zoom into the image you're gonna see more noise. But if you scale the images from lets say the a7iv and a7rv to be the same exact size, the noise will end up being almost identical, which in the example that you showed the noise was almost identical.

FF are way better than crop. I only shoot in low light, with a Sony A1 and Lumix S5iiX. I usually use a 1.2-1.4 primes. I shoot in 8k and 6k so no crop camera can produce that kind of resolution without being down sampled.

Nice video, well filmed, nice pics and set as always. But there are dozens oh these online, and no one add nothing, sorry to say.

Also, I want to say it clear: yes, full frame always produce more blurred background, in real life. I don’t know why you creators keep publishing this “same lens different cameras” test for the bokeh. You tell me why do I want to know that a crop photo has the same bokeh but simply zoomed 1,5x, if in order to obtain the same framed subject I will have to step back and reduce the bokeh? Take a foto with equivalent focal length, that will be a useful test: 85mm full frame vs 56 apsc. You creators keep ignoring the most important thing, other than iris, that affect the bokeh, i.e. REPRODUCTION RATIO, which is how big the image is projected on the sensor. Stop, you don’t need other information. No focal length, no distance from the subject needed in this concept. Repeat with me: to make the subject equally framed, with an apsc sensor you have to step back, that will decrease the projection of the image on the sensor and the background will be less blurred. That’s it.
Dimensions is another supposed apsc pro. Well, if you have to multiply x1,5 focal length, aperture and iso, don’t even try to tell me a crop 56/1,4 is smaller than a ff 85/1.4, the first one has the bokeh of a fare equivalent 85/2,1, and the full frame world is full of 85/2 small as crop 56/1,4, and cost even less.
I really don’t see one advantage in apsc, if not the used market of 10 years old mirrorless such a bunch of canon M, Sony 5000/6000s and old fujis.

Is apsc enough for 90% of needs? Probably, but stop trying to justify technical inferiority. I’m not talk il to you directly, Curtis.
And I’m leaving out the noise problem, at least you didn’t try to convince your audience that 1,4 on full frame is 1,4 on apsc equally. I appreciate that, but instead of doing every creators the same apsc vs ff video, that’s a missed opportunity to make some real education. Maybe next time. Cheers

for an apsc camera, a full frame lens and an apsc lens would be the same?

Thank you for this very detailed explanation Curtis

Love this bro. Got my a6400 bc I saw how much you loved it. It hasn’t disappointed me with how I’ve learned to use it💯 love your vibes and love and passion for the game bro 🫶🏽

At last a comprehensive comparison! Only one question left: does a 1.3EV of dynamic range advantage matter (something like an a6400 vs an A7c)?

I'm so frustrated with this/my idea of changing my a7 III setup to a a6700 setup. I usually use the Sony 40mm 2.5 G lens for at compact setup, which is what I'm attracted to.

I am both concerned about the DoF with the Sigma 23mm 1.4, and it's low-light performance as I shoot a lot of indoors family photos as well.

The a6700 will still be more expensive, so should I just wait a bit and buy an used a7C II? I'm not ISO-scared nor a bokeh-holic, but I do like it smooth.

I know the difference will be small but at some point I need to make a decision whether I want to stay FF or switch to APS-C.

Any comments?

I spy with my eye ...York. When is that video coming out?

Man, this video really does 3 things for me: 1, you clearly explained the differences between APS-C and FF. 2, you showed clear examples of each - thanks!

and 3, the Lego Polaroid cartridge earned the sub :D

I shot with a Sony ZV-1 for a year, Nikon Z30 for a year, and now have a Canon R6II... and they're all "tools to get the job done" - not that I'm getting paid, but they each have clear use cases for me. Glass is SO important - and this is where the APS-Cs get it wrong, IMO. The manufacturers put slow/cheap glass on them, and it really shows in the final result. I am SO HAPPY with my R6II photos when compared directly with my Nikon. And IBIS... what a boon for walking & talking.

FWIW, I bought the R6II with the 24-105 F4 USM lens. I may never need another lens for that camera.

The timing of this video is very apt for me. I use Micro Four Thirds as my main system as it has proven to be a low cost way of getting those pro features (dual card slots, rugged build and amazing lenses) without spending a fortune. However, as I want to use my vintage lenses as intended and to occasionally be able to get that full frame look without jumping through hoops, I have also just bought a first gen Sony A7S. It was cheaper than the required speed boosters and the amazing low light performance was appealing (hence my choosing the lower mega-pixel sensor). It was nice to have some confirmation bias.

If you don’t do video, get a Sony a6600, and save your money for lenses — like the excellent Tamron 35 - 150.

Thanks for the great video! Super informative. Appreciate the extra effort it must have taken to put this together.

I got fed up with carrying around a heavy full-frame DSLR, and moved to micro four thirds a few years ago. I had found that I was carrying around a sophisticated compact camera rather than my DSLR, and I was doing just as well (if not better) in camera club competitions with images taken on the compact camera. So I decided to move to micro four thirds, which had a fairly similar sensor size to my compact camera, but which had interchangeable lenses.

Because micro four thirds lenses are designed for the smaller sensor size, they are much smaller and lighter than lenses that can cover a full frame sensor.

I have no problem with image quality using my micro four thirds setup, and it is much lighter for travel, walking and just doing observational photography.

I have no regrets from downsizing.

I'm about to purchase my first a6700 body right now. I do outdoor photography. Which lens would y'all recommend?

It was really helpful tips. Thank you ❤

What a great video! Thanks

The a6700 is the best apec camera out now. I love mine especially for travel. Zero shots out of focus. Colors are beautiful. Grip is better than my A7CR.

I got a A7 R IV together with a Tamron 28F2.8 to 200F5.6 and a Viltrox 16F1.8. I did not find a more versatile combination.

Since i have 60MP it has kind of a built in APS-C with 24 MP when i crop with 1.58. Or 15MP if i crop to MFT.

The A7R IV together with the 28-200 weights 1.24kg.

The A6700 weights around 170g less. But i dont know if it is as ergonomic. And the Lens Choice must be worse since you cant use the full potential of FF lenses.

The Sony FF are kind of small for FF Bodys so i dont think its that big of a deal. Also you could get a Alpha 7CR.

So if you got the money.. why not go Full Frame? Its an honest question!

Besides that. Software is king. I dont know how much better the newer APS-C are in that department. I guess the A7 R V should be good since it has the newer menu (in the hope it is really better then the old ones of A7 III and A7 R IV and older).

Whats really important for me is a fast AF and a good Eye-AF. The R V can switch between animals and Persons automaticly and also finds the eye if it is not visible. Such features are very important. Or the minimal shutter Time option which older Cameras like the A7 II lack of. Or even an FTP feature or something similiar. My A7 R IV luckily has most features i can think of.. but the menu is very overfilled and could rwally be improved.

A6700 for the win

Great review Curtis👏🏻 my main camera, Sony A7 IV and Bcam Sony FX30

Very good explanation, I already think it is but no one did that explanation about depth of field and blur. 50mm on FF will behave as 50mm in apsc. Using 35mm lens on apsc to achieve same field of view of 50mm lens on FF change image proportions.

Suggest me as a begginer for photography

A7III + 24-70 f/2.8 g master
A6700 + Sony 16-55 mm f/2.8 G or sigma 18-50 F2.8
A6400 + ?
Canon R8 + ?

Thanks

Salve do Brasil. Tenho uma Sony A6400 e só uso lente Full Frame. Gosto do resultado. Abraços

Love the Video and your way at looking at the Camera's. Keep it up.!

Oh my! Perfect film for me. I use micro 4/3 system and I've been thinking about upgrading for some time. At first I wanted to go full frame but I'm afraid it will be too heavy, I'll be angry and in the end the camera will gather dust on the shelf. I'm not a professional, I take photos as a hobby. And now I'm starting to think more and more about a6700...

There's no perfect camera?:( but..

All i want is the perfect camera... 🔊🎵🎶👽

Thanks for a brilliant analysis of this subject Curtis. I am happy with my Fuji X-T30 APSc camera but was wondering about buying full frame. In truth it is the weight and bulk of the lenses that put me off buying full frame and I wondered if better lenses on APSc would be just as good as spending out on full frame. I think you have answered that question for me. I'm only an enthusiast and an old one at that, so will maybe spend on another APSc camera and/or lenses instead. Regards.

most of sony's apsc line are so crippled in terms of features that any advantage is mute, same with canon. But the fx30 and a6700 are a step in the right direction. For a long time the camera companies themselves have thrown apsc to the wayside, and it isn't really the consumers' fault for thinking it was way worse, when it's only technically slightly worse.

amazing video

The Annoying Truth People Often Don’t Believe - YES, it is better. The real question is: does it matter to you.

This maybe the best video explaining the topic, thank you so much for this

Asked this myself today. Thanks for this video.
In germany everybody (from what i know) says "i got my 50 millimeter lens with me",
i like that a lot of english speaking people say "i got my 50 mill lens with me" 😎

Thanks for video. Good arguments and defending the APSC. Still hearing dont buy a6700 its not fullframe ...

I got an a7iv because sony didnt have a hybrid APS-C camera with 10 bit video at the time. I enjoy it now but if the a6700 was out at the time i probably would have got that instead.

Skill is the difference lol. Hand me the most expensive full frame you can think of, hand an aps-c to a pro. Watch me butcher full-frame photos.