What does full frame mean in camera lingo?
For instance I know the Nikon D3 shoots full frame. But what does this mean? Tell me everything you know about the term full frame, and then also a dummy definition! And if there's a link that you can post to an example of a picture taken with a full frame vs.without that would be helpful!
Full frame means that the image sensor is the same size as the exposed image on 35mm film.
The sensor is as large as the exposure on 35mm film.
here is a good picture:
the tiny one in the middle is your small point and shoot camera
the one on the right is most likely your beginner dSLR camera sensor size ($500~$800ish)
the one on top is the mid-range sensor size ($1000+)
the one on the left is your full size sensor that is, as I said before. Those sensors are much more expensive and are on the flagship cameras.
Full frame refers to any sort of full frame, which could mean there some cropping if there isn't full frame.
Full frame is always meant to describe the viewfinder, as some viewfinders on cheap dslr crop.
Nikon uses FX and DX.
FX refers to a 35mm sized sensor.
DX refers to a APS-C sized sensor.
There are other sensor sizes. Bigger is always better due to the Airy Spot or Disk Effect.
Unfortunately, its hard to decide because manufacturers don't publish defractions or dot pitches of their sensors…
Full Frame - your camera sensor size is 36×24 mm… So it called a Full Frame sensor camera…
A 35mm film frame measures 24mm x 36mm. A DSLR that is "full frame" has a sensor that measures 24mm x 36mm so its the same size as the 35mm film frame.
A DSLR that is not a "full frame" has a sensor that is smaller than the 35mm film frame and is called a "cropped sensor" camera. This smaller sensor introduces what's known as a "crop factor" of either 1.5x or 1.6x and this is used to determine the angle of view of a particular lens on a "cropped sensor" camera as compared to a 35mm film camera or "full frame" DSLR.
Suppose you own a 35mm film camera and have a 24mm lens for it and you also own a DSLR that can use the lens from your film camera. If your DSLR has a 1.5x "crop factor" your 24mm lens on the DSLR will have the same angle of view as a 36mm lens would on your 35mm film camera. Since there's no 36mm lens, I made the following examples using a 24mm lens and a 35mm lens on one of my film cameras. The camera was on a tripod and all that changed was the lens.
24mm:
35mm:
Note how much closer the trees appear when you compare the 35mm picture to the 24mm picture? Also, if you look at the little tree on the right of the 24mm picture you'll see that its missing in the 35mm one. The 24mm lens on a "full frame" DSLR would look exactly the same as my example taken with my 35mm film camera.
If you have to ask, then you don't need it.
Full Frame is the same size as film.
Read more here "Full Frame vs Crop Sensor" - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/01/full-frame-vs-crop-sensors.html
"Crop Factor Explained - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/01/crop-factor-explained.html
Good luck! The site has many more tutorials, tips, reviews and guides!
Here's a cheerful article that will help you (hate these snobs.) Rockwell is pretty good on other topics as well: