Reader Ray asks:
I know you have many cameras: as a pro you need them, I understand that. But why do you have, or what’s the reason behind your thoughts for having, a crop camera when I am sure you have many full frame cameras. I would like to hear your the take on this, I know why I have a crop camera…lol
A-ha. A good question. Indeed, why do I ever shoot with a Canon 7D (1.6 crop factor, i.e. the sensor is 1.6 smaller than a 35mm negative), and a Canon 1D Mark IV (crop factor 1.3), rather than just using my top-of-the-range full-frame 1Ds Mark 3?
Well, there are several reasons.:
- Crop factor cameras make lenses appear longer. So a 200mm lens appears like a 320mm lens on the Canon 7D (200 x 1.6 = 320).
- I like lighter cameras… the 7D weighs half what the 1D weighs, and sometimes that is important. It is also smaller, which makes some types of photography, like street photography, easier.
- The 1D Mark IV is more modern. Sometimes you take the more modern camera because you need its functions.
- Sometimes you take a camera with fewer pixels like the 1D Mark IV, because it means smaller files.
- The 1D Mark IV is faster (10 frames per second, as opposed to 5 on the 1Ds and 8 on the 7D).
- Quite often, good enough is good enough.
I hope that explains that as with so many things in life, nothing is simple. Sensor size is not everything, just like pixels aren’t everything!
