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02-28-2018, 07:02 PM   #1
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Do DA lenses crop?

Hello. New member/user question. I understand that an older film lens will "crop" the scene because my K5 receptor is smaller than a 35mm film frame. Does scene cropping still occur when I use my DA lens? I read they were specifically made for the smaller sensor. Thank you.

02-28-2018, 07:25 PM - 1 Like   #2
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Technically, it's not really the lens that does the cropping so much as it's the camera. The camera's sensor only records the light coming from the lens that falls within the sensor's boundaries. The rest of the light projected by the lens into the camera gets "cropped" by the various black tidbits inside the camera.

The size of the scene recorded on a K5 with a 50 mm full frame film lens will be the same regardless as with a DA 50 mm lens.
02-28-2018, 07:33 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by JEM068 Quote
I read they were specifically made for the smaller sensor.
What is meant by this is the size of the image from the lens will only cover a crop sensor. If you were to use them on a 35mm film camera or a full frame camera, the circular image projected by the lens would most likely get cut off or darkened around the corners resulting in vignetting.
02-28-2018, 07:46 PM   #4
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Most DA lenses only cover the crop sensor. A few officially cover the 35mm FF sensor (DA* 200 and 300 and DA 560), and a few more cover it pretty well (e.g., DA 40 Limited, DA 70 Limited, and several more). The DA 55-300 (non-PLM) almost covers the FF sensor. Most other zooms are nowhere near it (e.g., 18-135, 16-85, etc).

02-28-2018, 08:00 PM   #5
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I hope this helps

The way I was able to understand the difference is as follows:

print a photograph taken with the " full size " sensor

now take a portion off the top and bottom of that print

take a portion off the sides of that print

the resulting " cropped photo " is what you would have if you had used the same lens to capture the scene using the smaller aps-c sensor


Full Frame Sensor vs Crop Sensor: Which is Right For You?

Crop Factor Explained

______________________

your lens allows a circular pattern of light to hit the camera's sensor

if your camera has the larger rectangular sensor " full frame " you get more of the circular light on it - a larger image

if your camera has the smaller rectangular sensor " aps-c " you get less of the circular light on it - a smaller image

____________________________________________________________________________


Pentax K-1 Lens Compatibility Guide
https://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/photo-articles/pentax-k-1-lens-compatibility-guide.html


DA lenses on Full Frame: Test Shots thread

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/54-pentax-lens-articles/31629-da-lenses-...#ixzz58Skzv6UB

Last edited by aslyfox; 02-28-2018 at 08:07 PM.
02-28-2018, 08:23 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by JEM068 Quote
Hello. New member/user question. I understand that an older film lens will "crop" the scene because my K5 receptor is smaller than a 35mm film frame. Does scene cropping still occur when I use my DA lens? I read they were specifically made for the smaller sensor. Thank you.
Hi Jem,

You should check out the last of the links Aslyfox provides above ... it is the result of real-life testing and grading of the DA lenses on 'full frame'.

I use many DA lenses on my K-1 and Sony A7.
02-28-2018, 10:38 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by JEM068 Quote
Hello. New member/user question. I understand that an older film lens will "crop" the scene because my K5 receptor is smaller than a 35mm film frame. Does scene cropping still occur when I use my DA lens? I read they were specifically made for the smaller sensor. Thank you.
Focal length is focal length; it doesn't matter if you have a DA or FA 50mm lens, for example- both deliver the same field of view.

The Crop Factor Unmasked - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

Also, you can put all of this to rest if you get a K-1, which has the same size sensor as film


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02-28-2018, 11:51 PM   #8
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Photoptomist said it in the first reply. The camera does the cropping because of its smaller sensor.

Whether or not the lens in question covers the full frame is irrelevant if you're shooting a crop camera.

As Adam said; focal length is focal length.
03-01-2018, 06:01 AM   #9
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G'day and welcome to the forums. I think the question you asked has been answered already, so instead of throwing my 2 bob in as well I thought I'd share my experience in two sensor sizes with a DA lens.

These two images were shot using the same DA 70mm f2.4 LTD lens but one image was captured on the K5, the other the K-1.





This is a lens specifically optimised for a sensor like that in the K5, but as far as I'm concerned it's a great lens regardless of the sensor size. Sure the field of view is wider on the K-1 and it vignettes wide open but so do my Zeiss lenses. And it's a look I'm quite partial to so it sits in my bag with the six Zeiss lenses as when it's the right tool for the job that's the lens I pick.

Tas
03-06-2018, 03:43 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
Most DA lenses only cover the crop sensor. A few officially cover the 35mm FF sensor (DA* 200 and 300 and DA 560), and a few more cover it pretty well (e.g., DA 40 Limited, DA 70 Limited, and several more). The DA 55-300 (non-PLM) almost covers the FF sensor. Most other zooms are nowhere near it (e.g., 18-135, 16-85, etc).
If you read the small print, Pentax doesn't even guarantee image quality. It's just that the K1 happens to correct for CA outside of the APSC crop area for these lenses.

photoptimist did answer it perfectly.
Tas: beautiful examples. Wonderful work.

Last edited by torashi; 03-06-2018 at 03:53 PM.
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