[VoiceOfReason]

I see all these threads about full frame (or lack thereof) and have wondered why does everyone want one so badly? The reason I ask is that if a K5 has a sensor that beats out some DxOmark, and there is good glass out there, and the picture quality is awesome, then what does it matter if it gets the job done and does it well? I am genuinely curious about that. What are the advantages of full frame?

[Deimos]

relevant username

[causey]

Depth of field--the same reason why we want expensive, fast glass.

[Ash]

And the brilliant viewfinder.
Both reasons are enough to want one.
But you can do the job just fine on an APS-C camera...

[joe.penn]

Speed, Speed, And More Speed. If you ever investigate the speed performance of the D3S you will quickly see why FF is so wanted... (sorry @Ash, you ain't doing on a cropped what the D3S does)

[JohnBee]

Depth of field--the same reason why we want expensive, fast glass.

And don't forget IQ also.
I've found "most" FF samples to handle sharpening much better than APS-C in terms of degradation and artifacts at low ISO.

[eddie1960]

For me it is the big bright OVF first and foremost. DOF possibilities are nice but not as big a deal for me. better wide angle possibilities also appeal to me but there has been big improvement in that area since i bought my ds and DA14. (though to be able to shoot some of my old wide glass as wide would be nice)

And taking sensor grade to sensor grade the comparison now is K5/D7000 to D800. that tech moving to FF really changed the game. I saw 6 foot prints from my cousins D800 last week at a show he just opened (he got it just in time for the last couple of shots in the show the others were all D3 shots). Damn impressive I have to say

[Blue]

And the brilliant viewfinder.
Both reasons are enough to want one.
But you can do the job just fine on an APS-C camera...

Also add F.O.V. to this list, for example with a K 15/3.5 on a full frame compared to a DA 15 LTD on a K-5.

[blackcloudbrew]

Forget all the technical reasons. We want FF cameras so that all of our Canikon friends will 1) bow down before us, 2) allow Popular Photography to publish articles about how Pentax is a professional camera maker, and most importantly 3) give us new material to complain about how Pentax isn't giving us the FF camera we REALLY wanted. I think that about covers it.

[kenafein]

It probably won't be until the end of the life cycle of the D800 that APS-C again catches up to the IQ of the current generation full frame cameras. I think now is the time to go full frame if you're going to do it. This is why it would have been smart for Pentax to jump into the game now to keep people from switching. I am satisfied with my K-5's quality however.

[joe.penn]

and most importantly 3) give us new material to complain about how Pentax isn't giving us the FF camera we REALLY wanted.

[jsherman999]

I see all these threads about full frame (or lack thereof) and have wondered why does everyone want one so badly? The reason I ask is that if a K5 has a sensor that beats out some DxOmark, and there is good glass out there, and the picture quality is awesome, then what does it matter if it gets the job done and does it well? I am genuinely curious about that. What are the advantages of full frame?

It's been answered many, many, many times, but the biggest reasons are...

1) More DOF control with available lenses (Ex: 50mm f/2 on FF == about 33mm f/1.2 on aps-c)
2) Better noise/ISO performance
3) Usually better AF/metering (comes with the better bodies, not tied to the sensor size)
4) Bigger VF


Most people who don't care about FF don't care because they feel #'s 1-4 above are good enough with their existing aps-c bodies, or because they would like those areas improved but the cost of FF doesn't make the improvements worth it to them.


.

[blackcloudbrew]

Most people who don't care about FF don't care because #'s 1-4 above are 'good enough' with their existing aps-c bodies, or because they would like those areas improved but the cost of FF doesn't make the improvements worth it to them.

Amen to that! +1

[RonHendriks1966]

Better performance at iso 6400!

[RioRico]

1) Gives us an excuse to keep those pre-DA lenses.
2) So that our <30mm lenses are really WIDE.
3) So we can overcome our Canikony envy.
4) And everything already mentioned.