Crop Factor

**ebooks4pentax** · 06-27-2008, 11:47 PM

I had a threqad about this a while back. It's still available on my blog...Pentax DSLRs: APS-C versus Full-Frame. What's the deal?

KungPOW · 06-28-2008, 12:01 AM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

Out of curiosity, what is the "crop factor" of a DA70mm LTD? Or a DA14mm, or a DA 12-24, or a 21mm LTD, or the DA200 and 300 mm lenses. They aren't usable on 35mm, so why reference back to that format.

Sure you can use these lenses on FF, you just need to crop out the center...

Oh wait a minute...

lithos · 06-28-2008, 01:20 AM

Man, if this is circuitous attempt to deride a full fra- er, 36 x 24mm sensor* it's not a very good one.

If you take the amount of film formats sold, and mulitply it by the number of years those formats were available...well, you'd get a very big number. A number that would serve to indicate the popularity of the format.

I'd be willing to bet that 35mm would have the biggest number of all.

Y'see, that's why they reference back to 35mm. Because that's what most of the people who shot photos, back in the day when digital imaging was you got when your thumb got stuck in front of the lens, used.

So this "crop factor" is there to help giving people - the majority of people, I'd say - who used film an idea of what to expect when they look through a viewfinder.

In fact, given that most of us are used to using focal length to judge the field of view (and other factors) a lens gives us, this is the easiest way to explain to us what lenses give us what image.

Democracy's a bitch, ain't it, but so's modernism.

*Lithos apologises for nearly mentioning the epithet "full frame" in this post. He understands that the term "full frame" is a derogatory and offensive that somehow implies the APS-C sensor format is inferior in terms of angle-of-view for a lens of a given focal length. There is no need to insult the sensor and hurt its feelings like that.**

**Because there're better ways of doing it.***

***Like mentioning the levels of sensor noise.†

†Look, just call it the APS-C format, as it's the same size as APS film, which as we know, has long and proud...tradition...that was immensely...popular...and...and...and...ah, never mind.

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06-27-2008, 11:47 PM	#31
ebooks4pentax Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 464	I had a threqad about this a while back. It's still available on my blog...Pentax DSLRs: APS-C versus Full-Frame. What's the deal?

06-28-2008, 12:01 AM	#32
KungPOW Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,699	Originally posted by Wheatfield Out of curiosity, what is the "crop factor" of a DA70mm LTD? Or a DA14mm, or a DA 12-24, or a 21mm LTD, or the DA200 and 300 mm lenses. They aren't usable on 35mm, so why reference back to that format. Sure you can use these lenses on FF, you just need to crop out the center... Oh wait a minute...

06-28-2008, 01:20 AM	#33
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Man, if this is circuitous attempt to deride a full fra- er, 36 x 24mm sensor* it's not a very good one. If you take the amount of film formats sold, and mulitply it by the number of years those formats were available...well, you'd get a very big number. A number that would serve to indicate the popularity of the format. I'd be willing to bet that 35mm would have the biggest number of all. Y'see, that's why they reference back to 35mm. Because that's what most of the people who shot photos, back in the day when digital imaging was you got when your thumb got stuck in front of the lens, used. So this "crop factor" is there to help giving people - the majority of people, I'd say - who used film an idea of what to expect when they look through a viewfinder. In fact, given that most of us are used to using focal length to judge the field of view (and other factors) a lens gives us, this is the easiest way to explain to us what lenses give us what image. Democracy's a bitch, ain't it, but so's modernism. Lithos apologises for nearly mentioning the epithet "full frame" in this post. He understands that the term "full frame" is a derogatory and offensive that somehow implies the APS-C sensor format is inferior in terms of angle-of-view for a lens of a given focal length. There is no need to insult the sensor and hurt its feelings like that.* Because there're better ways of doing it.* ***Like mentioning the levels of sensor noise.† †Look, just call it the APS-C format, as it's the same size as APS film, which as we know, has long and proud...tradition...that was immensely...popular...and...and...and...ah, never mind.