Full Frame vs Crop Sensor (APS-C) Explained
Sensor size is the biggest difference between cameras. A full frame sensor is 36 × 24 mm, like 35mm film; APS-C "crop" sensors are about 1.5–1.6 times smaller.
Updated 10 November 2026
What a crop sensor means
A crop sensor sees a narrower view, so a 50mm lens looks like about 75–80mm. That helps for sport and wildlife but makes wide angles harder.
Why full frame costs more
Bigger sensors are cleaner in low light and give more background blur, but bodies and lenses cost more and weigh more.
APS-C cameras to consider
Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera, Sony Alpha a6700 Mirrorless Camera, Fujifilm X-T5 Mirrorless Camera, Nikon Z50II Mirrorless Camera. See APS-C mirrorless cameras.
Full frame cameras to consider
Canon EOS RP Full Frame Mirrorless Camera (budget), Sony Alpha a7 III Full Frame Mirrorless Camera, Sony Alpha a7 IV Full Frame Mirrorless Camera, Canon EOS R6 Mark II Full Frame Mirrorless Camera, Nikon Z5II Full Frame Mirrorless Camera. See full frame mirrorless cameras.
Other sensor sizes
Micro Four Thirds (Panasonic Lumix G, OM System) is smaller than APS-C; medium format (Fujifilm GFX, Hasselblad) is bigger than full frame. CCTV and phone sensors are much smaller.
