Camera
Sensor Size Comparison
Visual side-by-side of sensor sizes from Super 16 to full frame and larger.
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
How to use
- Pick a sensor format to compare against full frame.
- See the two drawn to scale, nested together.
- Read the area, crop factor and diagonal for the format you chose.
Examples
- Super 35 sits noticeably inside full frame, the classic cinema crop.
- Micro Four Thirds captures a quarter of full-frame area, which deepens depth of field at the same framing.
- Medium format extends beyond full frame for a wider, shallower look.
Frequently asked questions
Why does sensor size matter?
It sets how much a lens crops, the depth of field at a given framing, and the low-light headroom. Bigger sensors give shallower focus and cleaner shadows at the same exposure.
What is crop factor?
It is the ratio of the full-frame diagonal to the sensor diagonal. Multiply a lens by it to get the full-frame-equivalent framing on that sensor.
Is a bigger sensor always better?
Not always. Larger sensors need larger, costlier lenses and give less depth of field, which can make focus harder. The right size depends on the look and the job.
