Crop factor ???

[mrdoug]

OK... am I the only one that's simply not getting the "Crop Factor" concept here?
What am I missing here? Why is this section sounding or reading like Chinease
hieroglyphics? I'm using a Nikon D200 which has a crop factor multiplier of 1.5.
Is there someone that can simply explain this differently than what I'm reading?

God bless you... I'll owe you!

Doug

[jonrayner]

I'll give it a go....
If you put a 100mm lens on a full frame camera, the the focal length would be 100mm. If you put the same lens on a cropped sensor, e.g. 1.5 crop then the equivilent focal length would be 150mm.
So in this example, a 100mm lens on a cropped sensor would 'see' the same shot as a 150mm lens on a full frame sensor.

Someone please correct if I am wrong, as I don't understand it as well!!

[coffee]

Here you go, this should explain it without too much confusion.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/crop-factor.htm

[mrdoug]

If you put a 100mm lens on a full frame camera, the the focal length would be 100mm. If you put the same lens on a cropped sensor, e.g. 1.5 crop then the equivilent focal length would be 150mm.
So in this example, a 100mm lens on a cropped sensor would 'see' the same shot as a 150mm lens on a full frame sensor.


Here you go, this should explain it without too much confusion.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/crop-factor.htm

Thank you very much. Your responses make things MUCH clearer!

[dkippen]

mrdoug - I've read that 50 times and I still don't get it!! But then it takes me forever to grasp concepts and ideas.

[ladyups]

If I understood this lesson when I read it, you also use the crop factor of your particular camera to determine the shutter speed of your focal distance to safely handhold the exposure.

Example, I'm using a Sony a700 with a crop factor of 1.5 and I'm shooting at 200mm. To safely handhold this shot, I would have to have a shutter speed of at least 1/300 to insure a sharp image. Anything below that and I need a tripod.

I'm just learning too, so anyone that knows can tell me my idea is all wrong. But, its how I determine how fast a shutter speed I need with my camera.

[mrdoug]

You're spot on there, ladyups.

Question... the "ups" in ladyups... what does that stand for (if I may ask)?

[ladyups]

My full time job....when I'm not injured....I drive for UPS and have for 25 years. It's how I pay for this expensive hobby. :cool:

[solo1]

I have not hear it refered as the crop factor, but if you are using a lens that is for a 35 mm camera on a slr digital camera you must multiply the lens x 1.5
100 = 150
400 = 600

but the same goes on with wide angle lenses if you have a 24 mm for a 35 mm then it is equivalent to a 36mm on a digital camera.

This only applies to non digital lenses

For hand held cameras you must have a speed of at least the lenght of your lens.

a 200 mm must have a speed of at least 1-200 or you should use a tripod to prevent camera shake.

[coffee]

Yes but keep in mind not all cameras have a 1.5 crop factor. I think the majority are 1.6. There are 1.5, and 1.3 also, and some are full frame. Don't know if this is all of them, just the ones I know of.



I have not hear it refered as the crop factor, but if you are using a lens that is for a 35 mm camera on a slr digital camera you must multiply the lens x 1.5
100 = 150
400 = 600

but the same goes on with wide angle lenses if you have a 24 mm for a 35 mm then it is equivalent to a 36mm on a digital camera.

This only applies to non digital lenses

For hand held cameras you must have a speed of at least the lenght of your lens.

a 200 mm must have a speed of at least 1-200 or you should use a tripod to prevent camera shake.

[mrdoug]

Yes but keep in mind not all cameras have a 1.5 crop factor. I think the majority are 1.6...

Yes, I remember that from the lesson "Crop Factor." However, after reviewing my
camera's manual... it's 1.5 for this particular camera.

Thank you very much for your feedback. I love this place!

[rjoh]

Hi - regards 'crop factor' question: found a fairly good explanation on 'wikipedia' on the net, with diagrams/graphics to show how the various crop factors are calculated. Basically the CF varies between digital cameras with sensors of different physical dimension with reference to the standard/benchmark; frame size of 35mm film. A major effect of having a sensor smaller than a 35mm frame is the reduction of the wide angle capabilities of a given lens.