full frame CCDs

[Antoine_Fabi]

Hi,

Apparently , there are problems with full frame CCDs like soft egdes and mushy image at full zoom.

If it is true, i would like to know "why".

thanks

[Policar]

For the same reasons that there are problems with 35mm film. Lenses are sharpest at the center, and a smaller sensor can't pick up the edges of the image, because it's smaller. Large sensors can, so can film.

This argument is pretty silly, in my opinion. You can always crop the image in post if the edges aren't sharp enough, and not many people have the subject of their image at the very corners. But it's not a new problem with full frame sensors, it's a problem with lenses.

[Antoine_Fabi]

OK,

so it doesn't happen when you use HQ lenses ?

thanks

[scharky]

No, the people making these claims are the people that buy cheap ass glass and then complain that there $200 70-300mm F5.6 lens looks like crap on the edges. If you buy a good Canon L lens, like the increadibly sharp 135L 2.0, then your full frame image will be sharp edge to edge. Everything depends on the piece of glass in front of the sensor. IT goes the same with wide angel lenses, if you get a good peice of glass, it will look sharp (or relatively so) edge to edge, but there is just so much more glass being used on a full frame sensor, that you notice the imperfections at the edges of the lens more. BUt if you crop your print 1.6 times, then you will end up with the same field of view, and have nothing to complain about.

[Antoine_Fabi]

scharky,

so , why use a full frame and then crop ?

Would it be better to use smaller CCDs (1.6X smaller) ?

[TC]

It's less a question of cropping, and more of the focal length of your lenses.

[Antoine_Fabi]

I understand that a full frame is easyier to get shallower depht of field if the camera is placed at the same distance from the subjet.

My question is:

Is there problems specifically associated with full frame CCDs others than using a average lense that is not sharp edge to edge ?

In other words, if i use good quality lense, will i have problems with full frame CCD ?

[Policar]

You won't. People who don't like full frame CCDs are jealous that they can't afford them. The WORST possible thing that could happen (ABSOLUTE WORST) is that your image is soft around the edges and you have to crop. When you crop, you get 6mp or something. If you shot with a 20d, you'd get 8mp for the same image.

The other disadvantage is that telephoto lenses are made "more telephoto" by the 1.6X multiplier. So your 200mm lens seems like a 320mm lens with a 1.6x multiplier, but not with a full frame CMOS. Of course, cropping fixes this, too.

If you do landscapes, a full frame sensor will be your best friend because you can use wide angle lenses without a 1.6X focal length multiplier. If you do nature photography (birds, etc.) it may not be quite as good a friend. But you can still crop.

So, yes, no question about it, it's not just as good but much better than APS-C. Are you thinking of getting the 5D, by the way? The reason I ask is because you keep saying CCD and I don't know of any full frame CCD cameras, but the 5D is a full frame CMOS so I figure you mean that unless you mean something ultra-expensive I'm not familiar with. Also, the megapixel info I'm quoting is based on the 5D.

[Antoine_Fabi]

Oh, yes, i mean full frame CMOS in the 5D !

Thanks Policar,
that's exactly the info i needed.

So i have all the info to take my decision.
I understand that the 20D is very affordable and high quality, but the 5D is relatively "better" if i need larger field of view (from the same lense).

[jin08611]

Full frame rocks!!! just got 5d WOW what a difference Love canon "L" lens as well no soft edge here....

[jin08611]

35mm 1.4
50mm 1.4
85mm 1.2
100mm 2.8 macro
135mm 2.0

i have used all those lens with 5D and have no problems with the camera :)

[Asa]

The issues that I've heard of with full frame sensors are more noise and higher cost. The 5D takes care of the cost issue pretty well. Don't know about the noise issue on it. As stated by others, softness will be more of a lens than a camera issue. The sensor resolves the same at the edges as at the center, so any softness will be casued by the lens. DP Review just did a comparison of the 16MP full frame Canon versus the Nikon D2X...doesn't really apply to the 5D but it is a comparison of full frame versus not.

It'll be interesting to see which way things go. So many digital photographers have invested in lenses specifically for the APS sized sensor...and so many more (myself included) want a full frame someday. I keep hoping for the camera equivalent of Linux: One standard format, one lens mount, one file format, many manufacturers. And yes, I know that's got about the same chances as a snowball in hell.

[Tom Henderson]

I have both versions of the Canon EOS 1Ds (full frame sensor). It is incredibly sharp all the way out to the corners with my Canon 24-70 zoom lens. But Canon does have some problems with their ultra-wide lenses on a FF sensor. They have some zooms that go as wide as 16 or 17mm, and those are pretty fuzzy in the corners. But Zeiss made (past tense) a 19mm that was FANTASTIC. When you can find one for sale they go for upwards of $4,000. Leica also has some current lenses that are wonderful, but some adaptation is needed and it voids the warranty, so some people are reluctant to go that way. But it is definitely the lens, not the chip that presents the problem.