Sensor Size / Crop Factor

Sensor size ranges from small sensors through full frame (36 × 24 mm) to medium and large format. Larger sensors gather more light per pixel, which tends to give more dynamic range and less noise, and allow larger pixels at the same resolution.

The crop factor indicates how much a sensor crops the angle of view relative to full frame: a smaller sensor acts like a longer focal length. For high-resolution, detailed work, large sensors – such as medium format – are preferred.