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One of the key specifications of any camera – be it a camera Point and shootmirrorless model or Even a smartphone camera – is the size of the image sensor. It’s obvious in marketing that a larger image sensor is better, but why? Does a small increase in sensor size really make a big difference? When looking for a new camera or phone, should you take sensor size into consideration?
The truth is maybe. In certain situations, a larger image sensor can have significant advantages over a smaller sensor, but detail matters. Different lenses and technologies such as pixel binning and advanced computational image processing techniques can all help smaller sensors perform similarly to larger devices. Also, depending on the type of photos you take, it may not matter at all. This is why.
The basics
Two camera modules like those found in modern phones.
An image sensor is a device that absorbs light and converts it into electrical signals that are then interpreted by the camera (or phone) processor to create an image. They are designed to absorb as much light as possible. Modern image sensors are very good at this, certainly compared to those in cameras from the early days of digital photography.
At the risk of stating the obvious, there is plenty of light available during the day. Indoors or at night, not so much. Your eyes can easily adapt to these extremes, but small image sensors often struggle. With less surface area to capture light, they can produce very dark images – assuming they capture a usable image at all.
A larger image sensor, all other things being equal, has a larger surface area to capture light. Simply put, imagine it is raining and you want to collect some water. If you walk out with a cup, you’ll pick up a few. If you go out with a bucket, you’ll catch a lot more. The same principle applies to image sensors, although the details are a bit more complex.
Sensor sizes
Image sensors – our rain buckets, if you will – come in a variety of sizes. In product marketing, you often see terms like “1-inch,” “APS-C,” and “full frame.” It’s descriptive without being particularly clear. For example, a 1-inch sensor is not actually 1 inch in any dimension, including its diagonal measurement.
This skillfully designed color illustration should give you an idea of the relative sizes of some of the most common image sensors.
Relative sizes of common image sensors. The blue block is approximately the same size as 35mm film. APS-C sizes vary slightly by brand, but this is the sensor size found in modern Fujifilm cameras. It’s just under an inch wide and a little over an inch diagonally (specifically, 23.5mm x 15.7mm). From largest to smallest: Hasselblad X2D II 100C, Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Fujifilm
I can’t make this graphic appear at actual size on every phone, tablet, and computer, but if you remember the movie, a full frame sensor is roughly the same size as a single frame of 35mm film. If you don’t, the APS-C sensor is just under an inch wide and just over an inch diagonally.
Remember, these are the actual sizes of the image sensors. Resolution, also known as the number of pixels it has, is discrete. You get a 50MP 1/1.28-inch sensor and a 24MP full frame, and vice versa. Resolution determines the size of each sensor’s pixels, which, in theory, means more light will be absorbed by a lower-resolution sensor of a given size. As it is, with two sensors of the same size, the lower resolution sensor will usually have larger pixels, which may mean it is able to absorb more light, but the sensitivity of the specific sensor and other factors mean that this cannot be directly compared with 100% numbers.
Where do these sizes come from? It is a holdover from the days of analog television and refers to the diameter of a theoretical vacuum tube equipped with light-gathering electronics that is roughly the same size as a modern sensor. I’m not kidding. Technically, the more accurate term is “1-inch type sensor,” but it is usually shortened to “1-inch sensor” because it is easier to read.
The technology: Collect those pixels and stack those images
So, yes, in general, a larger image sensor will capture more light than a smaller sensor. This could mean that a camera with a larger sensor is better in low light, and is able to create an image with less noise and less image processing, along with many other subjective and objective benefits. However, in many cases, the differences will be much smaller than their relative sizes would indicate.
Let’s start with an easy-to-understand idea. All major phones now have an HDR photo mode, often turned on by default. This is it It’s different from the HDR on your TV. For photos, this means the camera takes multiple photos and combines them. In the simplest case, it takes an underexposed image (too dark), an underexposed image, and an overexposed image (too bright). The phone will then combine these images so that the final result has more detail in the shadows and more detail in the highlights than a single image using the same image sensor could have managed. Although this doesn’t always work with perfect results, when it does, it allows the camera to punch above its weight, so to speak.
This same technology is used, in one form or another, in the night photography, night photography or astrophotography modes found on most high-end phones. The phone takes multiple photos, then aligns them and does some algorithm-heavy photography that reduces noise and increases brightness by comparing all the photos. This allows the camera’s small sensor to capture more light than it could with a single exposure — or at least with a single exposure short enough to avoid noticeable blur caused by camera shake.
Pixel binning is another technology. This is where groups of pixels are treated as a single pixel. This effectively makes each pixel “larger” and able to capture more light. Using this technique results in an image with a lower resolution than the sensor is technically capable of, but the image quality can be better. Details aren’t everything, especially when the trade-off is better dynamic range and usually less noise.
Next, there is the lens. A “faster” lens lets in more light than a “slower” lens. Although the difference is not usually that big on phones, you might be surprised at how small a difference can be observed numerically. With a faster lens, also known as a brighter lens, Even just a half stopcan let in significantly more light, which may offset some or all of the potential downsides of a smaller sensor. There are endless camera and lens combinations, so details matter. It’s another thing to consider when comparing specifications.
Finally, there’s the sensor technology itself. Two sensors that are identical in size can perform radically differently depending on their design and technology. A full frame sensor from 15 years ago could be worse Dynamic range From the APS-C sensor released this year. There are a lot of variables. Often, but not always, full frame sensors are found in high-end mainstream cameras and usually feature the latest sensor technology/performance.
When it may not matter
As a photographer, I can definitely see the difference between a photo taken with a phone and one taken with a standalone camera with a large image sensor. The image usually has less noise, more realistic details, more natural bokeh, and better overall image quality. What’s less obvious are images captured using image sensors with similar size differences but are marketable. I’ve owned a full-frame camera for years and love it, but over the past year, almost every photo I’ve taken that I really love was taken with a camera that featured a smaller APS-C sensor. I don’t think any of these photos would have been improved – or even looked noticeably different – had they been taken with a full-frame camera.
To answer the question posed in the title: Yes, camera sensor sizes matter. However, the camera and photographer are more important. If you’re not a photography fan, the difference in the end result won’t be huge, especially considering the advanced features found in many devices with smaller image sensors. A camera or phone with a 1/1.9-inch sensor and a camera or phone with a 1/1.28-inch sensor will differ in many other ways to determine which will take better photos based on sensor size alone. For years, for example, Google Pixel phones have used smaller image sensors than similar Samsung and Apple devices, but produced better low-light photos thanks to superior computational photography.
If your camera does not have these features, e.g Panasonic Lumix ZS99The biggest difference will be poor low-light performance. However, this camera’s amazing optical zoom still makes it an attractive camera for many situations. So, as with anything else, check reviews and non-marketing sample images to see how the camera performs.
For the most part, if you’re just posting photos on social media and aren’t looking to capture the final shot when it comes to image quality, the size of the image sensor won’t make much of a difference.
If you’re interested in photography — or looking to get into it — there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the best camera for you. The old saying that “the best camera is the one you have with you” remains as true as ever. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve switched back to an APS-C camera after years of shooting with a full-frame model. The smaller sensor is better suited to my needs in many ways, and the camera itself is lighter, more compact, and easier to travel with. Would I switch to a medium format camera if given the chance? Given the cost and size of these systems, probably not. For the way I travel, that would be more of a burden than a benefit. However, I haven’t sold my full-frame camera, and when I’m at home, it’s still more than capable of handling my professional work.
My advice, and I’m assuming you’re fairly new to photography if you’ve read this far, is to get a camera you can easily afford, as well as a couple of good lenses and get to know it inside and out. Once you gain some skills, you’ll probably have a better idea of what an expensive camera with a larger sensor can do for you. Maybe you want a wider field of view than you can get with a smaller sensor, or low-profile, low-noise images. Or maybe you want the narrowest depth of field possible so you can miss 90% of your shots because they are out of focus (been there). At this point, you can see what’s shiny and new. Or even better, What you can find used at a discount.
About the authorIn addition to covering audio and display technology, Jeff makes the photo tours From museums and amazing sites around the world, including Nuclear submarines, Aircraft carriers, Medieval castles,epic A 10,000 mile road trip And more.
Also, check out Budget travel for dummiesAnd his travel book, and his book Best-selling science fiction novel About submarines the size of a city. You can follow it Instagram and YouTube.
