Gotta Have Full Frame? Not!

"Crossroads" at Rogers' Store and Museum, Carsley, Virginia (click to enlarge)
X-T1, 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens @ 18.8mm; 1/420th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200

During the days of early digital photography, I was one of those photographers who thought that I could never be satisfied with any digital camera short of a full frame digital SLR.  Full frame, in our common understanding, is a camera with a sensor the same size as a 35mm film frame—approximately 24mm X 36mm in size.  

Back then I think I was justified in my thinking, especially coming from using very high quality film gear.  I used Leicas for my slide work and medium format for my negative work.  Years ago, smaller sensored cameras just didn't have the qualities—low or no digital noise, smooth transitions in tonalities, high dynamic range, good color, contrast and saturation—like the full framed cameras did. My first digital SLR was a Nikon D70 (6mp) and although I was really impressed with the images it produced, it didn't quite satisfy my standards.  Early on, I thought only full frame digital SLR cameras would satisfy me as only medium format or larger did with film photography.  So, I waited patiently for a full frame digital camera to come to market that was affordable.  For me, it was the Nikon D700.

Well, things change, don't they?  Only a few years later, technology has advanced so much that I feel full frame is no longer necessary to satisfy my high image standards. 

Old Gulf gravity fed gasoline pump (click to enlarge)
X-T-1, 55-200mm lens @ 99.8mm; 1/750th sec.
@ f/11; ISO 200; Sepia toned conversion

Currently, I own a Nikon D810 and a Fujifilm X-T1.  Both produce images that fully satisfy my needs as well as my desired aesthetics.  The only reason I now use a full frame camera is for high speed focus tracking for birds in flight and when I need sophisticated flash.  I no longer pull it out when I want better image quality as I had done in the past.  Other than those narrow circumstances, my Fujifilm fully satisfies my personal as well as my stock photography needs.  

I've had custom large prints made from various format cameras and, except under extreme circumstances, I really don't see a practical difference when viewing them at a reasonable distance.  If you are a photographer who photographs in extreme low light, or needs 10-14 frames per second, or a camera that can focus as fast as a Ferrari, then you may need the latest full frame camera body. For my photography, I no longer think full frame is a "must have."

I've mentioned this before.  Choose you tools to match your style and type of photographic conditions under which you work.  Don't discount a camera if it doesn't have usable ISOs up over 25,000 if you don't ever shoot in conditions that require such high ISOs.  Don't criticize a camera that doesn't have 14 frames per second if you don't need that speed.  Don't eliminate a camera if it can't quickly lock focus on a flying bird if you don't photograph flying birds.  Don't knock a camera that doesn't have full frame when APS-C or M4/3 will fully produce images of the type you make and/or print.  You don't have to buy a large cargo van if you never have anything to haul around!

Color version of the top image (click to enlarge)

I've printed up to 24 X 36", occasionally shoot under marginal light, photograph moving things and find APS-C and M4/3 does a great job meeting my needs.  Now that Fuji and Panasonic have produced very high quality long telephoto zooms, my Nikon gear may be sidelined and I may no longer need it for those few occasions that I do now.

The right tools for the job at hand.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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