Comments on: Going to a Full Frame DSLR Camera

By: Schmalerie

Schmalerie — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:29:40 +0000

Thank you so much for your feedback. I thought for sure it was a case of him trying to upsell me, but the confusing part was he was trying to sell me a vivitar of some sort, which I figured maybe he had a higher profit margin on or something. Guess I’ll be buying elsewhere, so I don’t have to deal with it. I’m thinking down the road I may be able to get the 580 and use the 430 for a slave, but with so much $ going out in camera and lenses, have to cut costs somewhere.

And if you guys have online shops you like to buy from, would love to hear where.

So appreciate your input!! Thanks again!

By: Benjamin Ellis

Benjamin Ellis — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:38:48 +0000

Schmalerie – exactly what Simon said. Although the field of light does need to be wider for a full frame camera, I don’t know of a canon flash that is just for cropped sensors – although the more advanced models do adjust the field for different zoom levels. I have had 430′s, 550′s, 580′s and a 580Mk II (that got stolen ***sobs uncontrollably ***). The higher end flashes have more power and more features, so it’s a question of thinking about budget versus long term expansion/future uses. 430 was fine with my 5DmkII. The 580 was killer, but it is (as you say!) a bit more pricy, and also physically quite a bit larger.

By: Simon Taylor

Simon Taylor — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:31:17 +0000

Schmalerie, the salesman is talking nonsense. The 430EX is perfectly good, just not as powerful. No such thing as a “Full frame flash”. The 550EX has more power, and can control 430EX as slaves. I myself have a 550 and two 430 flashes, which I often use as they are smaller and less cumbersome, when I don’t need the raw power of the 550.

So, the 430EX is perfectly capable and compatible.

By: Schmalerie

Schmalerie — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:28:34 +0000

Hi there, I just got a 5D Mark II myself, and am still learning all about it. I was about to buy a 430 EX II flash, and had the sales guy question why I would buy that flash for a full frame camera – to which my only answer was ‘after reading other’s reviews, it sounded like a good fit – without spending so much on the 580″, but it made me question that decision. I didn’t realize that there was a ‘full frame’ flash? Does it really matter? My main purpose would be for fill light in low light situations.

Do you have any thoughts on it?

Thank you :)

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:31:42 +0000

Cropped frame cameras have a greater depth of field at an equivalent field of view (remember the full-frame camera needs a lens with 1.6x the focal length, or whatever the crop factor is, to give the same view).

Put it another way, using the same lens on a cropped-sensor camera the image has 1.6x LESS depth of field than the full-frame image would have (but they are different images, since the field of view is different).

Sounds more confusing than it is. Basically you are ‘zooming in’ with a cropped frame, so you either need to stand further back to get the same shot (hence changing the DOF), or you shoot from one place, get the same DoF, but the image from the full frame sensor will be a much larger field of view.

Either way, it isn’t going to cause you a problem in reality, just use your eyes :)

By: Looking Back on The 5D Mark II | Benjamin Ellis

Looking Back on The 5D Mark II | Benjamin Ellis — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:36:33 +0000

[...] I). Now seems like a good time to reflect back on having the 5D Mark II and what I remember of going Full Frame and Becoming a [...]

By: Taylor Davidson

Taylor Davidson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:41:09 +0000

I made the jump to a full-frame DSLR a couple years ago (the original 5D) and don’t think I could go back, especially since I “see” and “think” wide-angle. It’s a grand world…

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:36:57 +0000

Either way, it isn’t going to cause you a problem in reality, just use your eyes :)

By: Tim.C

Tim.C — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:18:09 +0000

I’d love to know what the effect on depth of field is?

I am an old school 35mm guy, so I get confused over the lenses. Unfortunately I’m too poor at the moment to buy a DSLR, but saving like mad.

Tim.C

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:47:36 +0000

Hi Simon – yes, spot on. That’s what I was trying to say. My 85mm is now like a 50mm, or looking at it the otherway, on a crop, my 50mm is like an 85mm.

There is an impact on depth of field too, I think.

By: Simon Taylor

Simon Taylor — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:10:09 +0000

Don’t forget that sometimes having the crop factor is like having a free teleconverter of course. I have one full frame, one 1.3x, and one 1.6x crop factor camera. While the full-frame is great for the more creative shots, having my 100-400mm act as a 160-640mm is often welcome. With the 17-40 on the full-frame yesterday, it was a little TOO wide, when I needed to be further away from the subjects in reality.

So, it can work both ways, and depends what you shoot.