01 February 2020

Remarkable Cropability of a Full Frame DSLR Sensor

Remarkable Cropability of a Full Frame DSLR Sensor
With bigger pixels on the sensor, the full frame body (i.e. Canon EOS 6D) produces less noise than a crop-sensor body (i.e. Canon EOS 7D Mark II) at the same higher ISO - in this case at ISO 800. Tighter cropping of the original full frame image should therefore produce better / cleaner results than with a crop body.

1st image is the unprocessed / uncropped frame of a little bird taking off.


2nd image is the cropped version towards the centre of the frame / the little bird taking off (processed in Lightroom 6 with some noise reduction et al)

Note: The cropped image s not good enough for real-world publication - its only for demonstration purposes.


I regularly shoot with Full Frame and Crop / APS-C bodies and have equal purpose and respect for both - its about using the most suitable body for my interest areas / research. For anything that moves (action) and / or small (macro) I use a Crop / APS-C body and for landscape / long exposure /  low light I use a Full Frame body. But saying this, both body types are more than capable for all genres. Similar demonstration with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Cape Town Shooting Location
Woodbridge Island, Cape Town

Canon Equipment Used

  • Canon EOS 6D Body 
  • Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens

Camera / Lens Settings
  • Manual Mode: ISO 800 / f/6.3 / 1/ 4000s @ 300mm
  • Multi-Shot / AI Servo
  • Single AF point
  • IS off
(Click to enlarge)
Remarkable Cropability of a Full Frame DSLR Sensor
Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens

Remarkable Cropability of a Full Frame DSLR Sensor
Canon EOS 6D / EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens - Cropped