Roy C
Occasional bird snapper
Robert is of course right a 400mm lens is still 400mm on any body. BUT the in-camera cropping on a camera like the 7D2 (because it has a smaller sensor) means that to get the same FOV and number of pixels from a full frame Camera it would mean it needs around 51mp to begin with.
To put it another way if you crop an image from, say the 1Dx mkII to the same FOV as a 7D2 image then you are left with just 7.9 mp, so about 40% of the pixel density of the cropper. That is of course not the end of it because the 1Dx pixels are larger than those of the 7D2 so will give better IQ all thing considered (also high ISO noise levels are far better on the FF).
I have only got a 5D3 FF (22.3mp) but I do know that when you crop its images to the same FOV as the 7D2 you are left with around 8.7 mp and that does not yield the same fine detail as the 7D2's 20 mp. Actual IQ after the cropping of the FF image may well be as good as the un-cropped 7D2 images but it does not give the same amount of fine detail in my experience.
At the end of the day it all depends on your shooting style as to which option is best - If you shoot a 1.6 cropper and still have to crop the images a fair bit then you are better sticking to the 1.6 cropper IMHO. But if you are not range limited or do not have to crop heavily then the FF is obviously the best option. Another reason to opt for a full frame regardless is if you regularly shot in poor light and find the Noise levels on a crop camera too much for you.
There are many other reason's why a FF like the 1DX is a better Camera of course but that's why you pay so much more for.
To put it another way if you crop an image from, say the 1Dx mkII to the same FOV as a 7D2 image then you are left with just 7.9 mp, so about 40% of the pixel density of the cropper. That is of course not the end of it because the 1Dx pixels are larger than those of the 7D2 so will give better IQ all thing considered (also high ISO noise levels are far better on the FF).
I have only got a 5D3 FF (22.3mp) but I do know that when you crop its images to the same FOV as the 7D2 you are left with around 8.7 mp and that does not yield the same fine detail as the 7D2's 20 mp. Actual IQ after the cropping of the FF image may well be as good as the un-cropped 7D2 images but it does not give the same amount of fine detail in my experience.
At the end of the day it all depends on your shooting style as to which option is best - If you shoot a 1.6 cropper and still have to crop the images a fair bit then you are better sticking to the 1.6 cropper IMHO. But if you are not range limited or do not have to crop heavily then the FF is obviously the best option. Another reason to opt for a full frame regardless is if you regularly shot in poor light and find the Noise levels on a crop camera too much for you.
There are many other reason's why a FF like the 1DX is a better Camera of course but that's why you pay so much more for.
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