Tag: full-frame

Many people think that 35mm, or so-called full-frame, sensor cameras are the final destination in terms of photo gear. Nikon, for example, has pursued a marketing strategy of dragging users towards entry-level full-frame cameras over the years, with the DX line of lenses suffering as a result. Of course, a 35mm sensor is simply one size, and certainly not even the largest size that photographers use. Lets not forget medium format or large format film.

I’m no stranger to APS-C cameras, Micro Four Thirds, and smaller. I have plenty of film cameras, including medium format. The idea that 35mm is the ultimate has never been of much concern to me. So, why did I buy the Nikon Z5 only several months ago?

Why use a 35mm camera?

I don’t think that a 35mm digital camera is the right choice for everybody. In fact, I don’t think it’s the right choice for most people who enjoy the more casual side of photography. And even then, superb images can be made with smaller cameras and smaller sensors, especially due to the kinds of advances that have been made in sensor design.

Here are some reasons why I was interested in the Nikon Z5:

• Better low-light performance: A bigger sensor means that more light can be soaked up by the photo-sites, making low light photography easier at lower ISOs, thus resulting in less noise. In practice, I found myself still using my Nikon Z5 at 100 ISO at dusk with reasonably fast shutter speeds.
• Depth of field: Though a 50mm lens is still a 50mm lens whether it’s on a Micro Four-Thirds camera or a Nikon Z5, you need to move closer to your subject to get the equivalent field of view with that same lens on a 35mm format camera. This also means that you can get shallower depth of field more easily because you’re closer. That said, I’m really more of a deep depth of field kind of person, mostly.
• Old lens character: Not only do I get to use a nifty-fifty (or any other focal length) and see what that field of view actually looks like as it did back in 35mm film days, but I also get to see the entire character of the lens rather than just use the central portion of the glass, as I would when using a camera with a smaller sensor. Though, most of the time this character equals mushy edges and corners.

Is the Nikon Z5 replacing everything?

No, the Nikon Z5 is definitely not replacing my other cameras. It’s just another tool that provides certain benefits that are useful at certain times. And there are also some growing pains for me when using it. I’m so used to using smaller sensor cameras like the Olympus OMD EM5 Mark 1 and 2, that the mindset change, especially around setting the aperture, can be challenging at times.

As someone who uses a lot of deep depth of field, the idea that I can’t always set the aperture at f5.6 or f8 challenges my habits. To maintain the same depth of field at the equivalent focal length on the Nikon Z5 as I would have on a camera with a smaller sensor, I often find myself reaching for any F-stop between 8 and 16. Yes, there are times when my Micro Four-Thirds Olympus is the best camera for the job.

Despite the challenges around depth of field, my Nikon Z5 can produce wonderful images and I find myself thinking longer about every photo, likely because I have to also seriously think about my aperture setting versus distance to my subject. And that 24 megapixel sensor, when combined with good Z glass, is very sharp indeed.