What is the crop factor?

Crop factor is the ratio of a full-frame sensor diagonal (43.27 mm) to your sensor's diagonal. A crop factor of 1.5× means the sensor diagonal is 1.5 times smaller than full frame, which makes lenses appear to have 1.5× the focal length.

Why is Full Frame considered the standard?

Full Frame (36×24 mm) matches the frame size of 35 mm film, which became the baseline for lens focal length naming. All crop factors are expressed relative to it.

Does a larger sensor always mean better image quality?

Not always, but larger sensors generally collect more light, produce less noise at high ISO, and allow shallower depth of field. Smaller sensors trade some of that for portability and cost.

What is the difference between APS-C Canon and APS-C Nikon/Sony?

Canon APS-C sensors measure about 22.3×14.9 mm (crop factor ~1.61×). Nikon, Sony, and Pentax APS-C sensors are slightly larger at ~23.5×15.6 mm (crop factor ~1.52×). Both are called APS-C but they are not identical.

What does "area ratio" mean in this tool?

Area ratio is simply Sensor A width × height divided by Sensor B width × height. An area ratio of 2.0 means Sensor A has twice the light-gathering surface area of Sensor B.

Camera Sensor Size Comparison

Name: Camera Sensor Size Comparison
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Select two sensor formats to compare their dimensions, crop factors, and area side-by-side with a to-scale visual diagram.

Sensor A

Format preset

Dimensions —

Diagonal —

Crop factor —

Area —

Sensor B

Format preset

Dimensions —

Diagonal —

Crop factor —

Area —

To-Scale Visual Comparison

Sensor A

Sensor B

Comparison Summary

Area ratio (A / B)

—

Crop factor difference

—

Diagonal ratio (A / B)

—

Copied!

Summary

Select two sensor formats to compare their dimensions, crop factors, and area side-by-side with a to-scale visual diagram.

How it works

Select a sensor format from the first dropdown (Sensor A).
Select a second sensor format from the dropdown (Sensor B) to compare against.
The tool displays each sensor's width, height, diagonal, crop factor, and area.
A to-scale visual diagram overlays both sensors so you can see the size difference at a glance.
The area ratio shows how many times larger or smaller one sensor is relative to the other.
Switch to custom mode to enter any sensor dimensions in millimeters.

Use cases

Decide between a Full Frame and APS-C body before buying.
Understand how much smaller a Micro Four Thirds sensor is compared to Full Frame.
Check whether a 1-inch compact sensor is adequate for your needs vs a larger format.
Compare medium format sensors against Full Frame.
Explain sensor size differences to photography students or clients.
Verify crop factor and area specs when researching a camera upgrade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu