Sensor Size Comparison Calculator

Enter the dimensions of two camera sensors plus a reference focal length and aperture to compare crop factors, field of view, depth of field, and light-gathering performance.

Created by Luis GonzalezLast updated: May 9, 2026

How to Use This Calculator

1
Enter Sensor A Width
Input the horizontal width of your first camera sensor in millimeters (e.g., 36mm for full-frame).
2
Enter Sensor A Height
Input the vertical height of your first camera sensor in millimeters (e.g., 24mm for full-frame).
3
Enter Sensor B Width
Input the horizontal width of your second camera sensor in millimeters (e.g., 23.5mm for APS-C).
4
Enter Sensor B Height
Input the vertical height of your second camera sensor in millimeters (e.g., 15.6mm for APS-C).
5
Specify Reference Focal Length (on A)
Provide a focal length (in mm) used on Sensor A to calculate its equivalent on Sensor B for the same field of view.
6
Input Reference Aperture (on A)
Enter an aperture value (e.g., f/1.4) used on Sensor A to determine the equivalent aperture on Sensor B for matching depth of field and light.
7
Review Your Results
Compare the sensors by area ratio, crop factor, equivalent focal length, and light-gathering difference.

Example Calculation

A photographer wants to compare a full-frame sensor (36mm x 24mm) with an APS-C sensor (23.5mm x 15.6mm), using a 50mm lens at f/1.4 on the full-frame as a reference.

Sensor A Width (mm)

Sensor A Height (mm)

Sensor B Width (mm)

23.5

Sensor B Height (mm)

15.6

Reference Focal Length (on A) (mm)

Reference Aperture (on A) (f/)

1.4

Results

2.36x

Tips

Consider the 'Look' of Different Sensor Sizes

Larger sensors generally produce shallower depth of field and better low-light performance at equivalent apertures and fields of view. This 'look' is often preferred for portraits and artistic photography, while smaller sensors offer greater depth of field for landscapes or street photography.

Factor in Lens Availability and Cost

The choice of sensor size also impacts lens selection. Full-frame lenses are often larger, heavier, and more expensive than their APS-C or Micro Four Thirds counterparts. Consider the total system cost and weight when deciding on a camera system.

Understand Crop Factor for Telephoto Shooting

Smaller sensors have a 'crop factor' that effectively magnifies the focal length of a lens. An APS-C sensor with a 1.5x crop factor makes a 200mm lens behave like a 300mm lens on full-frame, which can be advantageous for wildlife or sports photography.

Unlocking Creative Potential: The Sensor Size Comparison Calculator

For photographers, understanding the nuances of camera sensor size is paramount to mastering image quality and creative control. This Sensor Size Comparison Calculator allows you to meticulously compare any two camera sensors by area, crop factor, equivalent focal length, and aperture. It's an indispensable photography planning tool for selecting the right gear or adapting your shooting technique across different camera systems.

Why Sensor Size is the Heart of Your Camera's Performance

The image sensor is arguably the most critical component of a digital camera, directly influencing image quality, low-light performance, and creative possibilities. A larger sensor, with its greater light-gathering surface, fundamentally impacts a camera's ability to produce clean images in challenging conditions, render nuanced colors, and achieve desirable depth of field effects. Understanding these core differences empowers photographers to make informed decisions about their equipment and adapt their shooting style to maximize their camera's potential.

The Geometric Principles Behind Sensor Comparison

Comparing camera sensors primarily involves calculating their physical dimensions and then deriving various photographic equivalencies. The area and diagonal length of each sensor are fundamental. The crop factor, a key metric, is derived by comparing sensor diagonals to a full-frame standard. Equivalent focal length and aperture calculations then allow photographers to understand how lenses perform across different sensor sizes, ensuring consistent field of view and depth of field.

Sensor Area = Sensor Width × Sensor Height
Sensor Diagonal = SQRT(Sensor Width^2 + Sensor Height^2)
Crop Factor (vs. Full-Frame) = Full-Frame Diagonal / Sensor Diagonal
Crop Factor Ratio (A vs. B) = Sensor A Diagonal / Sensor B Diagonal
Equivalent Focal Length on B = Reference Focal Length (on A) × (Sensor B Diagonal / Sensor A Diagonal)
Equivalent Aperture on B = Reference Aperture (on A) × (Crop Factor B / Crop Factor A)

Here, Sensor Width and Sensor Height are the physical dimensions in millimeters, and Full-Frame Diagonal is approximately 43.27mm.

💡 When switching between different sensor sizes, especially with telephoto lenses, the crop factor significantly impacts your effective reach. Our Telephoto Reach Comparison Calculator helps you visualize these differences.

Comparing a Full-Frame and APS-C Sensor

Let's compare a full-frame sensor (36mm x 24mm) with an APS-C sensor (23.5mm x 15.6mm), using a 50mm lens at f/1.4 on the full-frame as a reference.

Calculate Sensor Areas:
- Sensor A (Full-Frame): 36 × 24 = 864 mm²
- Sensor B (APS-C): 23.5 × 15.6 = 366.6 mm²
Calculate Sensor Diagonals:
- Sensor A: SQRT(36² + 24²) = 43.27 mm
- Sensor B: SQRT(23.5² + 15.6²) = 28.21 mm
Determine Area Ratio (A ÷ B): 864 / 366.6 = 2.36x
Determine Crop Factor Ratio (A vs. B): 43.27 / 28.21 = 1.53x
Calculate Equivalent Focal Length on B: 50mm (on A) × (28.21mm (diag B) / 43.27mm (diag A)) = 32.6mm
Calculate Equivalent Aperture on B: Full-Frame Crop Factor = 1.0x; APS-C Crop Factor (A vs FF) = 43.27/28.21 = 1.53x 1.4 (aperture A) × (1.53 (crop B) / 1.0 (crop A for FF)) = f/2.14

Sensor A (full-frame) has 2.36 times the area of Sensor B (APS-C). A 50mm lens on full-frame would require a 32.6mm lens on APS-C for the same field of view, and an f/2.14 aperture on APS-C to match the full-frame's f/1.4 depth of field and light gathering.

💡 For photographers who also manage their own printing, understanding the various costs involved is essential for pricing and budgeting. Our Total Print Cost Calculator can help estimate expenses for your physical outputs.

Sensor Size's Impact on Image Quality and Creative Control

Camera sensor size profoundly impacts several key aspects of image quality and creative control. Larger sensors generally excel in low-light conditions, producing less noise at higher ISO settings due to their larger individual photosites. They also offer greater dynamic range, allowing for more detail retention in both highlights and shadows. Critically, larger sensors provide a shallower depth of field at equivalent focal lengths and apertures, which is highly desirable for portraiture and isolating subjects with creamy bokeh. Conversely, smaller sensors offer greater inherent depth of field and can provide a "telephoto reach" advantage due to their crop factor, making them ideal for genres like wildlife or sports photography where reach and portability are prioritized.

Common Camera Sensor Sizes and Their Typical Applications

The photography industry features several common camera sensor sizes, each with distinct advantages for different applications. Full-frame sensors (approx. 36x24mm), matching 35mm film, are favored by professionals for their superior low-light performance, dynamic range, and shallow depth of field, often used in portrait, landscape, and wedding photography. APS-C sensors (approx. 23.5x15.6mm, with a 1.5x-1.6x crop factor) offer a balance of performance, size, and cost, popular in enthusiast DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, excelling in general photography and telephoto applications. Micro Four Thirds (MFT) sensors (approx. 17.3x13mm, with a 2x crop factor) prioritize compactness and portability, widely used in video and travel photography. Smaller sensors like 1-inch type (approx. 13.2x8.8mm) are found in advanced compacts, while even smaller sensors dominate smartphones, balancing convenience with image quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is camera sensor size?

Camera sensor size refers to the physical dimensions of the image sensor inside a digital camera, which captures light to create an image. Larger sensors generally have larger individual pixels, allowing them to gather more light and produce higher-quality images with better low-light performance and dynamic range. Common sizes range from small smartphone sensors to full-frame and medium format sensors.

How does sensor size affect focal length?

Sensor size affects the effective field of view of a lens, often described by a 'crop factor.' A smaller sensor will crop into the image circle projected by a lens, making a given focal length appear longer than it would on a larger sensor. For example, a 50mm lens on an APS-C camera (typically 1.5x crop) provides a field of view equivalent to a 75mm lens on a full-frame camera.

How does sensor size affect depth of field?

Larger sensors generally produce a shallower depth of field at equivalent focal lengths and apertures compared to smaller sensors. This means more of the background will be blurred, helping to isolate the subject. Conversely, smaller sensors inherently provide more depth of field, making them suitable for scenarios where maximum sharpness from foreground to background is desired, such as landscape photography.

What is the 'crop factor' of a camera sensor?

The crop factor is a multiplier used to describe how much a smaller sensor 'crops' the image compared to a full-frame (36mm x 24mm) sensor. It's calculated by dividing the diagonal of a full-frame sensor by the diagonal of the smaller sensor. For instance, an APS-C sensor often has a crop factor of 1.5x to 1.6x, meaning a 50mm lens will have the field of view of a 75mm-80mm lens on full-frame.