Dear students and visitors,

Welcome to the May article. If you have been considering but still indecisive whether to buy a full frame DSLR then this article will be for you. I decided to write this after sending my roll of film for developing and printing. I am still using a EOS 3 film body.

What is a full frame DSLR?

full_frame_sensor

During the old days when we are still using 35mm film. The film had a frame of 36mm x 24mm that was used to capture the picture. When we talk about a full frame DSLR, it means that the camera sensor is the same size as the film frame. And that is a very big sensor!

Who offers full frame bodies?

The below vendors offer full frame bodies:
1. Canon – one of the earliest to offer full frame bodies with the EOS 1Ds since 2002. They only introduced the more affordable EOS 5D in 2005.
2. Nikon – only managed to catch up with Canon with the D3 in 2007. They were quick to launch the more affordable D700 in 2008.
3. Sony – the latest to catch on the train. Sony has the alpha A-900 in 2008.

Why full frame?

1. Shorter working distance – suitable for portrait where photographers need to communicate with their subject.

2. Better bokeh – Isn’t this better?

3. Compatibility to conventional lens – 50mm is a 50mm on the full frame.

4.Bigger sensor – take on bigger 1:1 macro subject

5. Cost factors – no more film cost, no more developing and printing cost. Below is some math:

A roll of 36 35mm film – SGD$4

Developing cost – SGD$5

Printing cost – $0.40 per print

Total cost of one roll of film – $4 + $5 + 36x$0.40 = $23.40.

Currently, the budget full frame bodies price is around $2700 – $3200.

Number of shots to break even = $2700/23.40 – 3200/23.40 = 115 – 137 rolls of films or 4140 – 4932 shots.

Once you can shoot past 5000 shots, you have break even with the cost of the full frame body. That is really achievable.

When to buy?

The budget full frame bodies price is coming down. I am very exciting about 2011 because most of the vendors like Nikon and Canon will be launching their replacement unit very soon. The more affordable bodies usually has a time span of 5 years.

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