Canon APS-C Sensor (1.6×) vs. Full-Frame 35mm Sensor
Comparing 2 standards across 10 specifications. 10 key differences identified.
The Canon APS-C Sensor (measuring 22.2 × 14.8 mm with an active area of 328.6 mm² and a 26.68 mm diagonal) is Canon's proprietary sensor dimension, operating with a 1.62× (commonly rounded to 1.6×) crop factor relative to 35mm full frame. Used across all Canon EOS Rebel, EOS 7D/90D, EOS M, and EOS R-series APS-C bodies (R7, R10, R50), it is slightly smaller than the standard 1.5× APS-C format.
The Full-Frame 35mm Sensor (measuring 36.0 × 24.0 mm with an active surface area of 864.0 mm² and a 43.27 mm diagonal) is the universal baseline benchmark in digital photography, defined with a 1.0× crop factor. Derived from the standard 35mm 135 still film format established by Oskar Barnack's Leica I in 1925, all focal length equivalents and field-of-view calculations are calibrated against it.
Specification Comparison Table
10 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions (Width × Height)
|
22.2 × 14.8 mm (approx. 22.3 × 14.9 mm in newer CMOS dies) | 36.0 × 24.0 mm (1.417 × 0.945 in) |
|
Diagonal Dimension
|
26.68 mm | 43.27 mm |
|
Active Surface Area
|
328.6 mm² (approx. 38.0% of 35mm full frame) | 864.0 mm² |
|
Native Aspect Ratio
|
3 : 2 | 3 : 2 (1.50 : 1) |
|
Crop Factor
|
1.62× (Standard 1.6× focal multiplier) | — |
|
Comparison to Standard 1.5× APS-C
|
Canon sensor is 1.3 mm narrower and 0.8 mm shorter (~10.4% smaller surface area) | — |
|
Camera Systems
|
Canon EOS R7, R10, R50, R100, EOS 90D, EOS 7D Mark II, EOS Rebel series | — |
|
Crop Factor Benchmark
|
— | 1.00× (The reference baseline for 35mm focal length equivalence) |
|
Standard Pixel Pitches (Modern)
|
— | 4.5 µm (45 MP — Nikon Z8/Canon R5) to 8.4 µm (12 MP — Sony A7S III) |
|
Flagship Camera Implementations
|
— | Sony A7/A9/A1 series, Canon EOS R5/R6/R3, Nikon Z6/Z7/Z8/Z9, Panasonic Lumix S5/S1, Leica M/SL |