Full-Frame 35mm Sensor vs. Micro Four Thirds Sensor
Comparing 2 standards across 10 specifications. 10 key differences identified.
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.
The Micro Four Thirds (MFT) Sensor (measuring 17.3 × 13.0 mm with an active area of 224.9 mm² and a 21.64 mm diagonal) is an open mirrorless standard established by Olympus and Panasonic, featuring an exact 2.0× crop factor and a native 4:3 aspect ratio. Equal to exactly half the diagonal of 35mm full frame, focal length calculations are simple integers (25mm = 50mm equivalent).
Specification Comparison Table
10 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions (Width × Height)
|
36.0 × 24.0 mm (1.417 × 0.945 in) | 17.3 × 13.0 mm (0.681 × 0.512 in) |
|
Diagonal Dimension
|
43.27 mm | 21.64 mm (exactly half of 35mm full frame's 43.27 mm diagonal) |
|
Active Surface Area
|
864.0 mm² | 224.9 mm² (approx. 26.0% of 35mm full frame) |
|
Native Aspect Ratio
|
3 : 2 (1.50 : 1) | 4 : 3 (1.33 : 1) |
|
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 | — |
|
Crop Factor
|
— | 2.00× exactly |
|
Focal Length Equivalence Formula
|
— | Focal length × 2.0 (e.g. 12-40mm f/2.8 lens ≈ 24-80mm f/5.6 full-frame field/DoF) |
|
Camera Systems
|
— | OM System OM-1 / OM-5, Panasonic Lumix GH6 / G9 II / BGH1, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K |