Full-Frame 35mm Sensor vs. 1/2.3-Inch Sensor (6.17×4.55 mm)
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 1/2.3-Inch Sensor format (measuring 6.17 × 4.55 mm with an active area of 28.07 mm² and a 7.66 mm diagonal) is the historical standard for point-and-shoot digital cameras, superzoom bridge cameras, action cameras (GoPro Hero 3 through Hero 10), and entry-level consumer camera drones, operating with a 5.64× crop factor.
Specification Comparison Table
10 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions (Width × Height)
|
36.0 × 24.0 mm (1.417 × 0.945 in) | 6.17 × 4.55 mm (0.243 × 0.179 in) |
|
Diagonal Dimension
|
43.27 mm | 7.66 mm |
|
Active Surface Area
|
864.0 mm² | 28.07 mm² (approx. 3.25% of 35mm full frame) |
|
Native Aspect Ratio
|
3 : 2 (1.50 : 1) | 4 : 3 |
|
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
|
— | 5.64× (5.6×) |
|
Pixel Pitch (Typical 12 MP)
|
— | Approx. 1.55 µm |
|
Historical Deployments
|
— | GoPro Hero 3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10, DJI Mavic Mini / Mini 2, Nikon Coolpix superzooms |