When shopping for a camera, you might have come across terms like Full-Frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, or even 1-inch and 1/2.3-inch sensors. You might hear a salesperson say things like:
“This DSLR gives better image quality than a compact camera because it has a larger sensor!”
But what exactly does sensor size mean, and why does it matter?
Let’s break it down step by step — in plain language.
What Is Sensor Size?
Every digital camera has an image sensor — the part that captures light to form a photo. These sensors come in different physical sizes, and yes, size really does matter in photography.
Here’s a quick visual comparison of common sensor sizes (to scale):
You’ll notice that a Full-Frame sensor is much larger than a 1/2.3″ sensor found in most point-and-shoot (P&S) and phone cameras. The chart also shows something called the crop factor — we’ll explain that shortly.
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