Full frame or APS-C camera

Loose thoughts by Bjorn Landfeldt

For a few years now, the APS-C sensor format has been the dominating standard for the consumer/prosumer market and only in really high end models have we seen full frame 35 mm sensors. The Canon 5D has been at the lower end of the market at around $3k but there has been little movement here. There has been a lot of activity in the APS-C range though with models competing in a few different ranges and classes. Interestingly, there has been a sudden shift in the full frame segment with the almost simultaneous introduction of a few models. Nikon just introduced the D700, Canon the 5D Mark-II and Sony the long anticipated A900. Since they are all priced similarly at around $3000 there will be downward pressure on these models. In addition, it will get cheaper to produce full frame sensors over time so the gap between full frame and APS-C will shrink.

What does this mean?

Well, for one, it will become cheaper to get real high quality photos but there will also be some problems to consider.

What lenses should we buy now? I am thinking about getting some more lenses for my 40D, I would expect the lenses to be useful for 10-15 years or so and I won't have the same body for that long. So, what sensor will I have in my next body? If full frame will grow down into the prosumer end of things I can't buy EF-S lenses because they won't work with full frame. However, right now there are some interesting EF-S lenses around.

One lens I am especially interested in is the Canon 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 EF-S. It has gotten some really good reviews and test results show it is crisp, has really little barrel distortion, vignetting and chromatic aberration. It got better test results than the 17-40 L EF lens in tests I have read at a lower price. So, what to do?

Get full frame lenses now and miss out on the goodies from the APS-C platform or bite the bullet later if the next body will be full frame?