Online Tool Store
Camera Sensor Size Comparator
Camera Sensor Size Comparator separates depth of field equivalence from exposure, which is where most crop factor confusion comes from.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Photography
Camera Sensor Size Comparator
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Sensor Comparison
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How the Camera Sensor Size Comparator works
- Choose the two sensor formats you are comparing.
- Enter a focal length and aperture on the first, and read the equivalent on the second.
- Note that equivalence covers framing and depth of field, not exposure — f/1.8 gathers the same light per unit area on any sensor.
The method
Crop factor is the ratio of a sensor's diagonal to a full frame sensor's diagonal.
equivalent focal length = focal length x crop factor; equivalent aperture = aperture x crop factor
Applying the crop factor to the aperture gives the depth of field equivalent, not the exposure equivalent — a common and expensive confusion.
FAQ
Does crop factor change exposure?
No. An f/1.8 lens gives the same exposure on every format. Multiplying aperture by crop factor gives the depth of field and total light equivalent, which is a different question from how bright the image is.
Is a bigger sensor always better?
For low light and background separation, larger helps. For reach, cost, size and depth of field in macro or landscape work, smaller formats have real advantages. The format is a set of trade-offs, not a ranking.
What is the crop factor of a phone?
Very high — small phone sensors have crop factors of several times, which is why a phone's tiny actual focal length is marketed as a much longer equivalent.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | A desktop editor | An upload-based service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aperture equivalence | ✓ | ✗ | Sometimes |
| Explains exposure separately | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| No sign-up | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nothing uploaded | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Camera Sensor Size Comparator separates depth of field equivalence from exposure, which is where most crop factor confusion comes from.