Macro, full frame vs crop sensor

[Recty]

I've been debating upgrading my camera, not that I need to but the thought is there...

With macro photography, it seems to me like a crop sensor would be better, allowing you to get that much closer to your subject.

Is there any reason why you'd want a full frame sensor over a crop sensor for close up macro work? I realize the full frame will handle high ISO better and the full frame I'm looking at, the 5D MkII is higher megapixel than my 50D... but it seems to me by the time I add in the 1.6x multiplier to the 100mm macro I have, that the extra megapixels of the 5D MkII wouldnt really have any effect.

Am I missing something here? Or is macro photography going to be bigger and therefore normally better with a good crop body?

One of the main types of photography I like to do is macro and if I downgrade myself by going to a full frame, that would really help make my decision.

 

[dendronepthya]

The way I understand the crop factor of smaller sensor cameras, you are not getting any closer to the subject. A 100mm on a crop or full frame is only going out 100mm. On a 1.6x crop sensor, you are losing 30-40% of the coverage, so the field of view looks "tighter" giving an angle of view closer to 160mm. Conversely, the full frame image is the crop image plus more on the periphery.

I like full frame in a macro application because I like to incorporate more of the background in my shot. Also, because I have more viewing angle to work with, I can move in closer to create even smaller DOF and blur the background. You can always move in closer with a crop sensor and get the background blurry like that, but on a full frame, you see much more of it.

 

[xtm]

Technically, crop sensors should have the upper hand in macro photography due to the a higher pixel density on a given frame and greater DOF.. however, this is like splitting hairs. In real life I couldn't see the difference. (I shoot DX and FX)

 

[IPT]

Just saw this one.

xtm - why do you think your DOF would change? I don't actually think that is correct but I may be mistaken. DOF is usually (if not always?) related to the aperature and the lens so the sensor I believe would have no effect.

Given an equal amount of megapixels, using a crop sensor camera would effectively increase the focal length of the lens being used. So, in an 8x10 (same MP) with a crop sensor you would actually have a tighter shot. IF, however, you used a higher MP full frame sensor camera (same lens) you may be able to actually manually crop in PS (zoom in) and still have the same amount of information. Plus, you would have the added advantage of either having a wider view if you wanted, or if you could get close a tight shot with more information to make a huge enlargement from. Does that make sense?

I would never go back to a cropped sensor personally. Even with all the wildlife stuff I do. I can always get a longer tele but it gets hard to get real wide angle and I like to have that option. I think the 5Dmk2 is an awesome rig!

 

[tyoberg]

My only gripe is that the current FF cameras are what, 24mp? I'd love it if I could get 8-10mp FF raw images.

A bonus of the crop sensor, especially in many macro applications where you want the focus plane to be nice and flat, is that you're using the best part of the lens. The shortcomings in a lens are always worst out at the edges.