Full-Frame vs. Crop Sensor Shootout: Can You Spot the Difference in These Portraits? (VIDEO)

Many photographers are more than willing to pay a significant premium for the latest full-frame cameras, but does the difference in image quality as compared to crop-sensor cameras justify the extra cost? We don’t expect to answer this question here, but the six-minute video below provides an interesting take on the ongoing sensor size debate.

Photographer Manny Ortiz set out to conduct a real-world comparison between two highly touted mirrorless cameras—the full-frame Sony A9, and its crop sensor little brother, the Sony A6500. Ortiz photographed his wife and model Diana during the day and at night, and he presents the resulting photos in the video.

Viewing low-res images on a computer screen isn’t exactly the best way to discern the relative merits of one sensor versus another, but check out the video and see if you can spot the difference. Here’s a clue: Ortiz wasn’t surprised, but perhaps for reasons other than those you may expect.

You can find more interesting videos on Ortiz’ YouTube channel, and be sure to look at our earlier story, exploring the difference in image quality between cameras with full-frame sensors and those using the micro four thirds format.

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