Sensor Size Comparison Tool

It compares the approximate surface area of two camera sensor formats and tells you how many times larger one is than the other, along with the percentage of extra area. You can choose Full Frame (35mm), APS-C (Nikon/Sony), APS-C (Canon), Micro Four Thirds, and 1-inch, and the answer appears as a short sentence, such as Sensor A is 2.20x larger than Sensor B.

Choose the first format in the left dropdown and the second in the right dropdown, on either side of vs. Click Calculate Difference. The left choice is Sensor A and the right is Sensor B. The result names the larger sensor, shows how many times larger its area is, and gives the percentage difference. If you pick the same format twice, it reports that the sensors have the same approximate area.

The tool works from each format's sensor width in millimeters and assumes a 3:2 aspect ratio for every format, so the ratios are estimates for quick comparisons. Formats with a different shape, such as Micro Four Thirds at 4:3, will differ somewhat from a calculation using exact width and height. For choosing between systems or explaining crop factor to a client, the figures are close enough.

A larger sensor collects more total light at the same exposure, which generally means cleaner files at high ISO and more room to recover shadows and highlights. Sensor size also changes framing: a smaller sensor crops the image from any lens, giving a tighter field of view. At the same framing and aperture, a larger format also produces shallower depth of field.

Use the comparison as one input. In this tool full frame has about 2.2 times the area of Nikon and Sony APS-C, which helps in dim churches and receptions where you push ISO. APS-C bodies and lenses are often lighter, and the crop brings distant subjects closer for sports and wildlife. Compare formats here, then weigh lenses, weight, and budget for the work you shoot most.

Yes. The calculator is free, needs no software, and runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you enter is sent to a server. To open it the first time, you confirm that you are a photographer and sign in to or create a free Imagen account. That one step unlocks every free photography tool on the site.