Why 1.6 Crop?

[Keith B]

I'm sure this is common knowledge that was an issue years ago but I missed it. What was/is the limiting factor or purpose? Since Nikon is a nice round 1.5 it makes me curious.

[Colin]

To waste your time wondering about it so you don't do something like take over the world...

[Alan]

To waste your time wondering about it so you don't do something like take over the world...
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"What are we going to do today, Brain?"


"The same thing we try to do every day, Pinkie. Try to take over the world!"

[Alan]

To waste your time wondering about it so you don't do something like take over the world...
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"What are we going to do today, Brain?"


"The same thing we try to do every day, Pinkie. Try to take over the world!"

[neuroanatomist]

Multiplication by 1.5 is too easy, and they wanted to boost sales of Canon calculators.

[Sheiky]

Haha that brilliant!

[blabarspaj]

To break the pattern here... Maybe its because it's a bit cheaper to manufacture a 1,6 crop sensor, it's after all a bit smaller. If the sensor is smaller it should be cheaper and produce a camera that is a bit cheaper than a 1,5 crop one. A camera that is only a bit cheaper than the rivals might be a argument for purchase. If its only a bit cheaper and its because of a smaller sensor the overall quality should be the same as any other camera in the same class.


Or maybe it has something to do withcompatibility. A canon EF-S lens is designed for a smaller image sensor than a nikon one so if you were to fit a EF-S lens on a nikon crop body the image would be a bit rounded on the edges (not rectangular). This way no one would be able to take a canon lens that they like and put it on their favourite body. Instead the need the lens and the samemanufacturerbody.


Weirdguesses maybe but this is all i got

[Brendan7]

olympus makes a 2x crop sensor so their 300mm f/2.8 lens becomes a 600mm f/2.8!

[Jon Ruyle]

olympus makes a 2x crop sensor so their 300mm f/2.8 lens becomes a 600mm f/2.8!
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Well, more like a 600mm f/5.6, really.

[neuroanatomist]

olympus makes a 2x crop sensor so their 300mm f/2.8 lens becomes a 600mm f/2.8!

Well, more like a 600mm f/5.6, really.

How does a smaller sensor decrease the maximum aperture of the lens??? bburns223 isn't talking about a teleconverter, but about the fact that Olympus uses the four-thirds sensor format, which is smaller than the APS-C format (thus, a 2.0 crop factor vs. a 1.6 crop factor).