Crop Factor Calculator
This crop factor calculator computes the full-frame equivalent focal length, equivalent aperture, and field of view for any lens on APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, 1-inch, or other crop-sensor cameras. Enter your focal length, aperture, and sensor type to instantly see how your lens compares to a full-frame setup.
Crop Factor Calculator
Enter your lens focal length, aperture, and select your camera sensor to calculate the full-frame equivalent focal length, aperture, and field of view.
Common focal lengths:
Related calculators:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is crop factor in photography?
Crop factor (also called focal length multiplier) is the ratio of a full-frame 35mm sensor diagonal (43.27mm) to the diagonal of a smaller camera sensor. It tells you how much narrower the field of view is compared to full frame. For example, an APS-C sensor with a 1.5x crop factor captures a 1.5x narrower angle of view than a full-frame sensor with the same lens.
How do I calculate the equivalent focal length for a crop sensor?
Multiply your actual lens focal length by the sensor crop factor. Formula: Equivalent Focal Length = Actual Focal Length × Crop Factor. For example, a 50mm lens on an APS-C camera with a 1.5x crop factor gives an equivalent focal length of 50 × 1.5 = 75mm. This means it frames the scene the same way a 75mm lens would on a full-frame camera.
What is the crop factor of APS-C sensors?
APS-C sensor crop factors vary slightly by manufacturer. Canon APS-C sensors have a 1.6x crop factor. Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and Pentax APS-C sensors have a 1.5x crop factor. This means a 50mm lens on a Canon APS-C behaves like an 80mm lens (50 × 1.6), while on a Nikon APS-C it behaves like a 75mm lens (50 × 1.5).
What is the crop factor for Micro Four Thirds (MFT)?
Micro Four Thirds cameras (Olympus/OM System and Panasonic) have a 2.0x crop factor. This means any lens focal length must be doubled to find the full-frame equivalent. A 25mm MFT lens gives the same field of view as a 50mm lens on full frame, and a 12mm lens equals a 24mm equivalent — making MFT lenses appear more telephoto than on full frame.
Does crop factor affect aperture and depth of field?
Crop factor affects the equivalent aperture and depth of field when comparing images with the same framing across different sensor sizes. To find the equivalent aperture, multiply by the crop factor: Equivalent Aperture = Actual Aperture × Crop Factor. A 50mm f/1.4 lens on an APS-C 1.5x camera produces the same depth of field as a 75mm f/2.1 lens on full frame. Full-frame cameras have an advantage for shallow depth of field and low-light performance at equivalent settings.
How does crop factor affect field of view?
Crop factor narrows the field of view compared to full frame. The diagonal field of view is calculated as: FOV = 2 × arctan(sensor diagonal / (2 × focal length)). A 50mm lens on a full-frame camera has a ~46.8° diagonal FOV. The same lens on an APS-C 1.5x camera captures only ~31.7°. To get the same FOV on APS-C, you would need approximately a 33mm lens (50 ÷ 1.5).
Is a higher crop factor better or worse?
Neither — it depends on your photography needs. A higher crop factor (smaller sensor) gives extra telephoto reach from any lens, which benefits wildlife, sports, and bird photographers. However, it also makes wide-angle shooting harder, reduces shallow depth of field capability, and typically performs worse in low light compared to larger sensors with the same technology. Larger sensors (lower crop factor) generally offer better low-light performance, more bokeh control, and wider angle of view.
What is the crop factor of a 1-inch sensor?
A 1-inch sensor (13.2 × 8.8mm) has a crop factor of approximately 2.7x. This means a 10mm lens on a 1-inch sensor gives a field of view similar to a 27mm lens on full frame. Common cameras with 1-inch sensors include the Sony RX100 series, Panasonic LX100, and many DJI drone cameras.
Understanding Crop Factor in Photography
What is Crop Factor?
Crop factor (also called focal length multiplier) is the ratio between the diagonal of a full-frame 35mm sensor (43.27mm) and the diagonal of a smaller camera sensor. It tells you how much smaller your sensor is compared to a full-frame reference, and by how much the effective angle of view is narrowed.
A full-frame sensor measures approximately 36mm × 24mm. Any sensor smaller than this has a crop factor greater than 1.0. When you mount a lens designed for full-frame on a crop-sensor camera, only the center portion of the image circle is used — effectively "cropping" the view and making subjects appear closer.
Crop Factor Formula:
Crop Factor = 43.27mm (FF diagonal) ÷ Sensor Diagonal (mm)
Equivalent Focal Length = Actual Focal Length × Crop Factor
For example, a 50mm lens on an APS-C camera with a 1.5x crop factor behaves like a 75mm lens would on full frame — giving a narrower field of view and more telephoto compression.
Common Sensor Sizes
Different camera manufacturers use different sensor sizes, each with a specific crop factor. Here is a reference table of the most common sensor formats:
| Sensor Format | Typical Size (mm) | Crop Factor | Common Cameras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Frame | 36 × 24 | 1.0× | Sony A7, Nikon Z6, Canon R6 |
| APS-C (Canon) | 22.3 × 14.9 | 1.6× | Canon EOS 90D, M6 II, R7 |
| APS-C (Nikon/Sony/Fuji) | 23.5 × 15.6 | 1.5× | Nikon Z50, Sony A6700, Fuji X-T5 |
| Micro Four Thirds | 17.3 × 13.0 | 2.0× | Olympus OM-5, Panasonic G9 |
| 1-Inch | 13.2 × 8.8 | 2.7× | Sony RX100, Nikon Z30 (1" CX), DJI drones |
| 1/2.3-Inch | 6.17 × 4.55 | 5.6× | Compact cameras, action cams, smartphones |
Equivalent Focal Length
The equivalent focal length is the focal length on a full-frame camera that produces the same field of view as your lens on a crop sensor. It is the most common use of crop factor calculations.
Example 1: Portrait Lens on APS-C
A 50mm f/1.8 lens mounted on a Nikon APS-C camera (1.5× crop factor):
Equivalent FL = 50mm × 1.5 = 75mm
The lens behaves like a 75mm portrait lens on full frame — a classic mid-telephoto focal length ideal for portraits.
Example 2: Wide-Angle on Micro Four Thirds
A 12mm lens on a Micro Four Thirds camera (2.0× crop factor):
Equivalent FL = 12mm × 2.0 = 24mm
The 12mm MFT lens gives the same wide-angle view as a 24mm lens on full frame — a popular focal length for landscapes and interiors.
Example 3: Telephoto Advantage
A 300mm lens on a Canon APS-C camera (1.6× crop factor):
Equivalent FL = 300mm × 1.6 = 480mm
Wildlife and sports photographers often prefer APS-C sensors for this "free" reach advantage.
How Crop Factor Affects Depth of Field
Crop factor affects depth of field (DOF) in an important but often misunderstood way. To achieve the same framing (field of view) and depth of field on a crop sensor as on full frame, you need to account for both focal length and aperture.
When comparing two cameras with the same framing, the crop sensor camera produces more depth of field than the full-frame camera at the same aperture. This is because the crop sensor uses a shorter focal length to achieve the same framing, and shorter focal lengths inherently produce more DOF.
DOF Equivalence Rule:
Equivalent Aperture = Actual Aperture × Crop Factor
To match the DOF and light-gathering of f/1.4 on full frame, an APS-C camera (1.5×) would need f/0.93 — which does not exist. This is the DOF disadvantage of crop sensors for portrait bokeh.
In practice: if you want shallow background blur (bokeh) comparable to a full-frame camera, you need a lens with a proportionally wider aperture on a crop sensor. A 35mm f/1.4 on APS-C gives similar DOF to a 50mm f/2.0 on full frame.
Field of View Comparison
Field of view (FOV) is the angular extent of the scene captured by a lens-sensor combination. It is measured diagonally in degrees and is the primary reason crop factor matters — a smaller sensor captures a narrower slice of the scene.
The diagonal FOV formula used by this calculator is:
FOV = 2 × arctan(sensor diagonal / (2 × focal length))
Where sensor diagonal = 43.27mm ÷ crop factor (derived from the full-frame 43.27mm diagonal)
For example, a 50mm lens on full frame has a diagonal FOV of approximately 46.8°. The same lens on an APS-C 1.5× sensor captures only 31.7°. To get a similar 46.8° FOV on the APS-C camera, you would need approximately a 33mm lens.
| Focal Length | FOV Full Frame | FOV APS-C (1.5×) | FOV MFT (2.0×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14mm | 114.2° | 84.1° | 62.8° |
| 24mm | 73.7° | 53.1° | 39.6° |
| 35mm | 54.4° | 38.2° | 28.6° |
| 50mm | 46.8° | 31.7° | 23.6° |
| 85mm | 28.6° | 19.1° | 14.3° |
| 200mm | 12.4° | 8.3° | 6.2° |
Crop Factor and Aperture Equivalence
When comparing lenses across different sensor formats for both field of view and depth of field, you need to apply the crop factor to both focal length and aperture. This gives you the "full-frame equivalent" spec of a lens on a crop sensor.
- A 25mm f/1.4 lens on Micro Four Thirds (2.0×) is equivalent to a 50mm f/2.8 on full frame.
- A 23mm f/2.0 on APS-C Sony (1.5×) is equivalent to a 35mm f/3.0 on full frame.
- A 12mm f/2.0 on Micro Four Thirds (2.0×) is equivalent to a 24mm f/4.0 on full frame.
This is why full-frame cameras are generally preferred for low-light photography — achieving an equivalent f/1.4 on full frame is far easier and cheaper than finding an f/0.7 lens for a small sensor camera.
However, crop sensors have real advantages: smaller, lighter bodies and lenses; longer effective reach for wildlife and sports; and lower cost at the same resolution. The right format depends entirely on your photographic needs.