Sensor Sizes, why it matters...
| Type | Aspect Ratio | Diameter | Diagonal | Width | Height | Area | Crop Factor | PX per sq mm |
| 1/3.6" | 4:3 | 7.06 | 5.00 | 4.00 | 3.00 | 12.00 |
8.65 |
|
| 1/3.2" | 4:3 | 7.94 | 5.68 | 4.54 | 3.42 | 15.49 |
7.62 |
|
| 1/3" | 4:3 | 8.47 | 6.00 | 4.80 | 3.60 | 17.28 |
7.21 |
|
| 1/2.7" | 4:3 | 9.41 | 6.59 | 5.27 | 3.96 | 20.87 |
6.56 |
|
1/2.5" Canon SD850 |
4:3 | 7.82 | 5.76 | 5.29 | 30.47 |
5.53 |
262222 |
|
| 1/2" | 4:3 | 12.70 | 8.00 | 6.40 | 4.80 | 30.72 |
5.41 |
|
| 1/1.8" | 4:3 | 14.11 | 8.93 | 7.18 | 5.32 | 38.17 |
4.84 |
|
| 1/1.7" Samsung NV8 | 4:3 | 9.50 | 7.60 | 5.70 | 43.32 |
4.55 |
184672 |
|
| 2/3" | 4:3 | 16.93 | 11.00 | 8.80 | 6.60 | 58.08 |
3.93 |
|
| 1" | 4:3 | 25.40 | 16.00 | 12.80 | 9.60 | 122.88 |
2.70 |
|
| 4/3" | 4:3 | 33.87 | 22.50 | 18.00 | 13.50 | 243.00 |
1.92 |
|
| Foveon (Sigma) | 3:2 | 24.88 | 20.70 | 13.80 | 285.66 |
1.74 |
||
| Canon 40D 10.5MP | 3:2 | 26.68 | 22.20 | 14.80 | 328.56 |
1.62 |
31958 |
|
| Nikon D200 10.92MP | 3:2 | 28.40 | 23.60 | 15.80 | 372.88 |
1.52 |
29286 |
|
| Nikon D300 13.1MP | 3:2 | 28.40 | 23.60 | 15.80 | 372.88 |
1.52 |
35132 |
|
| Canon 1D Mk111 10.7MP | 3:2 | 33.75 | 28.10 | 18.70 | 525.47 |
1.28 |
20363 |
|
| Nikon D700 12.87MP | 3:2 | 43.21 | 36.00 | 23.90 | 860.40 |
1.00 |
14958 |
|
| Nikon FX D3 12.87MP | 3:2 | 43.21 | 36.00 | 23.90 | 860.40 |
1.00 |
14958 |
|
| Canon 5D Mk11 21.1MP | 3:2 | 43.27 | 36.00 | 24.00 | 864.00 |
1.00 |
24421 |
|
| Canon 1DS Mk111 21.1MP | 3:2 | 43.27 | 36.00 | 24.00 | 864.00 |
1.00 |
24421 |
|
| 6x4.5 20MP | 4:3 | 69.70 | 56.00 | 41.50 | 2324.00 |
N/A |
8606 |
In blue the sensor area, in red the pixels per square mm - the ability to resolve is greater the less dense (improvements in technology aside)
Purple - actual cameras at full sensor size, Green - my kit!
The diameter refers to the old picture tubes...
In a nutshell, the Nikon D3 sensor is 19.86 times bigger than my NV8 compact and it has 12 times less density (i.e. less crammed-up) on it's chip! (It's also 34 times more expensive!)