1.3X (M8) vs. 1.5X (Nex 7). Is there much difference?

[eleskin]

Th crop factor of 1.3X on the M8 and the 1.5X of the Nex 7 are very close. So as an owner of 2 M8's looking for another body to add to my capabilities (great high ISO, Video, etc,,,) , but not wanting to spend too much cash $$$$$$!!! right now, the Nex 7 seems very attractive. So to fellow M8 shooters, do any of you who also own a Nex camera or even have another 1.5X crop camera (DSLR etc,) , how does the 1.5 crop compare to the M8 1.3 crop in real shooting? I know the math but with actual cameras, is there much of a difference?

 

[LCT]

No Nex sorry but R-D1 owner here. 1.5x crop as well. There is not much difference with 1.33x in theory but in pratice i prefer APS-C as i can do 90%+ photos with two lenses (28 + 50, aka 40 + 75) wheras i need at least three of them with M8.2. Main problem with 1.33x is 50mm lenses that i find either too short or too long. With APS-C they give a fine 75mm FoV. Matter of tastes though.

 

[Robin Harrison]

Focal lengths are pretty arbitrary, when you think about it - just nice round numbers. Manufacturers produce certain lenses out of convention (and demand, driven by convention). Multiplying by another arbitrary focal length multiplier shouldn't change too much.

I agree with LCT that 50 on 1.5 seems more 'comfortably telephoto' than on 1.3. But I love that on the M8 the 25 comes in between 28 and 35 equivalents, and 35 is just a tad wider than 50. They seem to suit me as a combo better than a 28/50 or 35/50 would on full frame.

 

[sevo]

I like 1.5X a bit better as both omnipresent 28 and 35mm lenses map perfectly to classic normals (42 and 52.5mm equivalent), while the only common match for 1.33X is 35 to 50mm (not really as nice as the 52.5mm above, as most nominally 50mm lenses from the film age really were in the 51.5-55 range). But if you are young enough to be a zoom age photographer, you may never have internalized these dimensions and could care less...

 

[MCTuomey]

On an R-D1 I like 15/24/50 on an M8 I like 18/28/50. The 50 becomes a short tele on both 1.3x and 1.5x and I don't feel much difference in use between a 67mm and 75mm effective focal length.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I don't think much about the difference between a 28mm, for example, on my 1DMkIV at 1.3 or on a T2i at 1.6. They cover what they cover, and I just back up a little if I need more coverage. Not something I consciously do, though.

I don't use different lenses, though, much for the difference in perspective. I'm usually just trying to get more coverage if I go to a wider lenses, so YMMV.

 

[mahleu]

At the wide end, yes. At the long end, no.

 

[efix]

I've asked myself the same question, and I tend to concur with LCT. With the larger multiplier of 1.5x, the difference in angle of view between to focal lengths is also larger than with a multiplier of 1.3x. Thus, a combination of 28 and 50mm lenses yields angles-of-view equivalent to 37 and 66mm on the M8, but 42 and 75mm on APS-C. I also agree that the 50mm focal length is awkward on the M8, but could be very nice on APS-C. Although I am afraid I might find the 28mm's effective a-o-v too tight on the NEX ... still, this camera looks awesome, and I want one 🙂

 

[Lss]

how does the 1.5 crop compare to the M8 1.3 crop in real shooting? I know the math but with actual cameras, is there much of a difference?

Depends on how you see things when you photograph. If you prefer certain angles of view, the difference in crop may feel much more significant than it seems on paper. On the other hand, if you don't, there is not that much difference. It's easy enough to put one lens on one camera and another one on the other to get the angles you prefer. If you then want to add flexibility by adding one lens, or changing the lenses between the cameras, you will face more compromise as the lenses behave slightly differenty between the cameras.

With Nex this only applies if you plan on using M mount lenses on it and switching lenses between the cameras. As long as each camera has its own lenses, the different crop factor is not really a factor.

 

[isorgb]

I had used three cameras with M lenses 28mm and 50mm. 35mm also.
m4/3 - crop 2x,
R-D1 - crop 1.5x,
M8 - crop 1.3x

For me better is bigger sensor. I really don't know why. I see something indefinable. "Leica" sign on camera is not important for me. This is not DOF also, although OOF area have better "character" on bigger sensor - visible for me. But really, pictures are just different.

Look pictures, all from full open lens.

People (close?) with 28mm.
m43 + 28mm (crop 2x)
...

R-D1 + 28mm (crop 1.5):
...

M8 + 28mm (crop 1.3x):
...

And people wider 28mm.
R-D1 + 28mm (crop 1.5x):
...

M8 + 28mm (crop 1.3x):

And 50mm.
R-D1 + 50mm (crop 1.5):
...

M8 + 50mm (crop 1.3x):
...