please explain "full frame" and "35mm equivalent"

[tadd5181]

A grandson asked me for an explanation of "full frame" and "35mm equivalent" and I felt I needed some help in giving him a correct explanation instead of a bumbling one from me...please help.

 

[Phillydog1958]

Here's a couple of links that tell the story:

Full Frame SLR Cameras Vs. Cropped Factor SLR Cameras | eHow
Full Frame Vs. Cropped Frame DSLR Cameras - Deciphering Full Frame Vs. Cropped Frame DSLR Cameras

 

[Dave_W]

Full frame is a digital camera with a sensor equal in size to a 35mm film. So if you take a 35mm photo and a full frame photo from the same spot they will capture the exact same view. A cropped sensor, as you can guess, will not give you the same field of view but will give a cropped version of the full-framed view.

 

[WileyCoyote]

Full frame cameras are expensive as heck and cropped frame (DX, 35mm equivalent) cameras are more affordable for the average photographer.

 

[Mfrankfort]

Image sensor format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pretty good explanation with pictures. Hope it helps.