Wednesday
Aug202008
Sensor Size Cheat Sheet Update
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 4:22PM 
After some discussion on dvinfo, I added the 1/2” chip size used in the Sony EX1, as well as this weird format I just heard about called 35mm motion picture film (Super 35).
Reader Comments (10)
Hmm. I the EX1 sensor looks pretty small...
So... how about adding 1/3" sensor sizes, you know like in the vast majority of prosumer camcorders? Heck you may even want to add the 1/4" used in a lot of consumer camcorders too. I know... give an inch and they want a mile.
My old canon is a 1/6" !
I'd be more tempted to go off a sensor size calculated off the user manual than off the PanavisionNZ site. I've tried to use their 1/3" sizes in Maya before when matchmoving Sony Z1 footage and things never seemed to line up. Basing it off the user manual (4.98mm*2.80mm) got things lined up better.
The DVX sensor size is 4.8 mm x 3.6 mm.
This kind of info is vital if you work in VFX and (especially) with 3D.
Trying to find the true size of someone else's digital camera's "film back" is amazingly difficult.
Unless I've just be asking the wrong people? Or the wrong way?
Considering the new Ikonoskop A-cam dII camera is using a "Super 16mm sized" sensor, it would be great to have that size on the chart too.
Super 16 film actually has a number of apertures at the film plane:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_mm_film
Stu, I think you may have left out the 30D's shape on the chart. I looked and looked, but I just can't find it. Or is it just supposed to be the same as the Nikon DX?
Hm, it's a tiny bit different, so it should show up. Oops! This post could probably use an update anyway — thanks for catching that.
One thing I haven't ever understood: why is "Super 35" only 24.89mm wide? Are the 10mm or so that are missing the area for the perfs?
This would explain why a digital sensor can be the full size of the frame, and why film for stills is also full-frame.
Did I just answer my own question?