Full Frame Sensors continuing the sensor discussion

I was at this forum and saw this post about full frame sensors , and thought since were discussing sensors id summarize this pretty long ( yet informative ) post for all u guys .

Heres the question that started the thread :

@ hi there. i'm trying to understand why people are so crazy about full frame. the biggest advantage of it that i see is the ability to get wider.

conversely, i know that the edges of a lens are where it performs the worst optically, so if you can eliminate that area, it seems beneficial to me.

And those were the replies :

@ Well, a bigger sensor means bigger photosites, so lower noise for the same resolution and/or higher resolution. It also means you can use older lenses the way they were designed - a 50mm acts like a 50mm, not a 75mm.

@ Shallower depth of field. A full frame sensor is capable of the equivalent of one and a half stops (for a given field of view) shallower DOF compared to a crop sensor.

@ For me, I want the larger file sizes to work with, and the ability to use my wide-angle lenses to their fullest potential.

@ If you can't perceive what a 12-24 lens gets you with a crop sensor cam, then you don't need or want full frame. Super wide is super wide, whatever the camera. I've shot stuff with the Sigma 12-24 on 35mm film that gets you places where no crop sensor camera can even go near.

@ Some of the more dramatic landscapes require a wide angle. If you ever need to stitch an image for creative reasons, the FF sensor gives you more image to use, so you need to stitch less.

@ FF is a step towards medium format without the hefty price tag of film or a digital back.

@ the biggest advantage of the FF is the fact that you get shallower depth of fields with your wide apertures. for example on a medium format@80mm f4 possibly gives you similar DOF as you would get 50mm@2.8 on a D3. You probably go to f1.4 on your D200 to get the same DOF.

@ Until the smaller sensors - like the 4/3 system - can produce very low noise images at high ISO's like the the full frame (35mm size) sensors from Canon and Nikon - they will always be relegated to consumer cameras and will never be taken seriously by professionals.

@ For me, in order of importance, why I LOVE full-frame.
1. Lower noise than same generation cropped sensor.
2. Shallower DOF.
3. Same angle of view as 35mm film.

And ofcourse , last but not least , the comment which i LOVED THE MOST , and for me was the MOST EDUCATED, MOST INFORMATIVE --->

@ Chicks love FF!

I couldnt stop after reading that one , i laughed for a pretty long while ! hehehehe ...