Crop or full frame for livestreaming and how to convert a crop lens to get full frame equivalent?

[jenwlee]

I had a Rebel T7 and used it as my camera for live streaming using the EOS Web utility. The software is flaky. Sometimes it stops connecting and recently the camera keeps shutting itself off and turns it back on. Not a good livestream experience. I was interested in 5D Mark IV instead.

I'm a complete newbie and know that my rebel is a crop camera and the Mark is a full frame. That's my knowledge.

Is there real difference in using a crop versus full frame camera for livestream where I am either presenting slides, interviewing a person or showing my screen?

And what is the full frame equivalent lens to the lens I had for my Rebel T7 - EFS 18-55mm f 1:35-5.6?

Thank you,

Completely lost, just want a camera to use for live streaming

[Tronhard]

Before you purchase a camera like the 5DIV, I suggest you step back a bit and reconsider.

You have indicated that your purpose is to use the camera for web streaming, but no other indications of different uses.   Can you please explain specifically, the benefits that this camera will offer you?

[jenwlee]

That's a question I am asking...

"Is there real difference in using a crop versus full frame camera for livestream where I am either presenting slides, interviewing a person or showing my screen?"

I don't know left and right from DSLR cameras. I just happen to pick the 5D Mark IV because I can use Elagato Cam Link with it and ecamm Live. Are you saying a crop camera will suffice?

[deebatman316]

In your case an APS-C camera is the best option. You won't see a benefit with a Full Frame camera due to the cost of lenses and other accessories.

-Demetrius

40D, 5D IV, EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 50 F/1.8 STM

430EX III-RT & 600EX II-RT

[Tronhard]

Can I suggest we wait until the OP has explained WHY they want a FF sensor - while my gut feeling is to agree, I think we need to know the full picture of what the OP actually wants it to do.

[deebatman316]

I was mainly looking at OP's use for their current camera. But I might've jumped to conclusions too fast on why OP might want a FF camera over an APS-C camera.

-Demetrius

40D, 5D IV, EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 50 F/1.8 STM

430EX III-RT & 600EX II-RT

[rs-eos]

There are pros/cons to each.  If your current lenses are all EF-S, they will not work with a 5D IV.  However, if they are EF lenses, they would.  And, on a full frame camera like the 5D IV, you'll get wider field of view when using that lens.  i.e. more in the frame at the same distance.  That could be an advantage.

But the wider field of view could also be a disadvantage if you want to fill the frame with your subject matter; the camera would now need to be brought closer.

Full frame cameras typically do better in regards to less noise in images at the same ISO setting as compared to crop-sensor cameras.  So if you're in lower-light situations, this could improve your video quality.

[Tronhard]

You are going about this the wrong way.  You are choosing gear based on a fairly random element.

Tell  us PRECISELY what the camera is supposed to do and some indication of your budget please.  We can suggest a camera that will fit your needs rather than some specs.  Maybe you should read THIS .

[jenwlee]

As I noted,I just picked the camera because I can use it woth Elagato cam link and it can works with ecamm live. This is only used for livestream. Beyond that, I literally just picked that camera. 

Thanks all others for the explanations. That helps. Asking me multiple times why is not helpful when I said all along I don't really know anything about DSLRs and was trying to understand why I would use it or not.

[Tronhard]

The object is not to make you feel bullied but to be absolutely sure of your needs.  As I didn't see a response to my inquiry (including budget), so I asked again.  Please be aware we are all trying to make sure you get the best return for your investment.  It is not at all uncommon for those seeking advice to be vague about what they want and we're not mind readers and we don't want to offer you poor advice, so please stop being so defensive.

I would suggest looking at something like the Canon M50MkII - I am not a vlogger or videographer, so I am not going to try to say what will or will not work.  However, it is a model that has proved highly respected and popular with those groups and the price will be significantly cheaper than getting a 5DIV.   So, I hope this would provide you with good value if you wanted to make an investment offering the maximum value.

There are some specific benefits here.  It is proven to connect to many computer and AV systems, and is small and light enough to be able to fit relatively confined spaces.

I am going to go back and answer your first question now - just so you know you weren't being ignored or disrespected.  Any lens has a physical focal length that produces and Angle of View (AoV) that is a cone of light that projects the image it sees. That number is printed on every lens and is a constant as far as the lens is considered - in other words the focal lengths of a lens are a physical constant and are not impacted by the sensor. so it doesn't matter what camera it is used on.

However there is another factor, and that what the sensor captures.  A smaller sensor captures less of what the lens projects than a larger one.  The result is what is sometimes called a Field of View (FoV) or Field of Capture (FoC).  That is what is recorded on  your memory card.  However, this is often not obvious when looking at what a lens will generate.

All lens focal lengths are marked relative to what would be seen on a Full Frame 35mm camera - it's a sort of de facto standard.  If you want to know what any lens would behave like compared to a FF camera, then one uses a crop factor to create that relationship.  In the case of a Canon APS-C sensor, that crop factor is 1.6.

What does this mean?  Well, compared to a FF camera like the 5DIV, your 18-55mm lens will have a FoV multiplied by 1.6.  So the effective FoV is 29mm-88mm.  So that is the range you would need to get for a FF lens if you want the same result.  

If you want to pursue a FF camera like the 5DIV, you now know the approximate focal range you need.  If you don't need the whole range, for example if you shoot generally at the wider end of it, you can choose a lens with a bias in that direction. 

Note that lenses for FF cameras are generally much more expensive that those for APS-C bodies.  This is not necessarily because of quality, but the optical design of crop sensor bodies give them an advantage, and those lenses are generally not built like tanks as are, for example, the L-series lenses designed for professional use.

If you want further information on this I am offering an article I wrote on the subject at THIS LINK