[genotypewriter]

[quote name='ecle' timestamp='1294307630' post='5361']

A Full Frame Sensor would have 40Megapixel with the same pixel pitch. So this is not easy for a lens to give such high resolution.

[/quote]

I think you're looking at it from the wrong angle... if the maximum amount of pixels information in the shot is 12MP (let's assume 12MP because 4000x3000 is nice), considering a FT sensor is 17.3mm wide, the 12-60 roughly and theoretically resolves 4000/17.3=225 pixels per mm (like 115 lp/mm). To get a 12MP image from a 36x24mm FF (12MP 3:2 = 4242x2828), all you need is a lens to resolve 4242/36=118 pixels per mm (like 59 lp/mm)... which is not that difficult.



So, yes... if you put a 59lp/mm lens on the 12MP FT camera, it'll look like crap, but that's all you need on a FF to match the maximum detail possible from the FT camera.



Plus, if both sensors produce images that are 12MPs... a FF sensor pixel is 3.84x the size of 1 FT sensor pixel. The almost 4x size means a nearly 2 stop advantage in noise.



Sadly there are no FF EVILs to even the playing field. So, smaller formats win because they have little to no competition from FF.



GTW