Nighscapes: APS-C vs Full Frame

APS-C vs Full Frame: Which Camera Should You Choose for Astrophotography and Starry Landscapes?

Astrophotography—and in particular, nightscape photography—is gaining significant popularity. Many photographers are asking themselves: should they invest in a full-frame camera, or can an APS-C camera deliver equally good results?

The answer isn’t as clear-cut as it might seem. Thanks to techniques like image stacking with Sequator or using a tracker, an APS-C camera can actually rival a full-frame one.

ISO Sensitivity and Digital Noise in Astrophotography

To capture a night landscape, it’s often necessary to shoot at ISO 3200 to make the stars stand out.

On a full-frame sensor, this increase in ISO is better handled thanks to superior noise management.

On an APS-C, ISO noise becomes more noticeable, which can degrade the image quality if you’re relying on a single shot.

At first glance, full-frame seems better suited for night photography. But that conclusion changes when advanced post-processing techniques are brought into play.

Capturing Stunning Nightscapes with an APS-C Using Sequator

Sequator is a valuable tool for astrophotographers. It allows you to:

• Align the stars without altering the foreground of the landscape,

• Stack multiple images to reduce random sensor noise.

The principle is simple: by combining several shots, the noise cancels out while the stars remain sharp and bright.
The result: a final image shot with an APS-C can be just as clean and detailed as one from a full-frame camera.

Using a Tracker to Reduce ISO Noise

Another method for successful nightscapes is to use a tracker. This device compensates for the Earth's rotation, allowing you to take long exposures at lower ISOs.

The advantages are clear: less digital noise and more detail in the stars.

However, there is a downside: long exposures heat up the sensor, which generates hot pixels. Fortunately, there are two ways to deal with this:

• Manually correct hot pixels in post-processing (e.g., in Lightroom).

• Use the camera’s built-in long exposure noise reduction. In this case, the camera takes two shots:

  • One of the actual scene,

  • A second one with the shutter closed (a dark frame).

This allows the camera to detect and automatically remove hot pixels from the final image.

Conclusion: APS-C or Full Frame for Astrophotography?

While full-frame cameras still perform better at high ISO, an APS-C can produce professional-quality starry landscapes with a bit of patience:

• Use Sequator for stacking and noise reduction,

• Use a tracker for longer exposures and a more detailed sky,

• Enable long exposure noise reduction to eliminate hot pixels.

With these techniques, APS-C astrophotography becomes a credible alternative to full-frame, offering comparable results for nightscape and starry landscape photography.