Sensor Sizes Explained

The confusing inch fractions

CCD sensor sizes are given in a historical "optical format" notation that does not correspond to the actual diagonal measurement of the sensor. A "1/2.7-inch" sensor has an actual diagonal of about 6.6 mm — not half of 2.7 inches.

This naming convention dates back to 1950s vacuum-tube video cameras (vidicon tubes), where the inch measurement referred to the outer diameter of the tube, not the active image area inside it. The tradition stuck.

Mavica sensor sizes

Why sensor size matters

Light gathering

Larger sensors have bigger individual photosites (pixels), which collect more light per pixel. This means better signal-to-noise ratio, cleaner shadow detail, and lower apparent noise. The jump from 1/4" to 1/1.8" represents roughly a 4× increase in sensor area.

Depth of field

Smaller sensors produce a deeper depth of field at any given aperture and field of view. On a 1/4" Mavica nearly everything from 1 metre to infinity is in focus — which can be an advantage for casual shooting but makes background blur impossible.

Crop factor and focal length

The "35 mm equivalent" focal lengths listed in the Gearbase are calculated by multiplying the actual lens focal length by the crop factor. A 5.4 mm lens on a 1/2.7" sensor (6.5× crop) gives a 35 mm equivalent of approximately 35 mm.

Practical impact across the Mavica range

• 1/4" models (FD5, FD51): Extremely deep depth of field, noticeable noise even in daylight. Best for lo-fi work and CCD bloom effects.
• 1/3" models (FD7, FD71, FD73, FD75): Slightly cleaner, still very lo-fi. Good all-rounders for the VGA aesthetic.
• 1/2.7" models (FD83–FD100): The sweet spot for most floppy Mavica shooters — noticeably cleaner images while retaining character.
• 1/1.8" models (FD91, FD95, FD97, CD-series): The cleanest Mavica images. Closest to a "normal camera" look, with the most headroom for post-processing.