Sensor Size

Sensor size is the physical dimension of the camera's imaging area, the reference for lens coverage and field of view.

What this is about

Sensor size sits upstream of everything optical: it decides whether a lens set covers the frame at all, what a 35mm looks like, and how shallow the format can go for a given framing. That is why camera and glass are chosen together in prep — a full-frame body with a Super 35 lens set vignettes, and a look developed on one format shifts on another. Crews settle sensor mode, lens coverage and recording format in the camera test, before the schedule locks.

A term only helps when everyone on set means the same thing by it — so what follows is how it is used, not a dictionary definition.

What runs differently here

Where this differs from the general case:

  • Coverage is binary: a lens either draws a large enough image circle for the sensor or it vignettes.
  • The same focal length gives a wider view on a larger sensor — the lens did not change, the crop did.
  • Many cameras offer windowed sensor modes, changing effective format and lens behavior per project.

With TillyGen

TillyGen keeps sensor format and lens set as one linked pair in the equipment list, so coverage mismatches surface in prep instead of on the truck.

Change one constraint and the consequences travel through the whole plan: affected shots are flagged, the call sheet is regenerated, and nobody keeps working from yesterday's version.

Frequently asked

Does a bigger sensor automatically mean a better image?

No — it means a different one: wider lenses for the same view, shallower focus at the same framing, often more rental cost. Better depends on the project.

How long does it take to get started with TillyGen?

A first project takes under an hour to set up. There is no configuration phase in which templates and fields have to be defined before the tool produces anything.

Can the results be exported?

Yes — as PDF for the crew, CSV for downstream systems and through the API for anything automated. The plan stays the source; the exports are views of it.