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When it comes to the overall quality of the image, counting both the size of the sensor and the absolute diameter of the aperture is counting twice. The amount
by foldr 7y ago
When it comes to the overall quality of the image, counting both the size of the sensor and the absolute diameter of the aperture is counting twice. The amount of light that hits the sensor, for a given field of view, is entirely determined by the absolute diameter of the aperture. Bigger sensors collect more light because you can use a bigger absolute aperture for a given f-stop and field of view. Or if you prefer, a larger absolute aperture collects more light for a given f-stop and field of view because you can use a bigger sensor.
Obviously, the format has implications for DoF, but those can be either positive or negative. When I shoot 4x5, I spend most of my time fiddling around with movements trying to get everything in focus :)
- azalemeth 7y agoExactly. The thing that really matters for light gathering is Etendue -- the product of the area of the source and the solid angle that the system's entrance pupil subtends as seen from the source -- which is conserved (in a lossless optical system). [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etendue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etendue
- snovv_crash 7y agoThere's more nuance than that, because sensors have a certain fixed amount of area, given a resolution, dedicated to control circuitry. Larger sensors make the control circuitry a smaller fraction of overall area.