There is often a lot of confusion between these two quantities, leading to the oft made comment "f/2 = f/2 = f/2". So, I'd like to clear them up.
The aperture is the diameter of a physical opening in the lens that allow light through. It is the size of the aperture that determines how much light passes through the lens -- not the size of the FE (front element).
The f-ratio is the ratio of the FL (focal length) and the aperture, and is a measure of the intensity of the light, not the amount of the light. For example, a 100mm lens with an aperture of 50mm has an f-ratio of 100mm / 50mm = f/2. Like wise, a 100mm lens at f/2 has an aperture of 100mm / 2 = 50mm.
Thus, lenses with the same f-ratio have the same intensity of light, but do not admit the same amount of light. In other words, a lens at f/2 will have the same intensity of light regardless of the size of the sensor, but the same amount of light will not fall on the sensor.
Thus, 50mm f/2 on 35mm FF, 30mm f/2 on 1.6x, and 25mm f/2 on 4/3 all have the same intensity of light, and thus the same exposure. However, the amount of light that falls on the sensors is quite different, and thus the reason that the noise will be different, given the same design and efficiency of sensor.
However, 50mm f/4 on 35mm FF, 30mm f/2.5 on 1.6x, and 25mm f/2 on 4/3 will not have the same intensity of light, but will have the same total amount of light, since the apertures are all the same (50 / 4 = 30 / 2.5 = 25 / 2 = 12.5mm). To compensate for the different intensity of light (and thus different exposures), the ISOs must be adjusted to give the same apparent exposure . And, again, since the total light is the same, then, if the sensors have the same design and efficiency, the noise will be the same, even though the ISOs are different. Also, as a corallary, for the same perspective and AOV, the DOFs will also be the same for the same aperture.
It is for that reason that "f/2 = f/2 = f/2" is misleading, just as saying "50mm = 50mm = 50mm" is misleading. Both statements, taken out of context, lead to incorrect conclusions. For systems with different sensor sizes, you adjust the FL to get the same AOV, you adjust the f-ratio by the same amount to get the same total amount of light (and DOF), and you adjust the ISO to get the same apparent exposure (and thus same total noise for sensors with the same design and efficiency).
For a lot more on this:
http://www.josephjamesphotography.com/equivalence/
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--joe
http://www.josephjamesphotography.com
http://www.pbase.com/joemama/
The aperture is the diameter of a physical opening in the lens that allow light through. It is the size of the aperture that determines how much light passes through the lens -- not the size of the FE (front element).
The f-ratio is the ratio of the FL (focal length) and the aperture, and is a measure of the intensity of the light, not the amount of the light. For example, a 100mm lens with an aperture of 50mm has an f-ratio of 100mm / 50mm = f/2. Like wise, a 100mm lens at f/2 has an aperture of 100mm / 2 = 50mm.
Thus, lenses with the same f-ratio have the same intensity of light, but do not admit the same amount of light. In other words, a lens at f/2 will have the same intensity of light regardless of the size of the sensor, but the same amount of light will not fall on the sensor.
Thus, 50mm f/2 on 35mm FF, 30mm f/2 on 1.6x, and 25mm f/2 on 4/3 all have the same intensity of light, and thus the same exposure. However, the amount of light that falls on the sensors is quite different, and thus the reason that the noise will be different, given the same design and efficiency of sensor.
However, 50mm f/4 on 35mm FF, 30mm f/2.5 on 1.6x, and 25mm f/2 on 4/3 will not have the same intensity of light, but will have the same total amount of light, since the apertures are all the same (50 / 4 = 30 / 2.5 = 25 / 2 = 12.5mm). To compensate for the different intensity of light (and thus different exposures), the ISOs must be adjusted to give the same apparent exposure . And, again, since the total light is the same, then, if the sensors have the same design and efficiency, the noise will be the same, even though the ISOs are different. Also, as a corallary, for the same perspective and AOV, the DOFs will also be the same for the same aperture.
It is for that reason that "f/2 = f/2 = f/2" is misleading, just as saying "50mm = 50mm = 50mm" is misleading. Both statements, taken out of context, lead to incorrect conclusions. For systems with different sensor sizes, you adjust the FL to get the same AOV, you adjust the f-ratio by the same amount to get the same total amount of light (and DOF), and you adjust the ISO to get the same apparent exposure (and thus same total noise for sensors with the same design and efficiency).
For a lot more on this:
http://www.josephjamesphotography.com/equivalence/
--
--joe
http://www.josephjamesphotography.com
http://www.pbase.com/joemama/