[net.rec.photo] exposure stop formulae

josephs@ttidcb.UUCP (Bill Josephs) (01/29/85)

     I've been meaning to post this for a while and keep
forgetting...for the mathematically inclined, the following formulae
can be used for calculating the ubiquitous difference in stops between
two f stops or two guide number (first formula) or between two shutter
speeds or two ASA/ISO ratings:

                   #stops = 2*(log(fg1/fg2))/log(2)

or:

                     #stops = log(sa1/sa2)/log(2)

where:

     fg1 and fg2 are two f stops or two guide numbers,

and:

     sa1 and sa2 are two shutter speeds or ASA/ISO ratings.
			 
			Bill Josephs
			TTI
			Santa Monica, Ca.

ed@ISM780.UUCP (02/02/85)

>     I've been meaning to post this for a while and keep
>forgetting...for the mathematically inclined, the following formulae
>can be used for calculating the ubiquitous difference in stops between
>two f stops or two guide number (first formula) or between two shutter
>speeds or two ASA/ISO ratings:
>
>                   #stops = 2*(log(fg1/fg2))/log(2)
>
>                     #stops = log(sa1/sa2)/log(2)
>where:
>     fg1 and fg2 are two f stops or two guide numbers,
>and  sa1 and sa2 are two shutter speeds or ASA/ISO ratings.
>
>                        Bill Josephs
>                        TTI
>                        Santa Monica, Ca.
>/* End of text from ISM780:net.rec.photo */

You didn't mention what log base to use, although upon closer inspection
I see it doesn't matter.  In that case, for most situations, base 2
will be easiest to calculate (sans calculator), so these simplify to:

	#stops = 2*log (fg1/fg2)
		      2
	#stops = log (sa1/sa2)
		    2
Ed Lycklama
decvax!cca!ima!ism780!ed

nishri@utcs.UUCP (Alex Nishri) (02/05/85)

Handy general equations to remember (known as APEX):

    EV = SV + BV = AV + TV


Where:

	EV = exposure value
	SV = LOG2 kS		(S arithmetic film speed; k constant)
	BV = LOG2 B/6		(B in foot-candles)
	AV = LOG2 f**2		(f-stop)
	TV = LOG2 (1/T)		(T exposure time in seconds)

The above equations are also sometimes presented as a simple SLAT table, where
SLAT stands for Speed + Light = Aperature + Time.

Alex Nishri
University of Toronto
UUCP: ... utcs!nishri
BITNET: alex at utoronto