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Re: ISO value names are bec...

nospam
SubjectRe: ISO value names are becoming ridiculous
Fromnospam
Date01/09/2016 07:15 (01/09/2016 01:15)
Message-ID<090120160115319287%nospam@nospam.invalid>
Client
Newsgroupsrec.photo.digital
FollowsSandman
FollowupsSandman (3h & 19m) > nospam

In article <sandman-452242993369c375b8198929c57627b8@individual.net>, Sandman <mr@sandman.net>wrote:

Sandman
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_speed#Current_system:_ISO>

"The ISO system defines both an arithmetic and a logarithmic scale. The arithmetic ISO scale corresponds to the arithmetic ASA system, where a doubling of film sensitivity is represented by a doubling of the numerical film speed value. In the logarithmic ISO scale, which corresponds to the DIN scale, adding 3° to the numerical value constitutes a doubling of sensitivity. For example, a film rated ISO 200/24° is twice as sensitive as one rated ISO 100/21°"

That part is rarely used these days, however.

nospam
it's misuse of terminology.

Sandman
Nope.

it definitely is.

iso and f/stops are a logarithmic scale, which you confirm below.

nospam
f/stops are also a logarithmic scale, with each step 1.4x the previous one (f/1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6...), versus 2x for iso (100, 200, 400, 800, 1600...).

if you're going to call iso an arithmetic scale, then you must also call f/stops an arithmetic scale.

Sandman
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arithmetic%20scale "a scale on which the value of a point corresponds to the number of graduations the point is from the scale's zero"

I.e, a doubling of the value (ISO 100 ->200 ->400) is related to a doubling of the scale (for instance).

nope.

read it again.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/logarithmic+scale "a scale on which the actual distance of a point from the scale's zero is proportional to the logarithm of the corresponding scale number rather than to the number itself"

that *perfectly* describes iso and f/stops.

I.e. a step in the value (DIN 1 ->2 ->3) corresponds to a percentage of the scale.

it's 1/3rd stop for each step.

And yes, f-stops are logarithmic and adheres to this, where each step (f1.4 -> f2 ->f2.8) corresponds to a percentage of the scale.

if f/stops are logarithmic, then so is iso.

the only difference is the multiplier (1.4x versus 2x), aka the logarithm base.

Sandman (3h & 19m) > nospam