Entrance pupil

A camera lens adjusted for large and small aperture. The entrance pupil is the image of the physical aperture, as seen through the front of the lens. The size and location may differ from those of the physical aperture, due to magnification by the lens.

The apparent location of the anatomical pupil of a human eye (black circle) is the eye's entrance pupil. The outside world appears to be seen from the point at the center of the entrance pupil. (The pupil itself, which lens designers would call the aperture, is in a slightly different location because the image is magnified by the cornea.)

In an optical system, the entrance pupil is the optical image of the physical aperture stop as 'seen' through the front of the lens system. The corresponding image of the aperture as seen through the back of the lens system is called the exit pupil. If there is no lens in front of it (such as a pinhole camera), the physical aperture's location and size are identical to the entrance pupil's location and size. However, if there are refractive optics in front of the aperture (such as a more conventional camera lens or a human eye), the entrance pupil is a (usually) virtual image of the physical aperture. Due to the simple magnifying (or minifying) effect of the front lens(es), the entrance pupil's location and size are nearer and larger (or farther and smaller) than that of the physical aperture.

The geometric location of the entrance pupil is the vertex of the camera's angle of view^[1] and consequently its center of perspective, perspective point, view point, projection centre^[2] or no-parallax point^[3]. When the optical system is physically rotated about its entrance pupil, the perspective geometry of its image does not change. In panoramic photography, for example, it is important to rotate or pivot the camera about its entrance pupil in order to avoid parallax errors in the final, stitched panorama^[4][5]. Depending on the lens design, the entrance pupil location on the optical axis may be behind, within or in front of the lens system; and even at infinite distance from the lens in the case of telecentric systems.

In photography, the size of the entrance pupil (rather than the size of the physical aperture itself) is used to calibrate the opening and closing of the diaphragm aperture. The f-number ("relative aperture"), N, is defined by N = f/E_N, where f is the focal length and E_N is the diameter of the entrance pupil^[6]. Increasing the focal length of a lens (i.e. zooming in) will usually cause the f-number to increase, and the entrance pupil location to move further back along the optical axis.

The entrance pupil of the human eye, which is not quite the same as the physical pupil, is typically about 4 mm in diameter. It can range from 2 mm (f/8.3) in a very brightly lit place to 8 mm (f/2.1) in the dark.^[7]

See also

• Exit pupil
• Transmittance
• Pupil magnification

References

1. ^ Greivenkamp, John E. (2004). Field Guide to Geometrical Optics. SPIE Field Guides vol. FG01. Bellingham, Wash: SPIE. p. 27. ISBN 9780819452948. OCLC 53896720. http://spie.org/x32310.xml. 
2. ^ Lenhardt, Karl (pdf). Optical Measurement Techniques with Telecentric Lenses. http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/pdf/div/optical_measurement_techniques_with_telecentric_lenses.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-08-14. 
3. ^ Littlefield, Rik (2006-02-06) (pdf). Theory of the “No-Parallax” Point in Panorama Photography. ver. 1.0. http://www.janrik.net/PanoPostings/NoParallaxPoint/TheoryOfTheNoParallaxPoint.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. 
4. ^ Kerr, Douglas A. (2005). "The Proper Pivot Point for Panoramic Photography" (PDF). The Pumpkin. http://doug.kerr.home.att.net/pumpkin/Pivot_Point.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-01-14. 
5. ^ van Walree, Paul. "Misconceptions in photographic optics". http://toothwalker.org/optics/misconceptions.html#m6. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.  Item #6.
6. ^ Jacobson, Ralph (et al.) (1988). The Manual of Photography (8th ed. ed.). Focal Press. ISBN 0-240-51268-5.  p.49
7. ^ Hecht, Eugene (1987). Optics (2nd ed. ed.). Addison Wesley. ISBN 0-201-11609-X. 

External links

• Stops and Pupils in Field Guide to Geometrical Optics Greivenkamp, John E, 2004
• The Grid — Alain Hamblenne's method for a precise location of the entrance pupil on a DSLR camera