They're also not transportation infrastructure.

DH

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E-M5 | E-PM2 | mZD 12-50 | ZD 12-60 | P 14-42 X | mZD 40-150 R | PL 25 | mZD 45

I guess you did not get the analogy...

So, I am glad you now agree with me that sensor size makes no difference. Pixels on the other hand...

I did not write that...

Oh.

Well, the total number of photons intercepted by the sensor area is irrelevant in an imaging system. The number of photos striking a pixel is important, but the quality of the pixel must also be taken into account--the performance of a pixel cannot simply be defined by its size.

I'm sorry I really thought you were joking, what you wrote sounds quite absurd to me

I would say
A.) the performance of a pixel depends on its size. A larger pixel of same kind has a better signal to noise ratio etc. Larger sensors allow larger pixels
B.) The amount of pixels depends on sensor size. Larger sensor size allows more pixels. More pixels of same kind means better image quality.
Hence: sensor size is relevant. Number of photons captured is [sensor pixel efficiency] x [sensor size]

I do not understand what you wanted to state with the transport analogy. Light speed is pretty constant. We can change the light flow per area and its duration (aperture and shutter speed), and we can change the overall area (sensor size).

What, your morning commute doesn't involve driving down a 3-lane sensor?

DH

__________________
E-M5 | E-PM2 | mZD 12-50 | ZD 12-60 | P 14-42 X | mZD 40-150 R | PL 25 | mZD 45

No. I was on a high speed train, and just passing a platform I observed a flash of light... (I feel old)

But pixels are not the same. The 5um pixels of the D800 are much better than the 9um pixel of my Phase One P25+ back.

My Phase Back has a larger sensor but fewer pixels than a D800. So, no, bigger sensors are not always better, at least in terms of the number of photon strikes vs S/N.

But you are also contradicting yourself as you recognize that pixel pitch is what is important. So you can put 5um pixels on any size sensor. And sensors of the same size have different pixel density, a D800 and D5mkIII have different number of pixels.

Sensor size is one of the parameters clearly relevant to image quality. I did not write it is the only parameter.

What I wrote is not contradictory. Pixel quality, pixel pitch, pixel count and sensor size are all important and relevant. They are not exclusive but have direct mathematical relations to one another.