Thanks to Michael for the links to outbackphoto on pixels and such. The important point about the fundamental limitation on low light noise levels and how, in the deep shadows one must lose one stop of attainable S/N ratio for each halfing of pixel pitch leads me to a question, for someone like Samir:
How many photons per square micron do you get at a given aperture ratio, exposure time and subject brightness? For example, if we knew the answer for an 18% gray card in bright sunlight with f/16 and shutter speed 1/100 (the sunny 16 guideline for normal exposure with ISO 100 film), we would have some idea of how deep into the shadows a given pixel size will ever be able to go before there are too few photons for it to count, and hence could estimate the highest possible speed (ISO equivalence) for a given pixel size.