Information capacity: a measure of potential image quality of a digital camera

Frédéric Cao; Frédéric Guichard; Hervé Hornung

doi:10.1117/12.838903

18 January 2010 Information capacity: a measure of potential image quality of a digital camera

Frédéric Cao, Frédéric Guichard, Hervé Hornung

Proceedings Volume 7537, Digital Photography VI; 75370F (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.838903
Event: IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging, 2010, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to define an objective measurement for evaluating the performance of a digital camera. The challenge is to mix different flaws involving geometry (as distortion or lateral chromatic aberrations), light (as luminance and color shading), or statistical phenomena (as noise). We introduce the concept of information capacity that accounts for all the main defects than can be observed in digital images, and that can be due either to the optics or to the sensor. The information capacity describes the potential of the camera to produce good images. In particular, digital processing can correct some flaws (like distortion). Our definition of information takes possible correction into account and the fact that processing can neither retrieve lost information nor create some. This paper extends some of our previous work where the information capacity was only defined for RAW sensors. The concept is extended for cameras with optical defects as distortion, lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration or lens shading.

Citation Download Citation

Frédéric Cao, Frédéric Guichard, and Hervé Hornung "Information capacity: a measure of potential image quality of a digital camera", Proc. SPIE 7537, Digital Photography VI, 75370F (18 January 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.838903

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