Arbitrary Charts

Analyses & Output – INI settings – Chart Definition Files – Chart Definition Utility – Video Analysis   Combine all the features you need to analyze into a single chart Introduction The Imatest™ Arbitrary Charts module analyzes images of custom test charts. A chart-definition file (typically user defined) is needed to describe the chart layout to Imatest software. The Arbitrary Charts module will automatically locate and analyze target features when an observed image of a chart is loaded along with the corresponding definition file.    This module allows users to get a number of measurements out of custom, legacy, or competitors’ charts which […]

Acutance and SQF (Subjective Quality Factor)

Introduction to Acutance and SQF   Acutance and Subjective Quality Factor (SQF) are measures of perceived print or display sharpness. SQF was used for years in the photographic industry but has remained unfamiliar to most photographers. Acutance is a relatively new measurement from the IEEE Camera Phone Image Quality (CPIQ) group. Both are metrics which incorporate the effects of The imaging system: The Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of the camera as a measurement of its intrinsic sharpness. The viewer: The human eye’s sensitivity to each spatial frequency modeled with a Contrast Sensitivity Function (CSF). The viewing conditions: The image display height […]

Documentation – Current v24.2

View Release Notes   For beginners: We recommend these web pages for getting started: Introduction to the new Imatest Main Window (New in 2021.2) Image Quality Factors – Using Imatest – Getting started – Imatest Updates and Features  VIDEOS – Online training – Consulting – News    Index of the Table of Contents Offline documentation Download the website for offline view (with a web browser) Image Quality  IQ factors (KPIs) measured by Imatest, with links to detailed descriptions and instructions. Sharpness  Introductions to sharpness and sharpening; comparisons of different charts; chart quality limitations & how to overcome them Other IQ […]

AutoSens Europe 2024

Join us and other automotive imaging industry experts on October 8-10 in Barcelona, Spain. We will present our advanced testing methods and algorithms for validating the quality of automotive cameras. Passes are free for OEM & Tier 1 Automotive industry companies or register for early bird pricing by August 23rd.  AutoSens Europe Website Book Pass Tutorial by Norman Koren Tuesday 8th October – 14:00 CEST – Room 6 Information Metrics for Performance and Optimization of Machine Vision Systems See also Image Information Metrics. Visit Imatest’s Booth #334 for Demonstrations Leader SFR-Fit MTF Measurement Software SFR-Fit is camera resolution measurement software that measures MTF (Modulation […]

Managing Supply Chain Image Quality with Imatest

Published January 30 2015, updated July 26 2024 By Henry Koren, with contributions by Norman Koren. Edited by Matthew Donato, Jackson Roland and Ty Cumby. Table of Contents 1. Introduction The quality of imaging systems in mobile devices plays an increasingly important role in consumer purchasing decisions. A mobile device that fails to deliver acceptable quality images can have an adverse effect on the consumer’s brand loyalty, whether or not the customer has returned it. Unless proper care is taken, raising camera quality standards can reduce manufacturing yield. This could damage a supplier’s profitability as well as endanger their ability […]

ISO 8600 — Medical Endoscopes

Standards: ISO 8600-1 2015: Part 1 — General requirements ISO 8600-2 2015: Part 2 — Particular requirements for rigid bronchoscopes ISO 8600-3 2019: Part 3 — Determination of field of view and direction of view of endoscopes with optics ISO 8600-4 2015: Part 4 — Determination of maximum width of insertion portion ISO 8600-5 2020: Part 5 — Determination of optical resolution of rigid endoscopes with optics ISO 8600-6 2020: Part 6 — Vocabulary ISO 8600-7 2012: Part 7 — Basic requirements for medical endoscopes of water-resistant type ISO 8600-8:2021: Endoscopes — Part 8: Particular requirements for capsule endoscopes Technical […]

Wedge

Analysis of wedge patterns with the  Imatest Wedge and eSFR ISO modules News  2021.2 —  Logarithmic wedges: a superior design describes the advantages of logarithmic wedges, which have a much better distribution of spatial frequencies than hyperbolic wedges, allowing a larger maximum/minimum frequency ratio. Supported by Imatest (automatically detected) since 2021, but (as of May 2022) not currently included in standard eSFR ISO charts (though available on request).  2020.2 —  Calculations were greatly sped up in order to improve performance of direct image acquisition. During the testing of the speedup with direct acquisition, we found that Wedge results were unstable during […]

Version Comparison: Studio vs. Master

Which version is right for you? Imatest 5.0:  All functions of Imatest Image Sensor have been incorporated into Imatest Master.   Imatest is available in several GUI (Graphic User Interface)-based versions. Studio, with everything individual photographers need to test their cameras and lenses. Studio is only available to individual photographers. Master, the full-featured industrial-strength version for engineers and scientists who develop and evaluate imaging systems. Acquire images directly from several manufacturer’s development systems. Images can be updated and analyzed in real time with the Rescharts, Multicharts, and Uniformity-Interactive modules. As of Imatest 5.0, Image Sensor (IS) has been discontinued. All […]

Using SFRreg, Part 3: Results

Imatest SFRreg performs highly automated measurements of sharpness (expressed as Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also known as Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)) and Lateral Chromatic Aberration from images that contain registration mark patterns (circles that contain two light and two dark quadrants). This document illustrates SFRreg results. Part 1 introduced SFRreg and explained how to obtain and photograph the chart. Part 2 showed how to run SFRreg inside Rescharts and how to save settings for automated runs.   SFRreg results When calculations are complete, results are displayed in the Rescharts window, which allows a number of displays to be selected. The following […]

Using SFRreg, Part 2: Running SFRreg

Running SFRreg (Interactive and Auto mode settings) Setup window – ROI numbering – More settings – SFRreg target detection Auto mode settings – Warnings – Summary Imatest SFRreg performs highly automated measurements of sharpness (expressed as Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also known as Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)) and Lateral Chromatic Aberration from images that contain registration mark patterns (circles that contain two light and two dark quadrants). This document shows how to run SFRreg in Rescharts and how to save settings for automated runs. Part 1 introduced SFRreg and explained how to obtain and photograph the chart. Part 3 illustrates the […]

Using SFRreg Part I

Imatest SFRreg performs highly automated measurements of sharpness (expressed as Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also known as Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)) and Lateral Chromatic Aberration from images that contain registration mark patterns (circles with two light and two dark quadrants). Unlike standard test charts, these patterns do not need to be located on a flat (planar) surface. Since Region of Interest (ROI) detection is automatic, they may be positioned where needed. Depending on the image source, they offer several advantages. You can Test images at infinity distance (or any distance of choice) using a compact projection system such as a collimator […]

Using SFRplus, Part 3: Results

Imatest SFRplus results Imatest SFRplus performs highly automated measurements of several key image quality factors using the specially-designed SFRplus test chart. Unlike most other modules, the user never has to manually select Regions of Interest (ROIs). Image quality factors include Sharpness, expressed as Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also known as the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Noise, Lateral Chromatic Aberration, Distortion (with nearly as detailed output as the Distortion module). Described in detail here. Tonal response (again, with less detail than Stepchart; no noise statistics) Color accuracy, when used with an SFRplus that contains the optional color pattern, located above the […]

Using SFRplus Part 2

Running SFRplus (Interactive and Auto mode settings) Imatest SFRplus performs highly automated measurements of several key image quality factors using a specially-designed test chart. This document shows how to run SFRplus in Rescharts and how to save settings for automated runs. Part 1 introduced SFRplus and explained how to obtain and photograph the chart. Part 3 illustrates the results. New in Imatest 3.10 SFRplus settings can be updated by clicking Settings, SFRplus Auto settings in the Imatest main window without having to read an image file into Rescharts SFRplus Setup. New in Imatest 3.9 SFRplus can be run without including […]

Using SFRplus Part 1

The SFRplus chart: description and how to photograph it Slanted-edge test – Advantages – Obtain chart – Framing – No bars – Lighting Distance – Exposure – Tips – Links Watch on YouTube. Download 1080p/720p/540p. Purchase SFRplus Test Charts from the Imatest Store. Imatest SFRplus performs highly automated measurements of several key image quality factors using a specially-designed test chart that may be purchased from the Imatest store (recommended) or printed on a high-quality inkjet printer. The user does not need to manually select Regions of Interest (ROIs). Image quality factors include Sharpness, expressed as Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also known as Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), which can be mapped over the entire image, Noise (limited: […]

Using SFR part 2: Running Imatest SFR

From the Imatest main window, click on SFR or Rescharts on the upper left. SFR allows you to analyze multiple regions and to run batches of files. Rescharts (1. Slanted-edge SFR) allows you to analyze single regions in a highly-interactive interface. ISO 12233:2000 chart images, which have contrasty (≥40:1) slanted-edges, can be downloaded from dpreview.com reviews, typically in the last page titled “Compared to…,” and from Imaging-resource.com reviews, typically on the page labeled “sample images.” We no longer recommend such high contrast images, because saturation can lead to inaccurate results. 4:1 or 10:1 contrast images are much preferred. Image file […]

Using SFR Part 1

Setting up and photographing SFR test charts Imatest SFR measures spatial frequency response, also known as the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), of digital cameras using a slanted-edge (light-to-dark) target, as described in Sharpness: What is it and how is it measured? Although it doesn’t provide the as strong a visual indication of MTF as wedge or sinusoidal chats (such as Log Frequency), it provides a more accurate quantitative measurement and uses space much more efficiently. Old ISO 12233:2000 test chart (left) with Imatest SFR cropping indicated by the red rectangle New ISO 12233:2014 test chart (right– supported with a high […]

Using Rescharts slanted-edge modules Part 2

Running Rescharts slanted-edge modules (Interactive and Auto mode settings) Imatest Rescharts slanted edge modules— SFRplus, eSFR ISO, SFRreg, and Checkerboard— perform highly automated measurements of several key image quality factors using specially-designed test charts. This document shows how to run these modules in Rescharts and how to save settings for automated runs.  Four introductory pages —  SFRplus, eSFR ISO, SFRreg, and Checkerboard — describe each module and explain how to obtain and photograph the chart.  Rescharts Results Part 3 and Part 4 illustrate the results. Selecting files – Setup window – ROI selection & analysis – Edge ID files – Speeding up runs […]

Using Rescharts

Interactive Analysis of Resolution-Related Charts New in Imatest 2020.1 : Shannon information capacity from Siemens Star charts  Introduction – Supported charts – SFR – SFRplus – eSFR ISO – SFRreg – Checkerboard Getting Started – Rescharts Window  –   Rescharts modules Slanted-edge SFR – SFRplus – Log frequency (simple) – Log frequency-contrast – Star – Wedge  Random/Dead Leaves – Focus Score Introduction Imatest™ Rescharts is a highly-interactive interface for running several Imatest modules that can analyze images of several different test charts for resolution-related parameters such as sharpness (i.e., Spatial Frequency Response SFR, which is equivalent to Modulation Transfer Function MTF), color moiré, and fine detail lost to software noise reduction. All Rescharts modules can […]

Using Flatfield Blemish Detect

Measure visible sensor defects The Human Visual System – Algorithm – Instructions – Settings window – Filtering and threshold – Display options – Defective pixels – Tuning – Results Flatfield Blemish Detect detects visible sensor defects (typically blurred (dark) spots caused by dust in front of the image sensor, but light blemishes can also be detected). To ensure that only visible blemishes are flagged— and blemishes below the threshold of visibility are not— the image is filtered by a response function derived from the Human Visual System (HVS). Filter settings are adjustable for a wide range of applications and viewing conditions.  The IT version of […]

Using eSFR ISO Part 3: Results

Imatest eSFR ISO results Imatest eSFR ISO performs highly automated measurements of several key image quality factors using one of three versions of the ISO 12233:2017 Edge SFR chart: Standard, Enhanced, or Extended or the Extended ISO 12233:2023 . Unlike most other modules, the user never has to manually select Regions of Interest (ROIs). Image quality factors include Sharpness, expressed as Spatial Frequency Response (SFR), also known as the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), Noise, measured from the grayscale patches surrounding the center of the chart, includes all types of noise calculated by Color/Tone Interactive and Color/Tone Auto (standard pixel noise, […]