Documentation (Table of Contents)

Image quality — Getting started — Imatest Instructions – general — Troubleshooting —
  Sharpness modules — Tone, Color, Noise & Dynamic Range modules — Spatial & Uniformity modules —
Miscellaneous modules and utilities — Industrial Testing edition — Appendix

Image Quality

General

Image quality factors – Overview and Imatest measurements

Introduction – Summary table – Image quality factors – Sharpness – Noise – Dynamic range – Color accuracy – Distortion – Uniformity – Lateral chromatic aberration – Veiling glare – Color moire – Software artifacts – Data compression – Printer quality factors – Print Dmax -Print color gamut

 
Sharpness

Sharpness – What is it and how is it measured?

Introduction – MTF – MTF equation – Slanted-edge measurements - MTF measurement matrix – Spatial frequency units – Summary metrics – Results – Noise reduction – Diffraction & Optimum aperture – Interpreting MTF50 – Calculation details – Links

Sharpening - and Standardized Sharpening for comparing cameras

Introduction – Standardized sharpening – Oversharpening and Undersharpening – Examples – Links

Validating the Imatest slanted-edge calculation

Chart Quality Index (CQI) – relates chart quality and size to MTF measurements; lets you find the appropriate chart size for a camera with a given resolution

MTF curves and Image appearance – Correlating measurement with appearance

Introduction – The Slanted-edge test – Reference image – Sharpened images – Blurred images – Sharpened + blurred images – Observations – Sharpness ranking – Links

SQF (Subjective Quality Factor) and Acutance

Introduction – SQF and MTF – Meaning of SQF – Measuring SQF – The SQF equation – CSF – Links

 
Other

Noise in photographic images

Introduction – Appearance – Noise measurements – Noise summary – F-stop noise – The mathematics of noise – Links

Chromatic Aberration - AKA Color fringing

Introduction – Measurement – Demosaicing

Veiling glare (Lens flare)

Introduction – Target – Measurement – Results – ISO 9358

Color correction matrix

Introduction – Math – Multicharts

ISO Sensitivity and Exposure Index

Introduction – Modules – Equations – RAW files -Related documents

Shannon information capacity - information that can pass through a channel without error

Meaning – Results – Summary

SFR: New File
SFR current file	Map of the Imatest main window with links to instructions.
SFRplus setup				Help guide
SFRplus auto
Rescharts
MTF Compare				View/Rename Files
Batchview				Find Sharp Files
Colorcheck				Test Charts
Multicharts	Uniformity			Screen Patterns
Stepchart	Uniformity Interactive			dcraw   Rawview
Dynamic Range	Blemish Detect			Read Raw   EXIF
Distortion	Dot pattern			Manage settings
Exit	Close Figures		Error reporting	Options I	Options II

Imatest Instructions — Getting started

Imatest Instructions — general

Imatest Instructions — Sharpness modules

SFR

Using SFR Part 1 - Setting up and photographing SFR targets

Slanted-edge test – Print chart – Lighting – Distance – Exposure – Tips – Quality and Distance

Using SFR Part 2 - Running Imatest SFR

Image file – ROI – Additional input – Equations – Gamma – Warnings – Saving – Repeated runs – Excel CSV output

Imatest SFR LCD target

Screen Patterns module – Web pattern

SFR results: MTF (Sharpness) plot

SFR results: - Chromatic Aberration, Noise, and Shannon capacity plot

SFR results: Multiple ROI (Region of Interest) plot

2D Summary plot – 1D Summary plot – CSV Output file – Summary explanation – Excel plots

 
SFRplus

Using SFRplus Part 1 – The SFRplus chart: features and how to photograph it

Slanted-edge test – Advantages – Obtain chart – Framing – Lighting – Distance – Exposure – Tips – Links

Using SFRplus Part 2 – Running Imatest SFRplus

Running SFRplus – Rescharts - SFRplus setup window – More Settings window – Secondary Readouts – Gamma – Auto mode setup – Warnings – SFRplus summary

Using SFRplus Part 3 – Imatest SFRplus results

SFRplus results – Multi ROI – Edge & MTF display – Chromatic Aberration display – SQF display – Tonal response & gamma – Histograms & noise – Tonal response & gamma – Uniformity profiles – Image & geometry – 3D Plots – Lens-style MTF plot – Edge roughness plot – Color analysis – Excel CSV & XML output – Links

SFRplus Distortion and Field of View measurements

Introduction – Pre-distorted charts – Running SFRplus & Algorithm – Results – Distortion correction display – Radial plot

How to Test Lenses with SFRplus

Introduction – Test chart – Photograph – Lighting – Run SFRplus – Rescharts SFRplus – SFRplus settings – Auto run options – Display options – Secondary readout – Interpret the results – Batches – Checklist – Links

 
Rescharts modules– Log F-Contrast, Star, Random, Wedge

Using Rescharts – Analysis of resolution-related charts

Introduction – Getting started – The Rescharts window – Rescharts modules – Slanted-edge SFR – Log frequency (simple) – Log frequency-contrast

Log Frequency - Analysis of log frequency-varying charts

Introduction - Photographing, running - Color moire - Output - Pattern - MTF - Comparisons - Calculation details - Nyquist, aliasing

Log F-Contrast – Analysis of charts that vary in log frequency and contrast

Introduction – Creating, printing – Photographing, running – Output – Pattern – MTF – MTF/contrast contours -MTFnn

Star Chart – Analysis of the Siemens star chart

Introduction – Creating, photographing, running – Output – MTF – MTFnn, MTFnnP – MTF contours – Equations

Random/Dead Leaves – Scale-invariant test charts (including Imatest Spilled Coins) for measuring texture sharpness

Introduction – Creating, photographing, running – Output – MTF – MTFnn, MTFnnP – Power Spectral Density – Equations

Texture examples – More details of Imatest Spilled Coins texture sharpness measurements

Images used in Random/Dead Leaves - Spilled Coins vs. Slanted edge MTF

Dead Leaves measurement issue – Illustrates challenges posed by extreme signal processing

Wedge – Analysis of hyperbolic or trapezoidal wedge patterns

Introduction – Recommendations – Instructions – Results – Limitations & Comparisons – Calculation details – MTF/Nyquist & Aliasing

 
Sharpness utilities & postprocessors

MTF Compare – Compare MTFs of different cameras and lenses

Introduction – Instructions

Image Stabilization/Sharpness Compare - SFRplus postprocessor for analyzing (Optical) Image Stabilization and compare sharpness of different images

Introduction – Operation – Metrics – Results

Batchview – Postprocessor for viewing summaries of SFR, SFRplus results

Introduction – Preparation – Instructions

Find Sharpest Files – Find thre sharpest files in a batch

Introduction – Operation – 2. Select files – 3. Rename options – 4. Preview – 5. Rename files

How to Test Lenses with SFR – (old page: Imatest SFRplus recommended)

Imatest Instructions — Tone, color, and spatial modules

Tone, Color, Noise, and Dynamic Range

Using Colorcheck

What Colorcheck does – Colorchecker colors – Photographing target – Running Colorcheck – Colorchecker reference sources – Output – Temporal noise – Saving – Links

Colorcheck Appendix – Algorithms and reference formulas

Color error formulas – Chroma correction (corr) – Algorithm – Grayscale and exposure

Using Stepchart

Photographing the chart – Running Stepchart – Output – Temporal noise – Saving – Dynamic range – Algorithm

Stepchart: Special and ISO charts

Photographing chart – Instructions – Patch order

Dynamic Range – Calculate Dynamic Range from several Stepchart images

Introduction – Operation – Results – Dynamic Range bkgnd

Using Multicharts – Interactive analysis of several test charts

Introduction – Getting started – Reference files – The Multicharts window – Displays and options

Multicharts Noise – Noise, and especially sensor (RAW) noise in Multicharts

Chroma noise – Image sensor (raw) noise

Multicharts Special Charts – Additional charts, including ISO OECF and noise chats and circles arranged on a square

Instructions – Patch numbering – Examples

Color correction matrix

Introduction – Math – Multicharts

 
Spatial and Uniformity modules

Using Uniformity – (formerly Light Falloff) Measure lens vignetting and sensor nonuniformity

Instructions – Results

Using Uniformity-Interactive – Interactive measurement of vignetting and sensor nonuniformity

Instructions – Results

Uniformity: Imatest Master – Features in Imatest Master or IS-only (not in Studio)

Input dialog box – Hot and dead pixels – Color shading – Uniformity profiles – Polynomial fit – Histograms – Noise detail – Spot detection

Using Blemish Detect – Measure visible sensor defects

The Human Visual System – Algorithm – Instructions – Input dialog – Results

Testing flat screen displays – with Imatest Blemish Detect

Testing method – Defective pixels – Luminance nonuniformity – Color nonuniformity – Summary

Using Distortion

Introduction – Instructions – Results – Main figure – Decentering – Corrected image – Intersection figure – Radius correction fig – Links – Algorithm

Dot Pattern – Analysis of a grid of circular dots

Imatest Instructions — Miscellaneous modules and utilities

Imatest IT— Industrial Testing (non-GUI)