T3D Re: Equipment and the Image

[abram klooswyk <abram.klooswyk@xxxxxx>]

Bob_Maxey (TECH-3D Digest 512, 29 Jul 1999):
>So I can see where sharpness is not the only thing that can

>contribute to the appeal of an image.

Bob Wier (TECH-3D Digest 512, 30 Jul 1999):
>printing on high
>contrast paper will do for *apparent* sharpness

Eric Goldstein (TECH-3D Digest 513, 30 Jul 1999)
>Bob Wier makes an important point that higher contrast
>images give the appearance of greater sharpness.
>(...) which is the "great" lens?
>Sorry to be so metaphysical and untechnical here on
tech-3D...

Nothing metaphysical here (alas ? :-)), it has to do with
the *modulation transfer function*.
Now it becomes so technical that I soon must give up, but
some experts reading this can explain or point to the
sources of explanation.

Sharpness, as measured by lines-per-cm (or per inch...)
has limited value on its own, it has to be combined with
contrast to get the total performance of any imaging system,

including the eye, photography lenses, X-rays, to name
a few. With sharpness on one axis and contrast on the other
of an XY-coordinate graph you get the modulation transfer
function of a system, I believe, physicists can explain
better.

In any case, appearance is the _only_ thing which counts
when images are supposed to be seen by *humans* :-).

Abram Klooswyk


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