Relationships between Pixel Count, Aliasing, and Limiting Resolution in Digital Motion Picture Systems

Bibliographic Reference(s)

• An Introduction to Aliasing and Sharpening in Digital Motion Picture Systems [Active]
• Assessing the Quality of Motion Picture Systems from Scene-to-Digital Data [Active]
• 10. If higher harmonics are taken into account, and a symmetrical system point-spread function centered on each pixel is assumed—a realistic assumption for most practical systems—then the initial effect of increasing the higher harmonics is to flatten the initial part of the aliasing ratio curve. The theoretical curve then gets steeper and still passes through 100% of the Nyquist frequency at a 100% aliasing ratio. EXTERNAL
• 11. For example, in other imaging systems such as computer-aided tomography, the limitations on achieving closer to theoretical reconstruction are not as severe as for motion picture systems. For these systems, it is economically feasible to use and maintain displays with more pixels than the number of pixels used for the image capture. EXTERNAL
• 2. To achieve accurate measurements it is important to preserve the white end of the tone scale so it is not “crushed” by low gamma or white saturation. There are many possible spaces for aliasing ratio measurement; we prefer unclipped screen luminance. EXTERNAL
• 3. Oppenheim Alan V. Willsky Alan S. , Signals and Systems, Prentice Hall Signal Processing Series, pp. 513 – 531 , Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1983 . This book includes a classic undergraduate treatment of aliasing. EXTERNAL
• 4. Holst Gerald C. , “Sampling, Aliasing, and Data Fidelity for Electronic Imaging Systems, Communications, and Data Acquisition,” SPIE Press Series , 55 : 81 – 97 , 158 – 227 , Jan. 1998 . This book addresses practical engineering issues related to sampling and reconstruction. EXTERNAL
• 5. Anderson S. J. Burr D. C. , “Spatial Summation Properties of Directionally Selective Mechanisms in Human Vision,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A. 8 : 1330 – 1339 , Aug. 1991 . This measures visual contrast sensitivities to motion of 400:1 or a contrast of 0.25%. However, the test images in this reference and alias artifacts differ in appearance. Clearly more work is needed. EXTERNAL
• 6. Barten Peter G. J. , “Contrast Sensitivity of the Human Eye and Its Effects on Image Quality,” SPIE Optical Engineering Press , 1999 . EXTERNAL
• 8. Morton Roger R. A. Maurer Michelle A. Fielding Gabriel DuMont Christopher L. , “Using 35mm Digital Intermediate to Provide 70mm Quality in Theaters—A Progress Report,” SMPTE Conference Proceedings—Pixels, Packets, Processing, and Infrastructure , pp. 213 – 217 , Nov. 2001 . EXTERNAL
• 9. One reason why higher image harmonics have little practical effect is that the image that appears on the sensor of the electronic camera or scanner is often optically filtered to reduce the amplitude of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency to minimize a form of aliasing that can occur due to frequency components above Nyquist. This form of aliasing is not discussed in this paper. Another reason is that the physical extent of each photosite on the electronic sensor will attenuate higher image frequencies. EXTERNAL