Applicationstlreticle@gmail.com
TL OPTIK
Request a Quote

Camera & Lens Resolution Testing

Reveal how well a camera and lens preserve fine detail across the image under a defined test setup.

Where the component works

Image a known fine-detail target

  1. Resolution pattern at the object plane
  2. Lens and focus setting
  3. Image sensor and analysis output

Control working distance, illumination and focus before comparing centre and edge-of-field performance.

Inspect detail and contrast transfer

  1. Known bars or edge geometry
  2. Sampled intensity profile
  3. Contrast reduction in the image

The curve is illustrative. Bar visibility and a calculated MTF result are different measures and require different analysis methods.

Application principle schematic

What the component does

USAF and NBS bar patterns compare resolved line pairs. Slanted edges support suitable spatial-frequency-response analysis; stars show directional changes.

How the system works together

Use a target whose feature range and contrast suit the field of view and pixel sampling. Record exposure, sharpening and processing settings when comparing results.

What an unsuitable choice changes

Target defects, glare and aliasing may be mistaken for lens limitations. A geometric calibration board alone does not define the system resolution.

Components for this application

Other relevant products and configurations

Principles and selection details

System context

Sharpness tests examine how an imaging system reproduces fine detail. Bar targets give discrete resolution checks, radial stars reveal directional behaviour, and slanted-edge targets support software-based spatial frequency response measurements. Targets can be positioned at the centre and edges of the field to compare performance.

Selection considerations

Select the target around the test method, working distance, magnification and illumination. Binary-pattern contrast is not automatically a sinusoidal MTF value. The smallest feature must be manufactured and imaged with adequate quality for the intended measurement bandwidth.

Choose the question before the chart

USAF three-bar elements support stepped detail readings; NBS layouts provide their own bar arrangements; Siemens stars show many orientations within one field. Use the interpretation belonging to the chosen pattern, and keep visual resolution separate from a full MTF analysis.

Make optical comparisons reproducible

Record illumination, focus, aperture, distance, magnification and image processing. Compare the same chart regions and directions across systems or production checks. A changed camera sharpening setting can alter the appearance of bars without improving the underlying optics.

Related applications

Planning your project

Camera and lens tests use known bars, stars or edges to evaluate detail, directional performance and spatial frequency response.

Choose whether to report visual resolution, focus or SFR/MTF, then control illumination, capture and processing for comparison.

Do sharper processed bars prove a better lens?

Sharpening changes edge appearance and contrast. It does not by itself demonstrate better optical performance; compare under controlled processing conditions.

Selection and calibration guides

Siemens Star Testing: Focus, Frequency and Image InterpretationNBS 1952 Testing: Frequency, Magnification and False ResolutionNBS 1963A Infinity-Conjugate Testing

Search