ABSTRACT
Some measurements are made repeatedly during the development cycles of a variety of products. For example, any lens under consideration for inclusion in a product invariably will have its MTF measured. Similarly, the noise of a sensor that might be used in a digital camera or scanner will certainly be characterized. In such cases, there is considerable value in standardizing the measurement protocols used. The primary advantage of standardization is the improved consistency of measurements, increasing the reliability of comparison between results from different devices. A secondary benefit is that parametric estimations may be optimized for maximum consistency with measurements made according to the protocol, thereby minimizing modeling discrepancies when a transition is made from parametric models to measured data. In Sect. 24.2, various factors that should be considered when defining measurement protocols are discussed. Examples are provided regarding lens MTF interpolation over defocus, and film NPS estimation for color patches from neutral exposures.
