Even without prototype construction, laboratory samples or other hardware you can receive an impression of the image quality of a sensor in a camera configuration of your choice. This is possible due to a simulation system developed by Eureca which can derive how a specific scene would be pictured from technical data of image sensor and camera based on physical principles.
This program can produce still as well as moving images and considers all relevant effects such as photon, dark and readout noise, dark current, fixed pattern noise (FPN), modulation and contrast transfer function (MTF / CTF), de-bayering and dynamic range of the sensor. Various projects have confirmed the precise match of simulation and real image, so this method has now established itself among other things as a selection guide in the decision between different sensor types.
On June 12, 2018, the article »Image Simulation and Analysis« by Karsten Sengebusch appeared in the magazine »Optik & Photonik«:
No image is perfect, except for paintings.
We have to deal with various noise sources and image sensor artifacts as well as with diffraction and other geometrical effects. The simulation of such artifacts is a great help during a design process and a perfect method for proof of concepts: Without access to any real hardware it is possible to predict and visualize the performance of opto‐electronic systems.
Algorithms for correction or analysis of image data can be developed and evaluated a long time before the imaging hardware is ready to use. The statistical methods used during the simulation process can also be used reversely to provide a deep statistical analysis of already existing images. Such an analysis as well as the comparison with simulated images can help to identify the source of artifacts and design mistakes or even be used during forensic work.
Last but not least, the reverse usage of the simulation of diffraction and wave front propagation is a very effective method for the generation of computer generated holograms or DOEs.
The whole article is freely available at https://doi.org/10.1002/opph.201800012.
Image of a typical surveillance camera with a wide-angle lens
Simulated image: telephoto lens extract at half moon and cloudy conditions with a conventional interline-CCD-sensor
Same situation with a Hawkeye 1910 sensor from Fairchild Imaging
Please note that depending on the used browser the above images may not be presented correctly. On request we gladly send out the original files and other information on our simulation services.
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Last update: 2020-30-01