Question

Dynamic range of imaging system is a ratio where the upper limit is determined by

(a) Saturation

(b) Noise

(c) Brightness

(d) Contrast

The question was posed to me in class test.

My doubt stems from Image Sampling and Quantization topic in chapter Digital Image Fundamentals of Digital Image Processing

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

(a) Saturation

Explanation:

The dynamic range of an imaging system is defined as the ratio between the largest and smallest possible values of a signal (e.g., light intensity) that the system can capture or represent. The upper limit of this range is typically determined by saturation, which occurs when the imaging system can no longer capture any additional increase in intensity and starts to "clip" the values.

• Saturation: This is the maximum intensity level that the sensor or imaging system can measure, beyond which it cannot distinguish higher intensities. It's essentially the upper bound of the system's dynamic range.

• Noise: Noise affects the lower limit of the dynamic range, but it is not responsible for the upper limit.

• Brightness and contrast are related to the overall appearance and differentiation of intensities but do not directly define the upper limit of the dynamic range.

Thus, the upper limit of dynamic range is determined by saturation.