The Concept of Resolution

In this video we’re diving into the concept of resolution, a key factor in ensuring high-quality image capture and analysis.

Resolution refers to the minimum distance between two points that can still be distinguished as separate points. It is a complex parameter, which depends primarily on the lens and camera technical build.

A commonly accepted criterion to describe optical resolution is the Rayleigh criterion, which is connected to the concept of resolution limit. The Rayleigh criterion states that two objects are not distinguishable when the peaks of their diffraction patterns are closer than the radius of the Airy Disk.

The Airy disk can be calculated by using the following formula, where λ (lambda) is the light wavelength, f is the lens focal length, d is the aperture diameter and f /d is the lens F-number. This also applies to distant objects that appear to be small. For instance, we could compute the theoretical distance at which human eyes can no longer discern the separation between a car's lights.

When we examine two adjacent objects, their proximity can be viewed as the "object" that undergoes diffraction when captured by the lens. The concept is that the diffraction of both objects' images intensifies to the extent that they merge, making it impossible to distinguish them as separate entities. Thus, the minimum resolvable size in image space is always 2 rA, regardless of the real-world size of the object.

This criterion exemplifies Opto Engineering's dedication to maintaining a conservative approach to resolution calculations and dedication to transparency, to ensure customers receive the most accurate depiction of the value they can expect from our products and services.