THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION THEORY TO PHOTOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS,
Abstract
The aim of the paper is to examine and answer the question: How is information theory related to the problems of perfecting photographic systems. Some of the conclusions reached are as follows: (1) To describe the properties of photographic systems, it is advantageous to use an analogy between these systems and other systems of information storage and transmission (in particular, systems of electrical communication). This analogy follows from the general conceptions of information theory. (2) The obstacle in the path of developing optimum photographic systems is the lack of a criterion of the fidelity of reproduction of images, i. e., a criterion of the closeness (similarity) of images from the viewpoint of the recipient. Such a criterion must be established by the methods of biophysical or psychological research (and not by information-theory methods). (3) Strictly information-theory concepts (viz., quantity of information, entropy, and capacity) have a rather limited application to photographic systems, because these concepts apply to the measurement of the efficiency of encoding and decoding, and it is nearly impossible to carry out these operations by purely photographic methods. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0621421
Entities
People
- D. S. Lebedev
Organizations
- American Meteorological Society