Microdensitometry uses a CCD camera attached to a microscope. We
have a special camera with a 1000x1000 array of elements. This camera
can detect features down to diffraction limits, and it is part of a
state of the art system for studying reflection microdensitometry. We
move the image from the CCD chip into the computer and do our
microdensitometry analysis in software. Some of the things we measure
are resolution and granularity. We also measure the micro-distribution
of color in the image. Measurements of this kind, coupled with
carefully designed test samples from our printers, allows us to figure
out the mechanisms of interactions between light, paper, and inks.
Inside the Lab
Methodology of Image Microstructure