The purpose of this short course is to show that it is possible to compare the image quality of consumer imaging systems in a perceptually relevant manner. Because image quality is multi-faceted, generating a concise and relevant evaluative summary of photographic systems can be challenging. Indeed, benchmarking the image quality of still and video imaging systems requires that the assessor understands not only the capture device itself, but also the imaging applications for the system. This course explains how objective metrics and subjective methodologies are used to benchmark image quality of photographic still image and video capture devices. The course will review key image quality attributes and the flaws that degrade those attributes, including causes and consequences of the flaws on perceived quality. Content will touch on various subjective evaluation methodologies as well as objective measurement methodologies relying on existing standards from ISO, IEEE/CPIQ, ITU and beyond. The course focus is on consumer imaging systems, so the emphasis will be on the value of using objective metrics which are perceptually correlated and generating benchmark data from the combination of objective and subjective metrics.

Because image quality is multi-faceted, generating a concise and relevant evaluative summary of photographic systems can be challenging. Indeed, benchmarking the image quality of still and video imaging systems requires that the assessor understands not only the capture device itself, but also the imaging applications for the system. This course explains how objective metrics and subjective methodologies are used to benchmark image quality of photographic still image and video capture devices. The course will go through key image quality attributes and the flaws that degrade those attributes, including causes and consequences of the flaws on perceived quality. Content will describe various subjective evaluation methodologies as well as objective measurement methodologies relying on existing standards from ISO, IEEE/CPIQ, ITU and beyond. Because imaging systems are intended for visual purposes, emphasis will be on the value of using objective metrics which are perceptually correlated and generating benchmark data from the combination of objective and subjective metrics. The course "SC1157 Camera Characterization and Camera Models," describing camera models and objective measurements, complements the treatment of perceptual models and subjective measurements provided here.