Digital BW, The Print

Thank you, Roy.

-----Original Message-----
From: royvharrington [mailto:roy@...] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 5:14 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Thoughts about Imaging


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Austin Franklin"
<darkroom@i...> wrote:
> 
> What are these "taped and printed discussions of dynamic range as it 
> relates to prints", aside from discussions posted on a web page, or in

> news groups on the Internet?
> 
> BTW, I do understand that people have confused the term dynamic range 
> when they mean density range, for what ever historical 
> reason...probably because those doing it didn't really know what 
> dynamic range was.  It is very similar to the misuse of the term 
> resolution when talking about computer monitors (or digital cameras 
> ;-).
> 
> Austin

Austin,

You've pushed you idea on dynamic range for imaging, time and time
again.  Many people have argued with you.  I personally have gone to the
library to look at your reference book by "Higgins".  First of all I'd
like to point out that the formula and the diagrams you have spoken
about are under a paragraph
heading:   1.4.1  DYNAMIC RANGE EXAMPLE: ANALOG VS. DIGITAL AUDIO.
The last word AUDIO is key.  You've claim to have 25 years of experience
in
AUDIO, fine.   You've claimed to have taken this formula, plugged in
density,
and defined dynamic range for imaging.  I tried several times to point
out that it was at least possible to plug in density to the formula in
different ways. You declined to admit that, saying there wasn't any
interpretation, mapping, or logic, involved in going from the audio
formula to imaging.  

Well, bottom line is you're mistaken, incorrect, misinformed or whatever
you want to call it.  I don't expect or even recommend that you believe
me.  You've got to investigate, research, and learn more about the
Imaging World and figure it out for yourself.  I'd be glad to help point
you in the right direction but you've got to do it yourself.  

Here's a couple of hints:
The formula in Higgins book is about audio, explicitly showing the
waveform
nature of sound.   The signal diagram shows what to measure with a wave.
Imaging is very different, when we talk about light intensity, or film
density there are no waves.  They are direct measured values that can be
perceived as constant values.  Your interpretation has made density into
a waveform property which it is not.

Get away from the audio books, jettison the audio baggage.  Read some
imaging books.  Here's a nice one: Read World Scanning and Halftones by
Blatner, Fleishman and Roth.
 -- page 13  direct quote
  "Dynamic Range" expresses how broad a range of tonal values a scanner
can
  capture; this is similar to the photographic measure of "density".
 -- page 14  direct quote
   ... compare bit depth and dynamic range to a staircase: the dynamic
range
   describes the height of the staircase and the bit depth describes the
   number of steps from the bottom to the top.
Read Ansel Adams: The Negative
Read the kodak website -- search for dynamic range.

Whether you like it or not dynamic range is well used in imaging and
your 
interpretation doesn't agree with the anyone else.   If you really like
your function
call it Austin's Cool Range Formula, and I'm sure we'd all be happy to
let you own it.

I am sorry to be harsh about it, but I really think the aruments have
become a disservice to the group.

Regards,
Roy




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