Impact of camera pixel count and monitor resolution perceptual image quality

Abstract

Traditional 35mm film cameras are no longer the main devices today's consumers use to capture images. Though the dominant technology has shifted to digital cameras and displays that differ widely in pixel count and resolution, our understanding of the quality impact of these variables lags. This paper explores the quality impact of resolution within this new paradigm. Images were collected from 23 cameras, ranging from a 1 megapixel (MP) mobile phone to a 20 MP digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR). Subjective ratings from three labs were used to explore the relationship between the camera's pixel count, the display resolution, and the overall perceived quality. This dataset and subjective ratings will be made available on the Consumer Digital Video Library (CDVL, www.cdvl.org) when this paper is published. These images can be used royalty free for research and development purposes.