A comparative analysis between the RIT Contrast Resolution Test Target And the Gutenberg Test Target

In addition to color, the other two most important properties that determine quality of reproduction of a printing/imaging system are contrast and resolution. Contrast and resolution limitations of an output device partially define output quality. These limitations can be attributed to various factors such as the screening method used by the RIP, the image transfer method of the output device, the substrates used, and capabilities of the postscript interpreter or a combination of all these factors. This study introduces a new test target for quality evaluation called the Gutenberg Test Target. A comparative analysis between the Gutenberg Test Target and the RIT Contrast Resolution Target has been performed. Both targets have been developed collectively by Dr. Edward Granger and Franz Sigg and both are used to measure the contrast and resolution limitations of an imaging system. The Gutenberg target uses a visual subjective comparison to evaluate overall output quality of an imaging/printing system. On the other hand, the RIT Contrast Resolution Target uses a method of analysis to calculate a Contrast-Resolution-Volume (CRV) value, which then is used as a relative indicator of the reproduction quality of the imaging/printing system. For this study both test targets were printed on a selected imaging /printing system with varying degrees of image deteriorations (Gaussian Blur) applied on the images. The image deteriorations simulated different Modulation Transfer Functions (MTF) for different devices. The printed test targets were analyzed by performing two visual experiments, one for each target, using a number of observers. The generated data from the experiment was used for mathematical analysis and a comparison was made between the two targets. The final analysis and results showed that both targets do a good job in measuring the resolution contrast limitation of the system