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Imatest Documentation

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<strong>Imatest</strong> <strong>Documentation</strong><br />

The <strong>Imatest</strong> Test Lab<br />

How to build a testing lab<br />

The <strong>Imatest</strong> Laboratory was set up for several purposes.<br />

To demonstrate how to construct a cost-effective image quality testing lab.<br />

To validate new <strong>Imatest</strong> modules and image quality testing concepts.<br />

To perform tests for clients who need low volumes of testing or want to verify their own testing methods.<br />

To photograph artwork. The optimum setup for measuring image quality is, not coincidentally, optimum for photographing fine<br />

art.<br />

The lab was designed to meet the following goals.<br />

Low cost, easily obtainable, high quality components.<br />

Portable: easy to move if needed.<br />

Hardware<br />

Substitutions can be made for most of the parts listed below. Creativity is encouraged in assembling a lab.<br />

Lighting<br />

To obtain high quality illumination covering up to<br />

40x60 inch (100x150 cm) foam board with<br />

reasonably good uniformity and smaller areas with<br />

high uniformity, we selected a track lighting<br />

system that takes the outstanding SoLux 4700K<br />

(near daylight) 12V MR16 halogen lamps, which<br />

use long-lasting built-in dichroic filters.<br />

Fixture. The Hampton Bay K15 expandable<br />

halogen track lighting kit (724-491), available<br />

from Home Depot, along with the A18 end<br />

connector with cord and switch (678 546) is<br />

inexpensive and excellent. It's not on their<br />

website. Similar products should work equally<br />

well, for example, the Pro Track 150 Watt Low<br />

Voltage Track Kit (65227) from Lamps Plus.<br />

Lamps. We use 6 SoLux 50W 4700K/36<br />

degree MR16 bulbs, along with 6 Plano<br />

Convex diffusers, which are necessary for even<br />

light. The diffusers are mounted in front of the<br />

lamps (rightmost image), in place of the clear glass<br />

supplied with the track lighting kit. "T" braces<br />

with self-adhesive felt pads were added to the<br />

sides of the lamp fixtures to block stray light from<br />

reaching the lens (rightmost image).<br />

SoLux halogen bulbs are inexpensive and<br />

produce extremely high quality near-daylight<br />

4700K illumination, with a CRI (Color Rendering<br />

Index) of 98 out of 100. They were featured in a<br />

recent article in Inkjetart.com. SoLux also<br />

sells track lighting components.<br />

Lights & stand Lamp detail<br />

Stand. The Radio Shack 33-335 folding microphone stand is simple, lightweight, sturdy, and cheap.<br />

Assembly. The track is attached to the stand with an 8-32 bolt. Here is the procedure.<br />

68 of 451

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