USAF 1951 Target: Calculating the resolving power of a camera based machine vision system

With the help of the USAF resolution test chart, also called "USAF 1951 Resolving Power Test Target", the resolving power of the machine vision system (camera + lens) could easily be determined.

Although there are today even more precise methods for determining the limiting resolution, the USAF is extremely easy to use and therefore quite common. The grouping of the three bars that can not be clearly optically separated from one another shows the limiting resolution of the system. Each group consists of six elements, group 9 only of three elements.

Resolution = 2^{Group*+(Element-1)/6} (Line pairs/mm)

One line pair (lp) consists of one black and one white line.

Note: For a simple calculation please select a value from the drop-down box!

Group:	Group -2 Group -1 Group 0 Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 Group 9
Element:	Element 1 Element 2 Element 3 Element 4 Element 5 Element 6
Line pairs per mm:
Thickness single line in µm:

Stop down the lens: Limiting of resolution

Further explanations and details can be found in chapter Limiting resolution and MTF und Resolution of the optics.