SMPTE Tutorial Paper: Resolution Considerations in Using CCD Imagers in Broadcast-Quality Cameras

This article details some of the advantages of frame-transfer CCDs over pickup tubes in broadcast cameras, particularly in the areas of sensitivity, SNR, lag, and highlight handling, which can be exploited to portray motion more clearly. These advantages are shown to accrue from fundamental differences in the way the imagers operate, which also require different techniques for assessing performance. One important aspect of performance, resolution, is treated in detail. Static resolution concepts are reexamined in the context of discretely sampled images. An analysis of dynamic resolution and the effects of temporal resolution on motion reproduction are given. In designing a system for stop-action or slow-motion, all must be considered.