SVS-Vistek EXO Series, Manual

Page: 51 / 144

SVS-VISTEK
Feature-Set 51
Figure 16: Simplified illustration of a quantification graph
7.1.8 Bit-Depth
Values of brighness are internally represented by numbers. Numbers are
represented by bytes, consisting out of single bits. The number of bits for
brightness representation is limiting the number of brightness values or
colour values that can be represented. Bit depth defines how many
unique colors or grey levels are available in an image after digitization.
The number of bits used to quantify limits the number of levels to be used.
e.g.: 4 bits limits the quantification levels to 2
4
= 16.
Each pixel can represent 16 grey levels
8 bits to 2
8
= 256 values per pixel
12 bits to 2
12
= 4096 values per pixel
16 bit to 2
16
= 65536 values per pixel
Every additional bit doubles
the number for quantification.
SVCam output is 8, 12 or 16
bit, depending on your
camera model and the way
you read the values from the
camera.
Be aware that increasing the
bit format from 8 to 12 bit
also increases the total
amount of data. According to
the interface framerates can
be limited with higher bit
depth values.
As SVCam’s export pure RAW-
format only, color will be created on
the host computer in accordance
with the known Bayer-pattern by
computing the brightness values into
colour values..
Figure 17: Shade difference in 8 bit
format
As shown in figure 18 differences in
shades of gray are hardly visable on
screen or in print.
Figure 15: illustration of rising amount of values/gray scales by
increasing the bit format