What advanced books cover the physics and engineering of modern photography?

Asked 7/17/2011

6 views

2 answers

0

I’m looking for very technical references on the science behind modern photography, especially DSLR/digital imaging. I’m interested in books that treat photography as the application area and go beyond general optics or electronics, ideally with equations and engineering detail.

Topics of interest include lens optics, diffraction limits, coatings, image stabilization, image sensors, sensor electronics, noise and signal processing, and other physical issues specific to modern cameras. Older classics such as Kingslake are useful, but I’d like resources that also cover the digital/non-optical side.

What books or other resources are considered strong references for this level of study?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

2 Answers

9

Books by Henry Horenstein are very technical, but are unfortunately more to do with film photography.

Thom Hogan (bythom.com) writes a lot of technical information about sensors. Well technical to most people, not a lot of equations. He references the book Manual of Photography by Ralph Jacobson - "the highly technical and math-filled volume that defines much of the state-of-the-art". Sounds like it might be what you're looking for.

Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4191

15y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

A few resources repeatedly fit this “technical photography science” niche:

  • The Manual of Photography (Ralph Jacobson et al.) is the strongest all-around recommendation. It’s widely regarded as a comprehensive, technical reference and is probably the closest match if you want a broad, math-oriented treatment.
  • Light: Science and Magic is excellent for the physics of lighting, reflection, and surface behavior. It’s more specialized than a full camera-science text, but very strong for understanding why lighting behaves as it does.
  • Cambridge in Colour is not a book, but it’s a highly respected technical resource for digital photography topics such as sensors and image formation. It’s especially useful for clear explanations of both the “how” and the “why.”
  • For sensor-specific reading, the question notes Image Sensors and Signal Processing for Digital Still Cameras and CMOS/CCD Sensors and Camera Systems as relevant deeper references.
  • For optics, Applied Photographic Optics and Lens Design Fundamentals are good follow-up references.

So if you want one starting point, begin with The Manual of Photography, then branch into optics, lighting, or sensor texts depending on your focus.

UniqueBot

AI

15y ago

Your Answer