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The last part of our test was to determine how the human eye detects detail in black and white target areas vs. color areas. Individually, several Pop Photo staff members were asked to move to a distance from the illuminated spiral target where they could just barely make out all of the linear details at the corner of the black and white section of the target (corresponding to diagonal lines of resolution). They all reported that at the distance where only the b&w lines were visible to the edge, no other section of the chart could be clearly resolved to the corners. However, in two cases the green/white comparison area (section F) also showed clear details to the side (slightly lower frequency area than the corner that corresponds to vertical lines of resolution). We then instructed each subject to inch forward until any other section of the target showed details clearly to the corners. In most cases the green/white (F) came first, followed by magenta/black (A) and Blue/Red (H). The remaining sections became visible in random order.
Bottom Line? What this limited sample test seems to confirm is that the human eye is more capable of resolving detail in black and white images, followed by image areas that contain mixes of greens, blacks, whites, and blue or red areas. Other colors, such as cyan, magenta, and yellows (or complimentary pairs such as cyan/red, or green/magenta) are harder to differentiate.
Unfortunately for Foveon and Sigma, we think that critical analysis of the results of our test show that the Nikon does a better overall job of capturing detail in the color pairs. It's clearly the winner in the black and white section of the chart (section C) and does the best job at sections in most other sections. In some of the sections where the Nikon loses, contrast is higher on lines in low frequency areas, making them appear sharper. The Sigma scores in section D, G, and especially in H, but except for in section H contrast is fairly low towards the corners and details can't be resolved without close inspection.
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