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Are there questions pertaining to Mr 
Maruyasu's presentation? 
DO PRESENT STANDARDS ASSURE 
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETABILITY? 
By 
SAMUEL BOUSKY 
ABSTRACT 
Considering that the interpretability of aerial photographs depends 
upon the ability to identify recordable detail, several aspects, ordinar- 
ily accepted as standard, are explored from this standpoint. The pet- 
formance of lenses and emulsions usually specified in terms of high 
contrast resolution, tends toward image forming characteristics other 
than optimum for actual detail interpretability. Processing procedures 
long accepted as proper do not necessarily assure maximum interpreta- 
bility in the recorded image. Efficiency specifications for shutters 
may have very little effect on the capability to identify detail. Spread 
function analysis and frequency response testing may bear a close 
relationship to actual detail interpretability, and may also have useful 
significance in terms of testing with isolated geometric target shapes. 
DO PRESENT STANDARDS 
ASSURE PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETABILITY? 
Those associated with aerial photography, particularly the aspects 
dealing with the interpretation of recorded detail, have adopted certain 
ways of thinking of the effectiveness of the components making up a 
photographic system. These represent criteria, either implied or de- 
fined, that are relied upon, or at least accepted, for the purpose of 
evaluating and controlling photographic performance. Several of these 
have gained extensive popular usage because they are convenient to 
use or because they are so obviously logical and understandable. Yet 
some of these apparent standards that have in the past served so well 
in advancing the start-of-the-art, have now outlived their usefulness 
while others are indirectly impeding technical progress. 
The time has come, therefore, to re-examine the standards by 
which judgments are being made, to see whether they are still adequate 
as ‘‘road markers’’ to lead the way to a fruitful future in photo- 
graphic technology. 
Paper prepared for publication in PHOTOGRAMMETRIA and for presentation 
before the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY, Septem- 
ber 9, 1960 in London, England. 
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