Integral imaging systems performance has been previously investigated with regard to different parameters such as lateral resolution, field of view, and depth of view. Those parameters are linked to one another, and, since the information capacity of an integral imaging system is finite, there are always trade-offs among them. We use the Shannon number and information capacity limit as figures of merit of integral imaging systems. The Shannon number and information capacity provide compact assessments of the system and are useful for analysis and design. The limitations on the Shannon number and the information capacity of an integral imaging system are determined by the recording and display media.
© 2004 Optical Society of America
Original Manuscript: December 24, 2003
Revised Manuscript: April 13, 2004
Manuscript Accepted: April 13, 2004
Published: September 1, 2004
Adrian Stern and Bahram Javidi, "Shannon number and information capacity of three-dimensional integral imaging," J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 21, 1602-1612 (2004)