NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS ASSISTANCE IN ESTABLISHING PHOTOGRAPHIC QUALITY STANDARDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R003500010007-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 5, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: September 25, 1961
• Content Type: MF

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NPIC/D-102-61
25 September 1961
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Director of Central Intelligence
THROUGH: Deputy Director (Intelligence)
SUBJECT: National Bureau of Standards Assistance in
Establishing Photographic Quality Standards
1. In order to evaluate photographic film that we receive and to
provide guidance for future collection systems we need to have appro-
priate methods for measuring photographic quality. This is a very
elusive problem for which the scientific community has no standard
techniques today. We have endeavored to meet this problem by develop-
ing through commercial sources certain instruments to measure quality
in technical terms of resolution, acutance and granularity. This
equipment is nearing completion. In its final stages we need technical
advice from the National Bureau of Standards both to assist us and so
that our results will be useful throughout the scientific community.
2. Our attempts to obtain assistance at a lower level have not
been very successful. Therefore we would like to send a letter to the
Bureau of Standards over your signature in an effort to expedite their
help. A proposed letter for this purpose is attached for your con-
currence and signature.
25X1
A. C. LUNDAHL
Director
National Photographic Interpretation Center
Attachment:
Draft letter
Approved For Release 2003/10/07 : CIA-RDP80B01676R003500010007-8
 25X1
Honorable A. V. Astin
Director, National Bureau
of Standards
Washington 25, D. C.
X61
It is essential for certain activities of the Central Intel-
ligence Agency that we establish procedures and teabsiezes for
measuring the quality of finished photography. The procedures we
use should of course be compatible and acceptable throughout the
entire scientific coaaamunity, otherwise practical benefits that
will derive therefrom will be limited.
We have under development from a eowarere iai source certain
equipment which is intended to measure photographic quality in
terms of resolution, sentence, and granularity. This equipment
is nearing completion and we must soon make baste decisions as to
the scalar values to be recorded on these instruments. Since this
problem is one of considerable interest to the scientific community
we would like to obtain the benefit of guidance end assistance
from the National aaresu of Standards in establishing appropriate
qualitative and gtaantitativee values for output readings on this
egaipmment. Technical details and additional information can be
obtained from Mr. A. C. Lundahl Director, NPIC, tune
number
I would greatly appreciate early assistance from your orgeen-
ization on this matter as we urgently need to develop appropriate
capabilities in this field.
Sincerely,
Allen w
Director
D/NP i elease 2 63hbt/0f~-CIA-RDP80B01 l~R00310001000 Bee 1 ence
Distribution:
0 & 1 - Addressee 1 - DDCI 2 - OD/NPIC
2 - DCI 1 - DD/I
Approved For Release 2003/10/07 : CIA-RDP80B01676R003500010007-8,: s't , `j