Acutance

/ˈækjətəns/ noun

Definition

In photography and imaging, the property of sharpness or clarity that describes how well edges are defined in an image.

Etymology

A technical term formed from 'acute' (sharp) with the suffix '-ance' (quality or state of), created in the mid-20th century for photographic science.

Kelly Says

Photographers and filmmakers use 'acutance' to describe something different from 'sharpness'—it's specifically about edge contrast, which is why a photo can be technically sharp but have low acutance if edges blur together smoothly.

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