WhitebalPR: automatic white balance by polarized reflections

Gregor Fischer; Karin Kolbe; Matthias Sajjaa

doi:10.1117/12.766719

20 March 2008 WhitebalPR: automatic white balance by polarized reflections

Gregor Fischer, Karin Kolbe, Matthias Sajjaa

Proceedings Volume 6817, Digital Photography IV; 68170E (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.766719
Event: Electronic Imaging, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

This new color constancy method is based on the polarization degree of that light which is reflected at the surface of an object. The subtraction of at least two images taken under different polarization directions detects the polarization degree of the neutrally reflected portions and eliminates the remitted non-polarized colored portions. Two experiments have been designed to clarify the performance of the procedure, one to multicolored objects and another to objects of different surface characteristics. The results show that the mechanism of eliminating the remitted, non-polarized colored portions of light works very fine. Independent from its color, different color pigments seem to be suitable for measuring the color of the illumination. The intensity and also the polarization degree of the reflected light depend on the surface properties significantly. The results exhibit a high accuracy of measuring the color of the illumination for glossy and matt surfaces. Only strongly scattering surfaces account for a weak signal level of the difference image and a reduced accuracy. An embodiment is proposed to integrate the new method into digital cameras.

Citation Download Citation

Gregor Fischer, Karin Kolbe, and Matthias Sajjaa "WhitebalPR: automatic white balance by polarized reflections", Proc. SPIE 6817, Digital Photography IV, 68170E (20 March 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.766719

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