Pixels on target & spatial resolution calculator
Field of view and resolution in — mm per pixel, pixels on your smallest feature, and the resolution you actually need.
Details
How it's calculated
Object-space resolution is simply the field of view divided by the number of pixels across it:
mm per pixel = field width / horizontal resolution
How many pixels must cover a feature depends on the task. Proven rules of thumb: about 2 pixels to reliably detect a feature (Nyquist), 3–4 pixels to measure it or read barcode modules, 6–10 pixels per stroke width for reliable OCR. From that follow the smallest feature you can handle and the resolution you need:
smallest feature = mm per pixel × pixels per feature · required pixels = field width / feature × pixels per feature
With the pixel size and, optionally, the lens resolution (line pairs per mm on the sensor) we also check whether the lens keeps up: the sensor's Nyquist frequency is 1 / (2 × pixel size). If the lens resolves less, the lens — not the sensor — sets the limit.
All results are planning estimates based on simplified models and manufacturer data, without guarantee. Please verify critical values against the manufacturer datasheets before you make a design decision.
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