Accurate smartphone camera simulation using 3D scenes

Abstract: We assess the accuracy of a smartphone camera simulation. The simulation is an end-to-end analysis that begins with a physical description of a high dynamic range 3D scene and includes a specification of the optics and the image sensor. The simulation is compared to measurements of a physical version of the scene. The image system simulation accurately matched measurements of optical blur, depth of field, spectral quantum efficiency, scene inter-reflections, and sensor noise. The results support the use of image systems simulation methods for soft prototyping cameras and for producing synthetic data in machine learning applications.