Methods in laboratory investigation. Digital reversal and enhancement of negatives in video-based interactive morphometry.

We describe a system for the digital reversal of negatives in interactive morphometry. Minimum requirements, in addition to a high-resolution black and white video camera and monitor, are a readily available digital video frame store and a computer system as simple as a microprocessor-based personal computer. In a video-based analysis system, the addition of a digital image memory device and computer obviates the time and expense of photographic processing of the large number of negatives to positive prints required for an appropriate sampling size in morphometry. Additionally, the enhancement of digital images to recover details in the negative is feasible. This study represents a part of a continuing effort to develop an efficient, interactive morphometry system that encourages the use of a large number of random samples by simplifying processing.