Edge enhancement

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Edge enhancement is a digital image processing filter that improves the apparent sharpness of an image or video. The creation of bright and dark highlights on either side of any line leaves the line looking more contrasted from a distance. The process is most prevalent in the video field, appearing to some degree in the majority of TV broadcasts and DVDs. Standard television sets' "sharpness" control is an example of edge enhancement. It is also widely used in computer printers especially for font or/and graphics to get a better printing quality.

In reality, edge enhancement only increases the perceived sharpness. It actually makes the picture LESS detailed because fine details are covered by the resulting "halo" artefacts. As such, purists swear off the filter as something that ruins a picture and only makes it look more appealing on low-end displays.

Most digital cameras also have some edge enhancement built in, which is sometimes impossible to bypass.