An image forming apparatus combines a plurality of sub-movies representing operation procedures to be performed to perform maintenance on the image forming apparatus and plays the combined sub-movies sequentially as one movie. In response to stopping the movie being played, the image forming apparatus displays a replay mark for use to issue a command to replay the movie from the beginning of a sub-movie corresponding to a position where the movie is stopped.

Methods for configuring and calibrating a printing system are described. Configuring a printing system involves obtaining data for determining a reference print element in the printing system. The reference print element is then used to determine calibration data for a given print element. The calibration data is applied for the given print element to generate a print output.

An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit, a detecting unit, and a creating unit. The forming unit forms a first image and at least one of second and third images on a recording medium. The first image is used to create correction data for gradation correction. The second image is used to detect a streak in a cross direction which is produced in the first image. The cross direction intersects a conveying direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The third image is used to detect the streak in the conveying direction which is produced in the first image. The detecting unit detects the streak by using at least one of the second and third images. When the detecting unit detects the streak, the creating unit creates the correction data on the basis of a portion other than a region corresponding to the streak in the first image.

A calibration method can begin by positioning a calibration image source around and substantially proximate to the exterior surface of a panoramic optical device that utilizes a conical quadric reflector having an aperture in its apex. The calibration image source can be made of a material that is substantially transparent to allow the passage of environmental light and can utilize a predetermined color palette having a calibration feature, such as a geometric shape and/or a line, which is in a known location. A quadric image of the calibration image source can then be captured. Coordinates for a visual image center of the calibration image can be determined by an image center calibration program using the location of the calibration feature. The visual image center can be the point around which a quadric image is transformed into a visually-correct panorama. The determined visual image center coordinates can be stored.

An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit configured to execute image processing including skew correction that deforms an image so as to cancel distortion on the image; and a control unit configured to control the image processing on the image processing unit, wherein, in a case where a margin amount available for correcting the distortion is defined as a first correction margin amount and a margin amount used for correction other than skew correction is defined as a second correction margin amount, the control unit calculates a third correction margin amount obtained by subtracting the second correction margin amount from the first correction margin amount, and controls such that the image processing unit executes the image processing including the skew correction toward a first image and a second image such that the skew correction amount to be corrected falls within a range of the third correction margin amount.

An image capturing device includes: a two-dimensional image sensor that captures an image of a predetermined image capture area including a subject; a light source that illuminates the image capture area; and a light blocking member that blocks light traveling from the light source toward a specular reflection position, the specular reflection position being a position that is in the image capture area and where, if light travels from the light source, the light would be specularly reflected to the two-dimensional sensor. The light blocking member is arranged outside the image capture area.

An image reading apparatus includes an image reading section and a detection section. The image reading section includes at least two detection units, and performs a reading operation on an image. The at least two detection units have respective spectral characteristics which are different from each other. The detection section detects a condition of an irregularity on an image carrier by comparing a detection result of the image read by the image reading section with an output characteristic. The output characteristic is stored in advance and is a color component obtained from a value obtained by the image reading section reading a test image having a region in at least one color.

An image formation apparatus includes: a storage which stores a test pattern; and image formation sections which form an image of the test pattern on a medium. The image of the test pattern includes divided images formed by being divided into regions in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction. Each of the divided images is formed by at least one preset image formation section out of the image formation sections. A total width, in each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, of the divided images formed by each of the image formation sections is larger than the entirety of a corresponding width of the image of the test pattern.

An image forming apparatus acquires shape data indicating a shape of a sensing sheet conveyed along a conveyance route, adjusts a position of a first image in first image data including the first image on the basis of a positional relationship between a sheet region in the acquired shape data and a first reference position in the shape data, forms an image based on the adjusted first image data on the sensing sheet, and senses an amount of positional misalignment of an imaging portion to be used to acquire the shape data by using the sensing sheet on which the image has been formed.

An image forming apparatus includes a print unit configured to perform printing, and a control unit configured to cause the print unit to print a chart image in which an identification pattern for identifying a defect in the print unit is formed and a pattern image different from the identification pattern such that the pattern image is overlaid on the chart image.