In this panchromatic black and white study, you can easily make out the most minute detail. Viewing black and white imagery seems to be more natural and less harsh to the human eye, thereby making it easier and more pleasant to view it than other imagery systems. This can be discerned by just looking at a color infrared or normal/true color image side by side with the same image in black and white photography. In the first photo we can see Pearl Springs water facility and its surrounding grounds, including (what I assume to be) the white generator housing directly to the right of the water supply. In the second photo we can make out South Mountain Golf Course. The fairways and greens of the golf course are very evident. The third photo, in Lidar Hillshade imagery, shows us both locations at a scale of 1:9,600.
In this panchromatic image, we can easily make out the details at Waynesboro Reservoir and at the Chestnut plantation farm immediately north of the dam reservoir. Photo #4 shows us a fairly detailed image of the reservoir lake. It’s so clear and precise that you can actually see the retaining wall of the dam and the clearing directly underneath (or south) the wall. In Photo #5 we can see the Chestnut plantation farm clearing slightly due north/northwest of the Waynesboro Reservoir. This image is a little bit grainier than the other three panchromatic pictures but overall it still offers a very precise close-up view of the location. The sixth photo, in Lidar Hillshade imagery, again shows us both locations at a scale of 1:9,600.
In conclusion, I would definitely rank panchromatic b&w imagery on the same quality scale as true color, color infrared and lidar hillshade imagery systems. According to my own personal preferences though, I would choose to use true color first, either panchromatic b&w or color infrared second, and then lastly lidar hillshade. As far as advantages and disadvantages go in using panchromatic imagery, perhaps the only serious disadvantage that I can see is that it would be rather useless using it at nighttime, for obvious reasons. The multitude of advantages are apparent, but for me the most important advantage is that viewing b&w imagery is very “eye-friendly” and decidedly easier to look at than most other imagery systems. I can view it for far longer and more closely without experiencing either eye strain or intense fatigue.
