Diffraction primarily affects which aspect of an image?

Diffraction primarily affects resolution in an image. This phenomenon occurs when light waves encounter an obstacle or aperture, causing them to bend and spread out. As a result, when light passes through a lens aperture that is very small relative to its wavelength, the resulting image can lose sharpness and detail. This spreading of light leads to a reduction in the ability to resolve fine details, effectively diminishing the overall resolution of the image.

While color saturation, noise levels, and dynamic range are important factors in photography, they are not primarily influenced by diffraction. Color saturation relates to the intensity of colors captured in an image, noise levels refer to unwanted graininess, and dynamic range indicates the range of light intensities captured. None of these are directly impacted by the diffraction that occurs through the lens when using smaller apertures, making resolution the correct focus in this context.