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Time-averaged holography has been using photo-emulsions (early stage) and digital photo-sensitive arrays (later) to record holograms. We extend the recording possibilities by utilizing a photon-counting camera, and we further investigate the possibility of obtaining accurate hologram reconstructions in rather severe experimental conditions. To achieve this, we derived an expression for fringe function comprising the main parameters affecting the hologram recording. Influence of the main parameters, namely the exposure time and the number of averaged holograms, is analyzed by simulations and experiments. It is demonstrated that taking long exposure times can be avoided by averaging over many holograms with the exposure times much shorter than the vibration cycle. Conditions in which signal-to-noise ratio in reconstructed holograms can be substantially increased are provided.

Recording of digital holograms of a weak signal [0.44 counts per second (cps)] hidden below the detector's noise (21 cps) is investigated by employing the high dynamic range of a photon-counting detector. Recording conditions are discussed in terms of the most important holographic measures, namely, the fringe visibility (or contrast) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and in relation to the main holographic parameters. Theoretically evaluated curves are tested by recording holograms for a wide range of the parameter values. We found that (i) the optimum set of holographic parameters can be determined for a harsh signal conditions, (ii) increasing the visibility does not necessarily improve the more important SNR, and (iii) in cases of nearly constant visibility, the SNR clearly reveals differences in the quality of holographic recordings.