Overview
ISO/CIE 19476:2014 - Characterization of the performance of illuminance meters and luminance meters - defines a harmonized framework for describing and testing the performance of photometric instruments used in general lighting measurements. The standard specifies quality indices that characterize instrument behavior, measurement procedures to determine those indices, and standard calibration conditions. It emphasizes that measurement accuracy depends on operational conditions, light-source properties and instrument characteristics, and that better instrument characteristics generally lead to smaller measurement uncertainties.
Key Topics
The standard addresses practical, testable properties of photometers and imaging luminance meters, including:
- Quality indices that quantify instrument performance for typical lighting tasks
- Calibration conditions and guidance on calibration uncertainty and initial adjustment
- Spectral properties (luminous responsivity, spectral mismatch, colour-correction factors) and characterization of UV and IR response
- Directional (cosine) response for planar, spherical, cylindrical and other illuminance meter geometries
- Directional response and surround-field effects for luminance meters
- Linearity, range change, and display unit behavior across measurement ranges
- Environmental and operational influences: temperature dependence, humidity resistance, fatigue (stability), and modulated light response
- Polarization dependence, spatial non-uniformity, and (for luminance meters) focusing distance characterization
- Measurement procedures and indices for reporting performance and informing measurement uncertainty
Applications
ISO/CIE 19476:2014 is directly applicable to professionals and organizations involved in lighting measurement and instrumentation:
- Calibration laboratories and quality assurance facilities establishing or verifying instrument performance
- Instrument manufacturers testing and specifying photometer and luminance meter performance for datasheets and compliance claims
- Lighting designers, engineers and researchers who need reliable metrics to select instruments appropriate to measurement tasks
- Procurement and standards bodies specifying minimum measurement performance for contracts, tenders or conformity assessment
- Educational and research institutions teaching photometry and instrument characterization
Using the standard helps reduce ambiguity in instrument specifications, supports traceable calibration, and improves comparability of illuminance and luminance measurements across projects and labs.
Related standards and references
- Prepared by CIE Technical Committee 2‑40 and ISO/TC 274 (Light and lighting)
- Intended to supersede earlier CIE Publication 69‑1987 (see Foreword)
- For purchase and full technical detail, consult ISO (www.iso.org) or CIE (www.cie.co.at)
Keywords: ISO/CIE 19476:2014, illuminance meters, luminance meters, photometers, quality indices, calibration, spectral response, measurement uncertainty.