Standard Viewing Conditions

Introduction Lighting Standard

Standardized viewing conditions are very important Conditions
when discussing color and images with multiple
service providers or customers in different locations. The International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) specified standard illuminants for the graphic
For example, a designer who is viewing color under a arts. The resulting technical document is used by
tungsten desk lamp will see a yellow cast. If he calls engineers and design companies to help lighting
his photographer to share his concerns, his description manufacturers design, test and certify color viewing
will not match the greenish colors the photographer systems. The ISO document may be more technical
sees under his fluorescent lights. Although they than most users need to set up their own viewing
are both looking at the same print, their lighting area, but it does define five conditions that you can
conditions cause the colors to appear different. follow to ensure accurate color reproduction.

When judging and comparing color, it is important The ISO describes two types of viewing conditions
to view prints and transparencies in bright, even, for printed material.
color-balanced light. Standards have been defined to
ensure a uniform set of color viewing conditions are • “Critical Comparison” is intended to describe
used worldwide, and are an important part of setting the conditions under which prints are compared
up quality color reproduction. Since all parts of the for color matching.
visible spectrum are equally represented in standard • Conditions for “Practical Appraisal” refer to
illumination, it provides the “greatest common lower lighting conditions that are closer to typical
denominator” of viewing conditions. office light levels. This is where judgments of
tone reproduction and color saturation should be

Viewing Booths made.

These conditions both have the same color quality

requirements, and the color of the surroundings
are the same in both cases, but they have different
illumination intensity requirements.

For more information about ISO

standards, visit http://www.iso.org.

Condition 1: Color Quality

The quality, or “color,” of the light used in viewing
artwork, printed graphics, photographs and
transparencies is defined as D50 or 5000K. This was
A viewing booth, like this one from X-Rite, provides chosen because it comes close to natural daylight, or
accurate light simulation under a variety of lighting more specifically, daylight at sunrise or sunset.
conditions, so you can be sure the colors you are
judging are accurate.

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X-Rite Color Services • 800.248.9748 x2685 • [email protected]
Standard Viewing Conditions

The “fingerprint” of a light source is its spectral

Color Quality power distribution curve. This is the key factor in
how a light source renders colors. The closer a light
Color Quality measurements in i1Share source’s spectral power distribution is to D50, the
more accurate it will be.

The color rendering index (CRI) indicates how well

the light source represents certain colors. When
comparing light sources, the higher the CRI, the
Approximate color temperature of CIE D50 more accurate the light. The chart on the next page
shows color quality measurements for D50 in i1Share.
Chromaticity Diagram
Condition 2: Light Intensity
Consistent light intensity is critical to consistent
image rendition. You need an intensity that provides
full tonal visibility of shadow detail without washing
out highlights. Intensity is specified in lux for
prints and candelas per meter squared (cd/m2) for
transparencies. It is recommended that your critical
color decisions be made under light that is around
2000 lux (preferably between 1750 and 2250lux, but
definitely between 1500 and 2500lux).

The light from a bright desk lamp can be around 2000

Chromaticity
u’10 = 0.2102
lux when measured from the desk. However,intensity
v’10 = 0.4889 is not the only thing you need to look at. You also
This shows the location of CIE D50 in the Chromaticity need to view the tonal reproduction in a lower light
Diagram. It is slightly yellow and represents the intensity (800 lux), which is similar to typical office
“whiteness” of light in the morning or afternoon.
lighting levels.

Spectral Power Distribution

Using an i1Pro with i1Share

software, measure your lighting to
see how close it is to these values.

Condition 3: Evenness of
Illumination
Proper evaluation of images requires even illumination
that is free from hot-spots and fall-off. Varying
illumination across images could obviously cause
The spectral power distribution approximate CIE D50. misinterpretation of image quality and uniformity.
As you can see, it covers the whole spectrum, but is
weakest in the blue end of the spectrum. Evenness is specified as a percentage of nominal,

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X-Rite Color Services • 800.248.9748 x2685 • [email protected]
 Standard Viewing Conditions

meaning the specified light intensity. For example, Condition 4: Surround

print illumination must be 60% of nominal, meaning
that if light is the specified 2000 lux in the center of The color of surrounding objects affects color
the viewing booth, it must be at least 1200 lux in the perception, both from light reflected off these objects
corners. and from adjacency when we perceive them in our
field of view. The viewing standard therefore specifies

Viewing Condition
a neutral gray. To test this out, take a measurement
with an i1 or ColorMunki™ and examine the L*a*b*
Standards values. The L* value is not specifically defined, but
should be a middle to light grey. For a photographer,
Light Intensity this would be similar to a photographic gray card. To
be neutral, the a* and b* values should be close to 0.
Prints and Proofs
Casual Viewing (exhibition) — 800 lux
Judging —2000±500 lux (required)
Condition 5: Geometry
Judging —2000±250 lux (preferred)
Reflected glare is not only distracting when
Transparencies evaluating color prints, it can hide reproduction
1270±320 cd/m 2 (preferred) detail. The specification does not explicitly specify
1270±160 cd/m 2 (required)
lighting geometry, but it does state that the light
Evenness of Illumination source, image, and observer must be positioned to
Prints—at least 1200 lux (60% of nominal) intensity at avoid glare.
all points on viewing surface

Transparencies—at least 953 cd/m2 (75% of nominal) Metamerism

intensity at all points on viewing surface
Metamerism is another reason you need to ensure
Surround proper viewing conditions when judging color. This
phenomenon occurs when two colors appear to match
under one lighting condition, but due to their different
spectral power distributions, they are not actually the
same color. You may have experienced metamerism
when you got to work and realized the two black
socks that matched in your lamp lit bedroom are not
Are the two green circles the same color? Actually, yes. the same color under your fluorescent office lights.
Their surround affects their appearance.
Metameric matches are quite common, especially in
Prints—neutral matte surround with luminous reflectance near neutral colors, such as grays and whites, and dark
of 10–60% (comparable to Munsell N8/gray)
colors. As colors become lighter or more saturated,
Transparencies—5–10% luminance level 50 mm the range of possible metameric matches becomes
on all sides
smaller.

For more information, check out

In this example, the L* is 70.9, which is a light color, X-Rite Color Service’s Metamerism
and both a* and b* are near 0. This is a good Need To Know document.
light neutral gray.

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X-Rite Color Services • 800.248.9748 x2685 • [email protected]
 Standard Viewing Conditions

Conclusion represented in standard illumination, it provides the

“greatest common denominator” of illumination.
Standard viewing conditions are an important part of Moreover, the standard specifies a uniform and set
setting up quality color reproduction. Since all parts of conditions for viewing color that can be utilized
of the visible spectrum are equally throughout the entire world.

Light Sources

Light source, image, and observers eyes must be positioned such that specular reflectance (glare) is minimized.

no glare

This image shows the same X-Rite ColorChecker Passport target photographed in a SpectraLight III light booth under three
different lighting conditions. Left: D50/50, Middle: Office Fluorescent, Right: Home Tungsten

For information on a variety classroom, custom on-site, and

highly interactive on-line training options, see X-Rite’s Color
Services web site at http://www.xrite.com/top_services.aspx
Contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
Classroom On-Site eLearning Phone: 800.248.9748 x2685
Training Training Training

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