Skip to main content

Luminance, Contrast Ratio and Grey Scale

  • Reference work entry
Handbook of Visual Display Technology
  • 988 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter describes the most prominent display metrology parameters and procedures, including luminance, Contrast Ratio, and grey scale. Each topic will be explained with typical examples; an overview is also provided in Chap. 2.4.3. The display measurement equipment required to carry out these measurements is presented in Chap. 11.6.1, with test patterns provided in Chap. 11.5.1. All these measurements can be performed under varying conditions such as changing viewing angle (Chap. 11.3.3) or ambient light levels (Chap. 11.3.4).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 899.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

AM:

Active Matrix

C:

Luminance Contrast

CM :

Contrast Modulation

CR :

Contrast Ratio

CRT:

Cathode Ray Tube

DMD:

Digital Micromirror Device

EL:

Electroluminescence

FOV:

Field Of View

FPD:

Flat Panel Displays

LCD:

Liquid Crystal Display

LED:

Light Emitting Diode

MTF:

Modulation Transfer Function

OLED:

Organic Light Emitting Diode

PDP:

Plasma Panel Display

PM:

Passive Matrix

TFT:

Thin Film Transistor

TV:

Television

References

  1. Brennesholtz MS, Stupp EH (2008) Characteristics and characterisation. In: Projection displays. Wiley, Chichester (Chapter 13)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barten PGJ (2004) Formula for the contrast sensitivity of the human eye. Image quality and system performance. Soc Photo-Opt Instrum Eng 5294:231–238

    Google Scholar 

  3. Boynton PA, Kelley EF (1997) Accurate contrast-ratio measurements using a cone mask. Soc Inf Display Dig 28(1):823–826

    Google Scholar 

  4. Heynderickx I, Matenbroek E, Bech S (2002) Sharpness as perceived on a CRT. Proc IDW 02(9):1267–1270

    Google Scholar 

  5. Boreman G (2001) Modulation transfer function in optical and electro-optical systems, vol TT52. SPIE, Bellingham, p 110

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Ichikawa K, Kodera Y, Fujita H (2006) MTF measurement method for medical displays by using a bar-pattern image. Soc Inf Display J 14(10):831–837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Senol E, Muka E (1995) Spatial frequency characteristics of CRT softcopy displays. Soc Photo-Optical Inst Eng 2431:302–315

    Google Scholar 

  8. Triantaphillidou S, Jacobson RE (2004) Measurements of the modulation transfer function of image displays. J Imaging Sci Technol 48(1):58–65

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kurita T, Saito A, Yuyama I (1998) Consideration on perceived MTF of hold type display for moving images. Idea Des Work 98:823–826

    Google Scholar 

  10. McCluney WR (1994) Luminance and brightness. In: Introduction to radiometry and photometry. Artech House, Boston (Chapter 2.3)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bodmann HW, Haubner P, Marsden AM (1980) A unified relationship between brightness and luminance. In: CIE Proceedings, CIE Central Bureau, Paris, 99–102

    Google Scholar 

  12. Blume H, Ho AMK, Stevens F, Steven PM (2001) Practical aspects of gray-scale calibration of display systems. Soc Photo-Optical Inst Eng 4323:28–41

    Google Scholar 

  13. Travis D (1991) Measuring the gamma function. In: Effective color displays. Theory and practice. Academic, San Diego (Chapter 2.2.1.1)

    Google Scholar 

  14. National Electrical Manufacturers Association (2003) PS 3.14:2003: Digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM). Grayscale standard display function. National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Virginia (Part 14). Available from http://medical.nema.org

Further Reading

  • Keller PA (1997) Electronic display measurement: concepts, techniques and instrumentation. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karlheinz Blankenbach .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this entry

Cite this entry

Blankenbach, K. (2012). Luminance, Contrast Ratio and Grey Scale. In: Chen, J., Cranton, W., Fihn, M. (eds) Handbook of Visual Display Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79567-4_143

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics