Exposure (photography) - Photometric and Radiometric Exposure

Photometric and Radiometric Exposure

Photometric or luminous exposure Hv is the accumulated physical quantity of visible light energy (weighted by the luminosity function) applied to a surface during a given exposure time. It is defined as:

where

  • Hv is the luminous exposure (usually in lux seconds)
  • Ev is the image-plane illuminance (usually in lux)
  • t is the exposure time (in seconds)

The radiometric quantity radiant exposure He is sometimes used instead; it is the product of image-plane irradiance Ee and time, the accumulated amount of incident "light" energy per area:

where

  • He is the radiant exposure (usually in joules per square metre (J/m2))
  • Ee is the irradiance (usually in watts per square metre (W/m2))
  • t is the exposure time (in seconds)

If the measurement is adjusted to account only for light that reacts with the photo-sensitive surface, that is, weighted by the appropriate spectral sensitivity, the exposure is still measured in radiometric units (joules per square meter), rather than photometric units (weighted by the nominal sensitivity of the human eye). Only in this appropriately weighted case does the H measure the effective amount of light falling on the film, such that the characteristic curve will be correct independent of the spectrum of the light.

Many photographic materials are also sensitive to "invisible" light, which can be a nuisance (see UV filter and IR filter), or a benefit (see infrared photography and full-spectrum photography). The use of radiometric units is appropriate to characterize such sensitivity to invisible light.

In sensitometric data, such as characteristic curves, the log exposure is conventionally expressed as log10(H). Photographers more familiar with base-2 logarithmic scales (such as exposure values) can convert using log2(H) ≈ 3.32 log10(H).

Table 1. SI photometry units
  • v
  • t
  • e
Quantity Symbol SI unit Symbol Dimension Notes
Luminous energy Qv lumen second lm⋅s T⋅J units are sometimes called talbots
Luminous flux Φv lumen (= cd⋅sr) lm J also called luminous power
Luminous intensity Iv candela (= lm/sr) cd J an SI base unit, luminous flux per unit solid angle
Luminance Lv candela per square metre cd/m2 L−2⋅J units are sometimes called nits
Illuminance Ev lux (= lm/m2) lx L−2⋅J used for light incident on a surface
Luminous emittance Mv lux (= lm/m2) lx L−2⋅J used for light emitted from a surface
Luminous exposure Hv lux second lx⋅s L−2⋅T⋅J
Luminous energy density ωv lumen second per metre3 lm⋅s⋅m−3 L−3⋅T⋅J
Luminous efficacy η lumen per watt lm/W M−1⋅L−2⋅T3⋅J ratio of luminous flux to radiant flux
Luminous efficiency V 1 also called luminous coefficient
See also: SI · Photometry · Radiometry · (Compare)

Table 2. SI radiometry units
  • v
  • t
  • e
Quantity Symbol SI unit Symbol Dimension Notes
Radiant energy Qe joule J M⋅L2⋅T−2 energy
Radiant flux Φe watt W M⋅L2⋅T−3 radiant energy per unit time, also called radiant power.
Spectral power Φ watt per metre W⋅m−1 M⋅L⋅T−3 radiant power per wavelength.
Radiant intensity Ie watt per steradian W⋅sr−1 M⋅L2⋅T−3 power per unit solid angle.
Spectral intensity I watt per steradian per metre W⋅sr−1⋅m−1 M⋅L⋅T−3 radiant intensity per wavelength.
Radiance Le watt per steradian per square metre W⋅sr−1⋅m−2 M⋅T−3 power per unit solid angle per unit projected source area.

confusingly called "intensity" in some other fields of study.

Spectral radiance L
or
L
watt per steradian per metre3
or

watt per steradian per square
metre per hertz

W⋅sr−1⋅m−3
or
W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅Hz−1
M⋅L−1⋅T−3
or
M⋅T−2
commonly measured in W⋅sr−1⋅m−2⋅nm−1 with surface area and either wavelength or frequency.


Irradiance Ee watt per square metre W⋅m−2 M⋅T−3 power incident on a surface, also called radiant flux density.

sometimes confusingly called "intensity" as well.

Spectral irradiance E
or
E
watt per metre3
or
watt per square metre per hertz
W⋅m−3
or
W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1
M⋅L−1⋅T−3
or
M⋅T−2
commonly measured in W⋅m−2⋅nm−1
or 10−22W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1, known as solar flux unit.


Radiant exitance /
Radiant emittance
Me watt per square metre W⋅m−2 M⋅T−3 power emitted from a surface.
Spectral radiant exitance /
Spectral radiant emittance
M
or
M
watt per metre3
or

watt per square
metre per hertz

W⋅m−3
or
W⋅m−2⋅Hz−1
M⋅L−1⋅T−3
or
M⋅T−2
power emitted from a surface per wavelength or frequency.


Radiosity Je or J watt per square metre W⋅m−2 M⋅T−3 emitted plus reflected power leaving a surface.
Radiant exposure He joule per square metre J⋅m−2 M⋅T−2
Radiant energy density ωe joule per metre3 J⋅m−3 M⋅L−1⋅T−2
See also: SI · Radiometry · Photometry · (Compare)

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