2. Getting involved
3. Standards Committees
4. FNF

DIN Standards Committee Colour

Overview

The three-dimensional colour space produced by plotting CIE tristimulus values (X,Y,Z) in rectangular coordinates is not visually uniform, nor is the (x,y,Y) space nor the twodimensional CIE (x,y) chromaticity diagram. Equal distances in these spaces and diagrams do not represent equally perceptible differences between colour stimuli. For this reason, in 1976, the CIE introduced and recommended two new spaces (known as CIELAB and CIELUV) whose coordinates are non-linear functions of X, Y and Z. This recommendation was put forward in an attempt to unify the then very diverse practice in uniform colour spaces and associated colour difference formulae (Robertson, 1990; CIE, 2004). Both these more-nearly uniform colour spaces have become well accepted and widely used. Numerical values representing approximately the relative magnitude of colour differences can be described by simple Euclidean distances in the spaces or by more sophisticated formulae that improve the correlation with the relative perceived size of differences. The purpose of this CIE Standard is to define procedures for calculating the coordinates of the CIE 1976 L*u*v* (CIELUV) colour space and the Euclidean colour difference values based on these coordinates. This standard also defines a related chromaticity diagram that is a projection of the CIE x,y diagram maintaining straight lines of dominant and complementary wavelengths. This standard does not cover the alternative uniform colour space, CIELAB (CIE, 2007), nor does it cover more sophisticated colour difference formulae based on CIELAB, such as the CMC formula (Clarke et al., 1984), the CIE94 formula (CIE, 1995), the DIN99 formula (DIN, 2001), and the CIEDE2000 formula (CIE, 2001). This International Standard specifies the method of calculating the coordinates of the CIE 1976 L*u*v* colour space including correlates of lightness, chroma, saturation and hue. It includes two methods for calculating Euclidean distances in this space to represent the relative perceived magnitude of colour differences. It also specifies the method of calculating the coordinates of the u',v' uniform chromaticity scale diagram. The standard is applicable to tristimulus values calculated using the colour-matching functions of the CIE 1931 standard colorimetric system or the CIE 1964 standard colorimetric system. This standard may be used for the specification of colour stimuli perceived as belonging to a reflecting or transmitting object, where a three-dimensional space more uniform than tristimulus space is required. This includes self-luminous displays, like cathode ray tubes, if they are being used to simulate reflecting or transmitting objects and if the stimuli are appropriately normalized. The Standard, as a whole, does not apply to colour stimuli perceived as belonging to an area that appears to be emitting light as a primary light source, or that appears to be specularly reflecting such light. Only the u',v' chromaticity diagram defined in subclause 4.1 and the correlates of hue and saturation defined in subclause 4.3 apply to such colour stimuli. The responsible national Committee is NA 025-00-02 GA "Gemeinschaftsarbeitsausschuss FNF/FNL: Farbmetrik" ("Joint Working Committee FNF/FNL: Colometry") of the Colour Standards Committee (FNF).

Document: references other documents

Document: referenced in other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 025-00-02 GA - Joint working committee FNF/FNL: Colorimetry  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 139 - Paints and varnishes  

Responsible international committee

CIE - International Commission on Illumination