färgluminans

Färgluminans, often simply referred to as luminance, is a photometric measure of the luminous intensity per unit area of light traveling in a particular direction. In simpler terms, it describes how bright a surface appears to the human eye. It quantifies the amount of light emitted, transmitted, or reflected by a surface in a specific direction.

Luminance is measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m²), also known as nits. A higher luminance value indicates a brighter appearance. This is distinct from luminous flux, which measures the total amount of visible light emitted by a source, and illuminance, which measures the amount of light falling on a surface.

The perception of color is influenced by luminance. For instance, a red object will appear brighter under strong lighting conditions than under dim lighting, even if its chromaticity (its hue and saturation) remains the same. In digital imaging and display technology, luminance is a crucial factor in achieving realistic and visually pleasing images. Displays are often characterized by their maximum and minimum luminance levels, which determine their contrast ratio and suitability for different viewing environments. Understanding luminance is essential for fields such as photography, lighting design, and visual perception research.