Emergency Lighting: How To Measure It With The LS-110
Emergency Lighting is an essential backup source used when a building or structure experiences a power outage. They are installed in virtually every commercial or high occupancy residential building. The light often consists of one or more clusters of high-intensity LEDs.
Emergency lighting is manufactured to the highest possible standard. They are subjected to various stringent quality control tests at the end of the production line as well as on-load multiple cycle life tests. Products are also subjected to tests to ensure compliance against standards.
Light Meters are used to quantify the contrast ratio between the alphabet and the background to ensure visibility when lighting is shut down due to power failure in a building or structure. The illuminated panel must emit a minimum requirement of light to ensure that exits and other light sources are easily located.
For this type of application, Konica Minolta offers the LS-110 Handheld Luminance Meter. This meter features an SLR (single lens reflex) optical system, which allows for precise targeting. This ensures that the viewfinder will show the exact area being measured, even at very short distances. Close up lenses are available to allow measurement of areas as small as 0.4mm in diameter. The narrow 1/3° measuring angle on the LS-110 enables measurements to be taken within the limited width of each letter on the emergency sign. The LS-110 is lightweight and compact, which makes on-site measurements quick and easy. It is powered by a single 9V battery.
To find out more about the LS-110 Luminance Meter, click here.
Providing Consistent LED Measurements Within the Automotive Industry
The CL-500A Illuminance Spectrophotometer's compact and lightweight design makes it easy to carry or hold in your hand for portable measurements. It can be used for the evaluation of high-class, next-generation lamps such as LED and EL illumination. In addition, the spectral irradiance waveform and peak wavelength can also be checked directly on the unit.
The CL-500A is equipped with standard tripod sockets on both the top and bottom surface, so it can easily be mounted on a jig facing either downward or upwards. It also includes convenient, easy-to-use software. This software will read measurement data from the CL-500A directly into Excel. This allows for further processing of data to be performed using the included pre-set templates with graphs or various Excel functions. In addition to quantifying the color variations, the software is also equipped with a function to enable easy binning. Another function of the software the ability to display the MacAdam ADCM levels and CIE charts.
The instrument also has an informative color-rendering index display (CRI). The color-rendering index expresses the comparison between the light source being tested and a standard illuminant. The maximum value is 100, with the value decreasing as the color-rendering difference increases. This indicates how far the appearance, under the test light source, is from the natural color under sunlight. Scotopic illuminance and the S/P ratio of scotopic illuminance can be measured with the instrument alone and with the included software. Other measurement functions include continuous measurement mode, average of multiple measurements, delayed measurement and the display of data at a specific wavelength.
The motility of the CL-500A Illuminance Spectrophotometer allows for the simple evaluation of color coordinates and intensity of automotive lighting. It is the perfect measuring instrument for interior and exterior vehicle lighting, portable measurements of CRI and spectral irradiance waveform measurements. The accuracy of this instrument limits the margin of error for manufacturers in the automotive industry.
The lighting system of an automobile requires extreme uniformity and precision, not only for the manufacturer, but for the safety of the driver as well. It is imperative that brightness standards and LED measurements remain consistent from vehicle to vehicle. The CL-500A provides a complete solution for those looking to achieve that goal. It can measure the light emitted from illuminated buttons and switches, interior lighting, displays, gauges, headlamps, tail lamps and more. During the production and quality control process, measurements are taken and compared to the standard values set by the manufacturer. Data can then be uploaded to the CL-s10w software, where it can be evaluated and verified.
To learn how to implement a light management program within your operations, please contact us at (888) 473-2656 or light.expert@konicaminolta.com
Why More than 70% of all the World's Light Meters are Made by Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta stays ahead of the competition in the color measuring and light measuring products industries because of an absolute commitment to engineering the highest quality, most accurate measuring instruments on the market. We help engineers and technicians in a broad range of disciplines do their jobs better and faster.
Of the industrial light meters in use around the world, more than 70 percent have the Konica Minolta name on them. They are used to measure, match, reproduce, replicate, communicate, capture texture, color and shape of 3D images and monitor oxygen saturation in humans.
When television and computer screens need to have white balance adjusted, nearly every major TV and computer manufacturer uses our color analyzers. These instruments are known world wide as the most dependable and precise for measuring and setting screen pictures.
The food industry uses Konica Minolta colorimeters to monitor and control the color of a variety of different types of food from tomato juice and coffee to cereal and peanut butter. The instruments allow manufacturers to produce like products with exact colors every time.
We developed the Pulsox-300 Series Pulse Oximeter to give workers in the medical field a way to measure the oxygen saturation in blood without having to take a blood sample
Our light meters give technicians a broad range of perfectly accurate light measurement results and are available in many styles and sizes. They're the tool of choice for many functions. For example, engineers in laboratories use them to measure LED and CRT illumination. The devices also measure substances that are chemically reactive.
Konica Minolta light meters are used in government testing, photography, cinematography and in a wide range of quality control practices.
Within the industry, not many people know much about light measurement. It's still a relatively knew technology. As the clear industry leader in light measurement technology, Konica Minolta continues to advance the field toward more and better instruments that provide high levels of precision and ease of use.
We've designed our products to fit a variety of measurement tasks. Many of our instruments are portable, hand held models that run on a 9-volt or AA battery. But regardless of the size, every light measurement instrument we build is built through adherence to the strictest standards for accuracy and quality. As the clear industry leader in light measurement technology, Konica Minolta continues to advance the field toward more and better instruments that provide high levels of precision and ease of use. These and other reasons explain why more than 70 percent of the light meters being used around the world came from us.
Our commitment from the beginning has been to create cutting edge measurement and scanning devices that will help technicians across a wide range of industries and disciplines do their jobs better and faster. Industries and places where you'll find Konica Minolta products in use include:
- Universities
- Research and development laboratories
- Food manufacturing
- Plastics
- Paint and coatings
- Transportation
- Textiles
- Medical
- Pharmaceutical
- Agricultural
- Architecture
- Archaeology
- Animation
- and many others.
If you'd like to know more about Konica Minolta's light measurement instruments or if you have questions about any of our products, please call (888) 473-2656, or you can contact us through our website.
Evaluating HDTV displays with the CS-2000 Spectroradiometer light measurement instrument
Unlike in years past, the choices consumers have in what kind of television to buy are enormous. They can choose among many screen sizes, aspect ratios, various features and technologies and prices. Picture quality is what it all comes down to, however, and light measurement is the key. We perform this task with a spectroradiometer.
Konica Minolta's Spectroradiometer CS-2000 was awarded the 13th Advanced Display of the Year 2008 Grand Prize in the Display Testing Equipment Category. The awards ceremony was held at FINETECH JAPAN, the largest exhibition in the world for FPD R & D and manufacturing technology.
The CS-2000 is a high-performance light measurement device that allows technicians to measure many types of displays that are HDTV-compatible. It s through the use of this advanced science that the quality of screen pictures on these televisions is measured and controlled.
When using the CS-2000 to test displays, we perform light measurement on a wide variety of technologies and products. Here are some of them:
First, we have a reference display, which as of September 2008, is the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD. On this display we look at color and black level performance. Then we use a Sencore VP-403C, which is a signal generator that displays a variety of test patterns at different resolutions and formats including all HDTV resolutions and 1080p.
Products we used to test displays include:
- Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray player (reference)
- Oppo DV-980H DVD player
- DirecTV HR20 high-def DVR
- Velocity Micro CineMagix Grand Theater Home-theater PC
- Monoprice cables
Our engineers use spectroradiometers with a number of DVD and Blu-ray sources in testing the displays of products such as reference-quality films. Our main test materials, however, are
- HD Basics (Blu-ray)
- HQV Benchmark (DVD)
- HQV Benchmark (Blu-ray)
- FPD Benchmark Software for Professional (Blu-ray)
- DisplayMate Multimedia Edition (PC)
Calibration
Prior to using the CS-2000 to formally evaluate HDTVs, we calibrate the picture settings so we can create peak performance in our dark room. We do this because the manufacturer s picture settings are usually designed for very bright displays, giving the sets a bigger impact on the showroom floor.
Here are some steps in the calibration process:
Adjust maximum light output to 40ftl (footlambert), as measured on the CS-2000 from a Window 100% w/New Pluge pattern (Chapter 24) from the 1080p section of the Advanced Video Test Patterns menu of Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics (Bluray).
Adjust black level to maximum darkness while still showing full shadow detail, as observed by the reviewer via the PLUGE w/Gray Scale (CH1) and Reverse Gray Ramps & Steps (CH3, 4) patterns from DVE: HD Basics.
Adjust color temperature to the setting that comes closest to X=0.3127 Y=0.329 (which corresponds somewhat with 6500K) on the CIE chromaticity diagram, as measured on the CS-2000 from window patterns in 5% increments from 100% to 15% on DVE: HD Basics (CH24-41).
Adjust color controls to maximum saturation and accurate hue, without introducing color imbalance, as observed by the reviewer with the help of color filters and the SMPTE 75% Color Bars w/Gray Scale and 75% Bars w/Gray Reference from DVE:
HD Basics.
That s just a few of the steps that initiate the testing process. Light measurement technology has allowed us to use the Spectroradiometer CS-2000 to bring about picture quality on HDTVs that just a few years ago was unheard of.
You can learn more about Konica Minolta's Spectroradiometer CS-2000 on our corporate website. You can also view a PDF file that speaks in more detail about our light measurement and testing processes.
https://sensing.konicaminolta.us/us/products/cs-2000-spectroradiometer/
How Light Meters are Used and a Look at Several Models
Konica Minolta light meters come in several styles and provide users with the ability to accurately measure light across many applications. An example of these applications include in laboratories, where engineers developing LEDs need to measure these devices' light properties.
Other applications where light meters are used include a variety of testing processes in government facilities and programs; the measurement of the efficiency of light sources and in efforts to manage and improve quality control operations. Light meters are also used museums and art preservation.
As experts in light-measuring technology and the design of light meters, we provide advanced tools that feature unique ergonomic designs. When technicians need to take these tools off-site, they can choose a portable model that runs on a 9-volt battery. But whatever model is used, we've built in to it technology that's easy to read and understand.
The four light meters we'll talk about here were all designed in compliance with the highest accuracy and quality standards in the industry for the measuring of illuminance and luminance. Because each application will have different requirements, we've built the most important and widely used features into the models below.
This light meter model is used to measure three aspects of light sources:
- Illuminance
- Color temperature
- Chromaticity
Light sources that can be measured with the CL-200A Chroma Meter include incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps and white LEDs.
CL-500A Illuminance Spectrophotometer
This was the first light meter we designed specifically to accurately measure and evaluate advanced lamps such as LED illumination and EL illumination. It can also take spectural and CRI measurements.
The unit is light and compact and provides highly accurate measuring results. It features a stand-alone configuration and an advanced sensor. Like with the CL-200A Chroma Meter, it is an ideal tool to measure illuminance and chromaticity and can be used both in a laboratory setting or in the field to measure the color temperature of virtually any light source.
When the job involves measuring a wide range of luminance conditions with a 1 degree measuring area, the LS-100 Luminance Meter is the light meter of choice. It's compact, lightweight, handheld and portable, making it convenient for a variety of applications.
The next light meter we'll look at here is the LS-110 Luminance Meter. Like the LS-100 Luminance Meter above, this instrument is also compact, lightweight, handheld and portable. The difference is, it is designed to measure luminance conditions.
How it Works: the CL-200A Chroma Meter
The CM5 measures a variety of samples with different material characteristics such as liquids, powders, pastes, and granules, as well as the haze of transparent films and glass. The transmittance chamber can hold large sheets up to 60mm thick! A variety of functions & accessories set this innovative benchtop spectrophotometer apart. See Chapter markers below:
With the versatile CM5, you can measure in reflectance or transmittance.
2:20 - Reflectance measurement in Petri Dish mode
2:57 - Transmittance measurement in Liquid mode
3:22 - Easily calculate Average measurements for textured samples.
3:42 - Create target values for color difference measurements.
3:56 - Calculate haze though powerful Spectra Magic NX software.
Konica Minolta Sensing's New CL-500A
Konica Minolta Sensing Americas introduces the All New CL-500A Illuminance Spectrophotometer. The CL-500A is Konica Minolta's first compact, lightweight illuminance spectrophotometer that can be used for the spectral evaluation of high class next generation lamps such as LEDs, OLEDs, and EL illumination. It also measures illuminance, chromaticity, color temperature and CRI (Color Rendering Index).