5-22 I E S LIGHTING HANDBOOK

comparison lamp color temperature. The design and selection of such

niters has been described.
22
These niters are rated in terms of their color
temperature altering power; which, for convenience in computing, is
developed on the scale of reciprocal color temperature on which the custo-
mary unit is the micro-reciprocal degree, abbreviated for convenience to
"mired." One mired is about the smallest observable color temperature
difference and the customary scale ranges from 50 mireds (20,000 degrees)
to 1,000 mireds (1,000 degrees). The Macbeth illuminometer has a
comparison lamp which can be conveniently adjusted from about 410
mireds (2,440 degrees) to 470 mireds (2,130 degrees). Through the use
of a series of color temperature raising and lowering filters covering the
entire scale with the interval between any two adjacent niters less than 60
mireds, sources throughout the whole range of color temperature can be
photometered. If a specific color temperature is desired the Davis-Gibson
filters can be prepared.
23
Because the use of filters with sources having a widely different energy
distribution produces only a psychological color match, the procedure by
which standard and test lamps are in turn photometered against a com-
parison lamp is not a true substitution method and therefore is not a satis-
factory safeguard against photometric error. The transmittance and re-
flectance of various components of the photometer are usually different
for the test, standard, and comparison source energy distributions. In
fact, the eye itself is not symmetrical in light sensitivity about its optical
axis, and for the most precise measurements it may be necessary to rotate
the photometer about its vertical axis so as to interchange the positions of
the field images on the retina. When this procedure is followed, the aver-
age of the two sets of readings should be used.
The magnitude of the necessary corrections for variable absorption can
be reduced by taking steps to ensure that the photometer is as nonselec-
tive in its absorption characteristics as possible.
The test plate reflectance should also be nonselective, having as high
reflectance as practicable confoiming closely to the cosine law of perfect
diffusion. White opal glass and white blotting paper make reasonably
good test plates with luminous reflectance of approximately 80 per cent.
The blotter may introduce a small specular error and is more likely to be
soiled. Observations should be made normal to the test plate. When
this is not possible, the reflectance characteristics of the plate should be
detei mined in advance and readings at the angle of reflection of the prin-
cipal sources should be avoided.
For measuring the color temperature of light sources, color temperature
standards have been made available both by the National Bureau of
Standards* and by the Electrical Testing Laboratories.t Comparisons
with them may be made either visually by matching the test lamp against
the standard, or, photoelectrically, by comparing the red-to-blue ratio of
the test lamp with that obtained for the standard using the same filters.
*
Washington, D.C.
t
New York, N.Y.