SIST EN 61966-9:2006

Overview

EN 61966-9:2004 - Multimedia systems and equipment - Colour measurement and management - Part 9: Digital cameras (adopted from IEC 61966-9:2003) defines the test charts, measurement conditions and methods required to assess and manage colour performance of digital still and video cameras. The standard enables consistent colour measurement, supports interoperable colour management in open multimedia systems, and makes comprehensive comparison of camera measurement results possible.

Key topics and requirements

• Test charts and targets: Defines the types of colour and tone charts used to characterise digital cameras for objective measurement (colour patches, gray ramps, etc.).
• Measurement conditions: Specifies lighting, geometry and environmental conditions required for reproducible colour measurements.
• Measurement methods: Describes procedures for capturing and analysing spectral, tristimulus or RGB data to evaluate camera colour response.
• Colour management interoperability: Aligns camera measurement outputs with colour-management workflows to support consistent rendering across devices and platforms (references to default RGB spaces such as sRGB / evolution to scRGB).
• Comparison and repeatability: Provides a framework for comparing results across labs and products by standardising procedures and reporting.
• Normative references: Relies on related standards for observers, lighting vocabulary and measurement methods (e.g., IEC 61146-1 for camera measurement methods, IEC 61966-2-x for RGB colour spaces, ISO/CIE colourimetric references).

Practical applications

EN 61966-9 is used wherever objective, repeatable measurement of camera colour performance is required:

• Camera manufacturers - for product design validation, quality control and specification.
• Test and calibration laboratories - to produce comparable, certified camera colour measurements.
• Image and colour scientists - to research sensor response, profiling and colour pipeline performance.
• Software developers - for colour-management, RAW converters, and imaging pipelines that rely on accurate device characterisation.
• System integrators and multimedia developers - to ensure consistent colour reproduction across capture, processing and display stages in open multimedia systems.

Related standards

• IEC 61966-9:2003 (original international text)
• IEC 61966-2-1 / EN 61966-2-1 (sRGB) and related evolution to scRGB (EN 61966-2-2)
• IEC 61146-1 (video camera measurement methods)
• ISO/CIE references for observers and lighting (ISO/CIE 10527, CIE vocabularies)

Keywords: EN 61966-9, IEC 61966-9, digital camera colour measurement, colour management, test charts, sRGB, scRGB, multimedia systems, camera calibration, colourimetric measurement.