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Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936)
[ACTIVE]

Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions

Metadata

Publisher
SMPTE — White Plains, NY, USA
Doc Type
Journal Article
Content Type
Original Research
Abbreviated Title
J SMPE
Volume
26, No. 5, pp. 490–504
Abstract
The known facts, as reported in the literature, regarding the visual functions, so far as they are influenced by the brightness of the projection screen and its surroundings in the motion picture theater, are reported. The elements of major importance in the visibility of objects are (1) the angular size of the detail to be discriminated; (2) the contrast or degree of difference of brightness between an object and its background; (3) the intensity of illumination; and (4) the exposure time. When viewing a motion picture, the projection screen and its environment constitute the visual field, and the perception of detail in the projected picture is the visual task that the eye is called upon to perform. Since we are primarily concerned with perception, the most important of the visual functions are the perceptual ones, which are: (1) the least amount of light that the eye can perceive, or its threshold sensitivity; (2) its ability to distinguish differences in brightness, or contrast sensitivity; (3) the perception of form, or visual acuity; (4) and the speed of vision. Each of these functions is discussed, together with the effect upon them of the external factors with which they are correlated.
Publication Date
1936-05-01
DOI
10.5594/J08675
ISSN
Print: 0097-5834
Link
https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675
Author(s)
E. M. LowryEastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N. Y.
Copyright
© 1936 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.

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E. M. Lowry; Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936); SMPTE, 1936. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675
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E. M. Lowry; Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936); SMPTE, 1936. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675

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E. M. Lowry; Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936); SMPTE, 1936. Available at https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675
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<span class="citation">E. M. Lowry; <cite>Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions</cite>, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936); SMPTE, 1936. Available at <a href="https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675</a></span>

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E. M. Lowry; Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936); SMPTE, 1936
doi: 10.5594/J08675
url: https://doi.org/10.5594/J08675
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E. M. Lowry; <cite id="bib-10-5594-j08675">Screen Brightness and the Visual Functions</cite>, Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers ( Volume: 26, Issue: 5, May 1936); SMPTE, 1936
<span class="doi">10.5594/J08675</span>
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