Optimum display luminance dependence on ambient illuminance

Abstract

Viewing high luminance displays under low light conditions causes unbearable glare. On the other hand, viewing low luminance displays under bright light conditions reduces visibility. We investigate the comfortable display luminance range for several different conditions of ambient illuminance through a psychophysical experiment, which involved 30 subjects. The obtained upper (lower) limits of the comfortable zone were 516 (113), 574 (116), 612 (130), 664 (154), 737 (177), 790 (204), and 836 (246) cd/m2, for ambient illuminances of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 lx, respectively.