SI Photometric Quantities and Units

Quantity Symbol Unit Unit Description

Symbol
Luminous Iv  candela cd Luminous power per unit solid angle
intensity (lm/sr)
Luminous Φv  lumen lm Luminous energy per unit time - the
flux (cd·sr) product of luminous intensity and
steradians
Luminous Qv  lumen second lm·s Energy emitted as light - the product of
energy luminous flux and its duration
Luminance Lv  candela per cd/m 2 Luminous power per unit solid angle per
square meter unit projected source area
Illuminance Ev  lux lx Luminous power incident on a surface in
(lm/m 2) lumens per square metre
Luminous Mv  lux lx Luminous power emitted from a surface in
exitance (lm/m 2) lumens per square metre

Luminous Hv  lux second lx·s The product of illuminance and its duration
exposure

Luminous ωv  lumen second lm·s·m -3 Luminous energy per cubic metre
energy per cubic
density metre
Luminous η lumen per lm/W Ratio of luminous flux to radiant flux or
efficacy watt power consumption, depending on context

Luminous V - - Luminous efficacy expressed as a fraction

efficiency of the maximum possible luminous efficacy
- a dimensionless quantity, usually
expressed as a percentage