Cone fundamentals: A model for the future of colorimetry

Abstract

Cone fundamentals is the name given to the relative spectral sensitivity of long-wave sensitive, medium-wave sensitive and short-wave sensitive cones. Cone fundamentals represent the spectral absorptances of the retinal photopigments in the cones multiplied by the spectral transmittances of the ocular media through which light passes to reach the retina. The CIE 2006 cone fundamentals are based on the Stiles and Burch experimental colour matches and have been validated by recent microspectrophotometric measurements and modelling. A new physiologically based version of the MacLeod–Boynton chromaticity diagram is proposed by the CIE as well as a cone-fundamental-based ( xF, yF) chromaticity diagram. All the data necessary to use these concepts for high-precision colorimetric calculations are readily available.