The easy access to electronic devices for users has resulted in the development of a vast
range of programs and applications for visual evaluation and diagnosis that can be downloaded to
any device. Some of them are based on tasks and stimuli that depend on luminance. The aim of the
present study was to evaluate differences in luminance reproduction between electronic devices and
their implications for contrast reproduction. A total of 20 Galaxy Tab A devices with 8-bit graphics
processing units were evaluated. Characterization of every screen was performed obtaining the
response curve for the achromatic stimulus. Mean, maximum and minimum luminance, standard
deviation and coefficient of variation were obtained to assess differences between devices. Variation
of luminance with increasing digital level was observed in all devices following a gamma distribution.
Comparison between devices for mean results showed that some of them differed by as much as
45 cd/m2. The coefficient of variation varied from ~5 to 9%. Mean percentage of differences in
luminance between devices reached 30%. In conclusion, differences in luminance reproduction
between devices were present, even considering devices from the same manufacturing batch. It
cannot be assumed that the characterization of one device can be extrapolated to other devices.
Every device used for research purposes should be individually characterized to ensure the correct
reproduction. For clinical purposes, limitations should be considered by visual specialists.
