ISO 5-1:2009 establishes terms, symbols, functional notations and a coordinate system to describe geometric and spectral conditions for the measurement of the degree to which a specimen modulates radiant flux for applications in photography, graphic technology, and radiometry.

ISO 5-1:2009 primarily provides a system for describing methods of measuring or specifying the transmission and reflection properties of photographic and graphic arts materials. The geometric and spectral conditions associated with such measurement are specified in ISO 5-2, ISO 5-3 and ISO 5-4.