Image-based bidirectional reflectance distribution function measurement

We present a new image-based process for measuring a surface’s bidirectional reflectance rapidly, completely, and accurately. Requiring only two cameras, a light source, and a test sample of known shape, our method generates densely spaced samples covering a large domain of illumination and reflection directions. We verified our measurements both by tests of internal consistency and by comparison against measurements made with a gonioreflectometer. The resulting data show accuracy rivaling that of custom-built dedicated instruments.