Image Technology Standards Summary – May 2025 Monthly Overview

Looking back at May 2025, the Image Technology sector (ICS 37) experienced an impactful month of standardization activity, with four significant standards published. These documents collectively advanced the sector’s approach to digital imaging terminology, testing methodologies for optical materials, evaluation of photographic print permanence, and systematic processes for information classification and document management. For professionals across industry, research, and compliance roles, this retrospective overview serves as a comprehensive guide to the month’s key themes and trends—with practical insights into the standards that now shape best practices in image creation, management, and preservation.

Monthly Overview: May 2025

May 2025 saw a balanced portfolio of Image Technology standards, touching core dimensions of the discipline:

• Standardized terminology to unify technical communication across digital imaging stakeholders.
• Analytical test methods for critical optical materials in the infrared spectrum, supporting advances in photonics and high-performance imaging.
• Performance benchmarks for photographic prints, addressing durability and color stability in real-world display environments.
• Structured requirements for digital document management, emphasizing security, classification, and sharing protocols for sensitive content.

Compared to previous months, May’s publications demonstrate a notable breadth: from foundational vocabularies that strengthen sector-wide consistency to rigorously defined test procedures supporting both hardware and digital asset management. Rather than focusing narrowly on a single application area, the month’s standards collectively signal the industry’s drive for comprehensive, end-to-end quality and control—from pixel to print, and from data capture to document sharing.

Industry direction, as reflected in these standards, leans toward greater interoperability, heightened attention to data integrity, and renewed interest in archival image quality for both consumers and professionals. The publications make clear that as image technologies evolve, so too must the frameworks and definitions that underpin performance, safety, and compliance.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 12231-1:2025 – Digital Imaging Vocabulary: Fundamental Terms

Digital imaging – Vocabulary – Part 1: Fundamental terms

ISO 12231-1:2025 establishes definitive terminology for digital imaging, targeting terms not previously captured by other ISO/TC 42 deliverables. This vocabulary, now in its second edition, was updated to include new, commonly used term entries and to remove obsolete references. The standard directly addresses evolving concepts rooted in both traditional and modern imaging, clarifying distinctions in areas such as capture devices, sensor output, and common image artifacts (like moiré patterns, aliasing, and digital still camera functions).

The scope is deliberately broad—providing an ordered, authoritative glossary for designers, engineers, researchers, and vendors across the imaging value chain. As digital imaging continues to converge with electronics, video, and information technology, a harmonized vocabulary is essential to ensure clear communication throughout product development, testing, and regulatory processes.

Notably, ISO 12231-1:2025 aligns new definitions with related standards (e.g., ISO 12233 and ISO 12232), helping organizations maintain reference consistency in technical documentation and training. The document also helps map technical committee workgroups addressing overlapping areas in image technology.

Key highlights:

• Adds new fundamental terms widely adopted in digital imaging
• Removes outdated terms to reflect current practice
• Improves alignment with related ISO imaging standards

Access the full standard:View ISO 12231-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 19741:2025 – Test Method for Striae in Infrared Optical Materials

Optics and photonics – Optical materials and components – Test method for striae in infrared optical materials

ISO 19741:2025 presents a comprehensive methodology for measuring striae—irregularities or streaks—within infrared optical materials, particularly those that are opaque to visible wavelengths but transmit in the spectral range above 0.78 µm. The document details the required apparatus, including collimated infrared sources, projection optical systems, and image sensors, as well as environmental conditions and sample preparation protocols.

Test procedures are meticulously laid out. Two primary measurement approaches—projection and schlieren—are described for quantifying striae in specialized optical glasses and components. Data processing requirements and standardized reporting formats ensure repeatable, actionable results that manufacturers and research laboratories alike can utilize in quality assurance and product development.

Applicable to industries manufacturing infrared optical elements for imaging, sensing, and defense applications, compliance with ISO 19741:2025 is critical in assuring product reliability, minimizing image distortions, and enabling precise system calibration. As the second edition, this standard has undergone editorial revisions to improve clarity and usability for practitioners.

Key highlights:

• Defines environmental and equipment conditions for repeatable striae testing
• Covers both projection and schlieren measurement methods
• Establishes guidelines for transparent data processing and reporting

Access the full standard:View ISO 19741:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO/PAS 18940-1:2025 – Image Permanence Specification for Photographic Prints (Indoor)

Imaging materials – Image permanence specification of reflection photographic prints for indoor applications – Part 1: Test methods

ISO/PAS 18940-1:2025 sets forth the test methods, target designs, and data analysis procedures for evaluating the permanence of photographic reflection prints in indoor environments. Drawing upon established standards for measuring stability under heat (ISO 18936), light (ISO 18937), ozone (ISO 18941), and humidity (ISO 18946), this publicly available specification brings clarity and uniformity to how durability data is generated and communicated.

The document applies to a wide swath of production technologies—including chromogenic, inkjet, electrophotographic, and thermal diffusion prints that involve a digital workflow. Only monochrome silver halide (traditional black-and-white) prints are excluded, as the focus is on colorant-bearing prints with relevance for both consumer and professional use.

ISO/PAS 18940-1:2025 provides a harmonized approach to test target construction (including a concise set of 24 sRGB color patches) and reporting formats, enabling manufacturers and archivists to deliver meaningful, comparable data on print longevity. This edition incorporates editorial refinements based on practical feedback, further improving clarity and technical communication.

Key highlights:

• Specifies multi-factor environmental stress tests (light, heat, ozone, humidity)
• Applies standardized targets and analysis for broad industry applicability
• Emphasizes graphical data reporting for practical technical communication

Access the full standard:View ISO/PAS 18940-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 4669-2:2025 – Document Management for Information Classification, Marking, and Handling (ICMH) Solutions

Document management – Information classification, marking and handling – Part 2: Functional and technical requirements for ICMH solutions

ISO 4669-2:2025 defines the core functional and technical requirements for solutions managing the classification, marking, handling, and sharing of sensitive documents in digital formats. As a complement to ISO 4669-1 (which establishes generalized requirements for information classification, marking, and handling), this standard provides specific guidance for implementers and users of digital document management systems.

The standard addresses the extended workflow of content control—ensuring that organizations can reliably distribute digital documents inside and outside the originating entity, while maintaining integrity, security, authenticity, and traceability. Notably, it leaves physical media distribution out of scope, focusing exclusively on the digital environment integral to modern imaging workflows and records management systems.

Key requirements span marking, access and distribution controls, authenticity assurance, audit mechanisms, and best practices for recipient-side management. The standard is especially relevant for software developers, service providers, compliance officers, and organizations needing to compare and select solutions with robust ICMH capabilities tailored for imaging-related records and digital assets.

Key highlights:

• Enumerates comprehensive requirements for digital ICMH solution functionality
• Guides implementation of marking, classification, and handling workflows
• Supports secure, compliant sharing of sensitive content across digital boundaries

Access the full standard:View ISO 4669-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

The May 2025 suite of Image Technology standards reveals several industry-wide priorities:

• Holistic Approach to Image Lifecycle: There is a noticeable drive toward managing the image lifecycle from semantic definition (vocabulary) through physical quality assurance (material testing) to information security and digital content workflow management. This reflects both the increasing complexity of imaging pipelines and a broadening view of quality—extending from technical to organizational concerns.

• Interoperability and Benchmarking: Harmonizing test methods and reporting (as seen in ISO/PAS 18940-1:2025 and ISO 19741:2025) supports interoperability, benchmarking, and buyer confidence across the supply chain—from materials suppliers to print service providers and end users.

• Digital and Physical Convergence: Standards this month bridge the realms of physical image output, digital capture, and organizational information management. This convergence indicates that the separation between imaging devices, digital assets, and business information systems is increasingly artificial, and that best practices must reflect this reality.

• Resilience and Archival Integrity: From ensuring image permanence (with multifactor environmental stress testing) to tightly controlled digital document handling, the industry places renewed emphasis on resilience and long-term value—vital for both cultural heritage and regulated business sectors.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Organizations affected by these standards should prioritize:

1. Familiarization with Updated Terminologies: Technical and training materials should be reviewed for consistency with ISO 12231-1:2025, ensuring unambiguous communication across departments and with external partners.
2. Adoption of Harmonized Test Methods: Laboratories and quality assurance teams should update or validate their procedures against the new requirements in ISO 19741:2025 and ISO/PAS 18940-1:2025, especially where infrared materials or print longevity is a differentiator or compliance necessity.
3. Review of Digital Document Management Protocols: IT managers and compliance officers should assess their information handling systems in light of ISO 4669-2:2025. Selection or upgrade of software handling sensitive imaging documents should match the new functional requirements.

Timeline Considerations:

• Implementation timelines will vary depending on the standard. Vocabulary updates (ISO 12231-1:2025) can usually be rolled out relatively quickly, while establishing new testing procedures or updating document management platforms may require phased transitions and staff training.
• Early action will mitigate risks related to audit non-conformance or product recalls, especially for sectors where reliability, durability, or information security is mission-critical.

Resources:

• Full standards documents are accessible via the iTeh Standards platform. Training resources, gap analyses, and expert consulting may be required for organizations with significant compliance demands.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from May 2025

May 2025 was a pivotal month for the Image Technology sector, marking advancements in how organizations define, measure, and manage both digital and physical images. The reviewed standards:

• Established baseline vocabulary for digital imaging professionals
• Enhanced methods for assessing critical optical material quality
• Standardized protocols for evaluating and communicating print durability
• Strengthened digital document management and information handling

For professionals across engineering, quality management, compliance, and procurement, close engagement with these standards ensures:

• Robust technical communication and reduced ambiguity
• Market differentiation through verifiable, durable, and trustworthy imaging products
• Enhanced control over both image assets and sensitive documentation

Staying up to date with these developments is not just a matter of best practice, but a strategic imperative for organizations seeking to compete and comply in a rapidly evolving sector.

Explore all Image Technology standards and access comprehensive resources at iTeh Standards.