Photometric properties of single stellar populations:: From Z/Z⊙=1=50 to Z/Z⊙=2.5

We describe a large grid of photometric properties of single stellar populations that focuses on the near infrared properties of intermediate age populations. The underlying model was presented in recent articles, where we compared its predictions with observations of properties of star clusters and of asymptotic giant branch populations of Local Group galaxies. The grid is made available in tabular form. We present the time evolution of optical and near-infrared broadband colours in the BVIJHK passbands, with ages ranging from 50 Myr to 15 Gyr, and for initial chemical compositions [Z = 0.0004, Y = 0.23], [Z = 0.004, Y = 0.24], [ Z = 0.008, Y = 0.25], [ Z = 0.02, Y = 0.28], and [ Z = 0.05, Y = 0.352]. The evolution of the stellar mass- to- light ratio in the V and K passbands is also provided. All the stellar models are followed from the zero age main sequence ( ZAMS) to the central carbon ignition for massive stars, or to the end of the thermally pulsing regime of the asymptotic giant branch phase (TP-AGB) for low and intermediate mass stars. Calculations of other quantities are possible upon request.