What are two ways that light quality can be characterized

1 answer

1) Color temperature: Light quality can be characterized by its color temperature, which is measured in Kelvin (K). Color temperature refers to the color appearance of light and is defined as the temperature of a black body radiator that emits light of comparable color. Lower color temperatures (e.g. 2700K) are considered warm, with a reddish-yellowish hue, while higher color temperatures (e.g. 6500K) are considered cool, with a bluish-white hue.

2) Color rendering index (CRI): Light quality can also be characterized by its color rendering index, which measures how accurately a light source reproduces colors. The CRI is rated on a scale from 0 to 100, with a higher CRI indicating better color rendering. A high CRI light source will accurately display the true colors of objects, while a low CRI light source may distort or make colors appear unnatural.